HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXD

1450cc Petrol Class 2

#1332 of 5426 overall #216 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #260 of 465 cruiser bikes

88.8%

first-time pass rate

5.4%

failed outright

15,982

median miles at test

10.7k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The FXD's first-time pass rate has fallen 6.9 points since 2005, 94.9% to 88.0%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage FXD passes first time 89.2% of the time; by 50k that's 88.6%.

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 FXD

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	305	29.3	0.5×
brakes	181	17.4	0.3×
lamps and reflectors	156	15	0.6×
reg plates and vin	79	7.6	1.0×
fuel and exhaust	79	7.6	0.9×
steering and suspension	74	7.1	0.2×
tyres and wheels	71	6.8	0.3×
Identification of the vehicle	37	3.6	1.4×
tyres	32	3.1	0.4×
structure and attachments	28	2.7	0.3×

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 FXD beats 2 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 FXD.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2007 (95.3% pass). Weakest: 2009 (84.6%).

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 FXD FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXD reliable?

The HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXD is more reliable than average for its class: 88.8% of its 10,679 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1332 of 5426 models.

What does a FXD fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 29% of all defects recorded against failed FXD tests.

What is the best year of FXD to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2007-registered examples do best (95.3%) and 2009 worst (84.6%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a FXD last?

The median FXD shows 15,982 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 88.6% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.