HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTS

1340cc Petrol Class 2

#1111 of 5426 overall #178 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #216 of 465 cruiser bikes

89.5%

first-time pass rate

4.5%

failed outright

16,337

median miles at test

3,677

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The FLSTS's first-time pass rate has risen 3.3 points since 2005, 90.6% to 93.9%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage FLSTS passes first time 90.7% of the time; by 50k that's 87.0%.

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 FLSTS

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	71	23.7	0.3×
reg plates and vin	52	17.3	1.7×
brakes	52	17.3	0.2×
lamps and reflectors	34	11.3	0.4×
steering and suspension	31	10.3	0.3×
tyres and wheels	29	9.7	0.4×
fuel and exhaust	12	4	0.4×
Identification of the vehicle	8	2.7	0.9×
steering	6	2	0.4×
tyres	5	1.7	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 FLSTS 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 FLSTS.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1999 (92.8% pass). Weakest: 2001 (87.8%).

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 FLSTS FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTS reliable?

The HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTS is more reliable than average for its class: 89.5% of its 3,677 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1111 of 5426 models.

What does a FLSTS fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 24% of all defects recorded against failed FLSTS tests.

What is the best year of FLSTS to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1999-registered examples do best (92.8%) and 2001 worst (87.8%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a FLSTS last?

The median FLSTS shows 16,337 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 87.0% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.