HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTFB

1690cc Petrol Class 2

#919 of 5426 overall #141 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #175 of 465 cruiser bikes

90.1%

first-time pass rate

4.8%

failed outright

7,560

median miles at test

2,026

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The FLSTFB's first-time pass rate has risen 3.5 points since 2017, 84.8% to 88.3%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage FLSTFB passes first time 90.8% of the time; by 30k that's 89.8%.

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 FLSTFB

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lamps and reflectors	45	30.8	1.1×
tyres	30	20.5	1.9×
brakes	22	15.1	0.2×
lighting and signalling	15	10.3	0.1×
Identification of the vehicle	11	7.5	2.4×
structure and attachments	8	5.5	0.5×
reg plates and vin	5	3.4	0.3×
tyres and wheels	4	2.7	0.1×
suspension	4	2.7	0.3×
steering and suspension	2	1.4	—

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 FLSTFB 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 FLSTFB.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2017 (94.4% pass). Weakest: 2015 (87.9%).

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 FLSTFB FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTFB reliable?

The HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTFB is more reliable than average for its class: 90.1% of its 2,026 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #919 of 5426 models.

What does a FLSTFB fail its MOT on most?

lamps and reflectors — 31% of all defects recorded against failed FLSTFB tests.

What is the best year of FLSTFB to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2017-registered examples do best (94.4%) and 2015 worst (87.9%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a FLSTFB last?

The median FLSTFB shows 7,560 miles at test, and examples around 30k miles still pass 89.8% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.