HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTC HERITAGE SOFTAIL CL

1584cc Petrol Class 2

#988 of 5426 overall #156 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #190 of 465 cruiser bikes

89.9%

first-time pass rate

5.2%

failed outright

14,246

median miles at test

2,322

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2009–2025

The FLSTC HERITAGE SOFTAIL CL's first-time pass rate has fallen 5.5 points since 2009, 96.7% to 91.2%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage FLSTC HERITAGE SOFTAIL CL passes first time 91.4% of the time; by 40k that's 79.3%.

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 HERITAGE SOFTAIL CL

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	42	22.2	0.3×
lamps and reflectors	40	21.2	0.8×
lighting and signalling	32	16.9	0.3×
tyres and wheels	21	11.1	0.5×
reg plates and vin	19	10.1	1.3×
tyres	16	8.5	0.8×
steering and suspension	7	3.7	0.1×
fuel and exhaust	4	2.1	0.2×
audible warning (Horn)	4	2.1	0.9×
suspension	4	2.1	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 HERITAGE SOFTAIL CL 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 FLSTC HERITAGE SOFTAIL CL.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2009 (97.7% pass). Weakest: 2008 (87.3%).

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 HERITAGE SOFTAIL CL FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTC HERITAGE SOFTAIL CL reliable?

The HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTC HERITAGE SOFTAIL CL is more reliable than average for its class: 89.9% of its 2,322 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #988 of 5426 models.

What does a FLSTC HERITAGE SOFTAIL CL fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 22% of all defects recorded against failed FLSTC HERITAGE SOFTAIL CL tests.

What is the best year of FLSTC HERITAGE SOFTAIL CL to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2009-registered examples do best (97.7%) and 2008 worst (87.3%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a FLSTC HERITAGE SOFTAIL CL last?

The median FLSTC HERITAGE SOFTAIL CL shows 14,246 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 79.3% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.