HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHXS

1690cc Petrol Class 2

#468 of 5426 overall #68 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #90 of 465 cruiser bikes

92.0%

first-time pass rate

4.1%

failed outright

13,782

median miles at test

1,664

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2017–2025

The FLHXS's first-time pass rate has held steady since 2017 (93.9% → 93.7%).

Pass rate by mileage

how the FLHXS's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage FLHXS passes first time 93.0% of the time; by 40k that's 94.9%.

First-time pass rate by odometer reading at test, 10,000-mile bands for this model. Mileage is the strongest reliability signal. See the full curve.

What fails on a FLHXS

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	45	37.8	0.5×
lamps and reflectors	24	20.2	0.7×
tyres	15	12.6	1.1×
suspension	12	10.1	0.8×
Identification of the vehicle	9	7.6	2.3×
structure and attachments	5	4.2	0.4×
steering	3	2.5	0.4×
audible warning (Horn)	3	2.5	1.0×
reg plates and vin	2	1.7	0.1×
steering and suspension	1	0.8	—

Defects recorded against failed normal tests, 2005–2025, grouped by DVSA inspection section. One test can record multiple defects. "vs all bikes" is how often this model's tests record a defect in the group, as a multiple of the all-bike rate.

How rivals compare

same type, similar capacity, high test volume

On first-time pass rate the FLHXS beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTF, HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTC, HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL1200C).

HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTF 88.9% pass · 30.1k tests HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTC 89.4% pass · 23.7k tests HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL1200C 88.4% pass · 15.7k tests HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXDWG 88.7% pass · 14.6k tests

Rivals share this bike's type and sit within ±30% of its engine capacity, ≥ 5,000 tests. Card colour = better/worse first-time pass rate than the FLHXS.

Pass rate by registration year

how each model-year cohort fares · registration year from first use date

Best year to buy used: 2015 (92.6% pass). Weakest: 2014 (90.1%).

First-time pass rate by the year each bike was first registered (cohorts with ≥ 50 tests). Older cohorts are survivors: the worst examples have already left the road, which tends to lift the earliest years.

HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHXS FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHXS reliable?

The HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHXS is more reliable than average for its class: 92.0% of its 1,664 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #468 of 5426 models.

What does a FLHXS fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 38% of all defects recorded against failed FLHXS tests.

What is the best year of FLHXS to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2015-registered examples do best (92.6%) and 2014 worst (90.1%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a FLHXS last?

The median FLHXS shows 13,782 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 94.9% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.