HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTC

1450cc Petrol Class 2

#1145 of 5426 overall #184 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #223 of 465 cruiser bikes

89.4%

first-time pass rate

4.9%

failed outright

16,878

median miles at test

23.7k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2025

The FLSTC's first-time pass rate has held steady since 2005 (91.7% → 91.4%).

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage FLSTC passes first time 90.8% of the time; by 50k that's 88.3%.

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 FLSTC

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	453	22.6	0.3×
brakes	428	21.4	0.3×
lamps and reflectors	262	13.1	0.5×
reg plates and vin	244	12.2	1.3×
tyres and wheels	182	9.1	0.4×
fuel and exhaust	134	6.7	0.7×
steering and suspension	101	5	0.1×
tyres	91	4.6	0.5×
Identification of the vehicle	73	3.6	1.3×
structure and attachments	32	1.6	0.2×

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 FLSTC beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTF, HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL1200C, HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXDWG).

HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTF 88.9% pass · 30.1k tests HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL1200C 88.4% pass · 15.7k tests HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXDWG 88.7% pass · 14.6k tests HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL 1200 C CUSTOM SPORT 88.1% pass · 13.9k 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 FLSTC.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2012 (92.8% pass). Weakest: 1989 (83.8%).

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 FLSTC FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTC reliable?

The HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTC is more reliable than average for its class: 89.4% of its 23,742 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1145 of 5426 models.

What does a FLSTC fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 23% of all defects recorded against failed FLSTC tests.

What is the best year of FLSTC to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2012-registered examples do best (92.8%) and 1989 worst (83.8%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a FLSTC last?

The median FLSTC shows 16,878 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 88.3% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.