HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLST

1340cc Petrol Class 2

#1784 of 5426 overall #301 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #354 of 465 cruiser bikes

87.4%

first-time pass rate

5.6%

failed outright

17,616

median miles at test

1,364

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2025

The FLST's first-time pass rate has fallen 1.2 points since 2006, 90.6% to 89.4%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage FLST passes first time 89.6% of the time; by 50k that's 86.7%.

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 FLST

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	43	28.9	0.5×
lamps and reflectors	21	14.1	0.6×
brakes	20	13.4	0.3×
reg plates and vin	17	11.4	1.9×
tyres and wheels	12	8.1	0.4×
steering and suspension	10	6.7	0.2×
structure and attachments	8	5.4	0.9×
Identification of the vehicle	7	4.7	2.2×
fuel and exhaust	7	4.7	0.6×
steering	4	2.7	0.7×

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 FLST beats 0 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 FLST.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1989 (92.6% pass). Weakest: 1986 (82.8%).

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 FLST FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLST reliable?

The HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLST is more reliable than average for its class: 87.4% of its 1,364 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1784 of 5426 models.

What does a FLST fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 29% of all defects recorded against failed FLST tests.

What is the best year of FLST to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1989-registered examples do best (92.6%) and 1986 worst (82.8%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a FLST last?

The median FLST shows 17,616 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 86.7% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.