HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTFSE

1690cc Petrol Class 2

#798 of 5426 overall #119 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #149 of 465 cruiser bikes

90.5%

first-time pass rate

3.0%

failed outright

7,576

median miles at test

998

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The FLSTFSE's first-time pass rate has risen 4.4 points since 2009, 90.9% to 95.3%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage FLSTFSE passes first time 90.8% of the time; by 30k that's 93.8%.

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 FLSTFSE

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	14	22.6	0.2×
reg plates and vin	13	21	1.2×
lamps and reflectors	10	16.1	0.5×
tyres and wheels	7	11.3	0.3×
Identification of the vehicle	5	8.1	2.2×
brakes	4	6.5	0.1×
fuel and exhaust	4	6.5	0.5×
driving controls	3	4.8	0.9×
audible warning (Horn)	1	1.6	0.5×
steering and suspension	1	1.6	—

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 FLSTFSE 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 FLSTFSE.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2006 (92.1% pass). Weakest: 2005 (85.1%).

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 FLSTFSE FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTFSE reliable?

The HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTFSE is more reliable than average for its class: 90.5% of its 998 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #798 of 5426 models.

What does a FLSTFSE fail its MOT on most?

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

How many miles will a FLSTFSE last?

The median FLSTFSE shows 7,576 miles at test, and examples around 30k miles still pass 93.8% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.