HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXDL

1450cc Petrol Class 2

#1075 of 5426 overall #170 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #205 of 465 cruiser bikes

89.6%

first-time pass rate

4.5%

failed outright

14,542

median miles at test

10.6k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The FXDL's first-time pass rate has risen 1.1 points since 2005, 89.1% to 90.2%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage FXDL passes first time 91.3% of the time; by 50k that's 82.2%.

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 FXDL

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	208	23.5	0.3×
brakes	166	18.7	0.3×
lamps and reflectors	129	14.6	0.6×
reg plates and vin	121	13.7	1.3×
tyres and wheels	64	7.2	0.3×
steering and suspension	57	6.4	0.2×
fuel and exhaust	55	6.2	0.6×
Identification of the vehicle	37	4.2	1.4×
structure and attachments	25	2.8	0.3×
tyres	24	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 FXDL 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 FXDL.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2006 (94.3% pass). Weakest: 1995 (84.2%).

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 FXDL FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXDL reliable?

The HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXDL is more reliable than average for its class: 89.6% of its 10,593 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1075 of 5426 models.

What does a FXDL fail its MOT on most?

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

What is the best year of FXDL to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2006-registered examples do best (94.3%) and 1995 worst (84.2%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a FXDL last?

The median FXDL shows 14,542 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 82.2% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.