HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXST SOFTAIL STANDARD

1450cc Petrol Class 2

#1269 of 5426 overall #204 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #246 of 465 cruiser bikes

89.0%

first-time pass rate

4.4%

failed outright

17,577

median miles at test

2,288

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2025

The FXST SOFTAIL STANDARD's first-time pass rate has fallen 1.9 points since 2006, 90.4% to 88.5%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage FXST SOFTAIL STANDARD passes first time 88.9% of the time; by 50k that's 88.1%.

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 FXST SOFTAIL STANDARD

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	76	36.5	0.5×
brakes	29	13.9	0.2×
tyres and wheels	23	11.1	0.4×
lamps and reflectors	21	10.1	0.3×
reg plates and vin	20	9.6	1.4×
fuel and exhaust	15	7.2	0.9×
steering and suspension	10	4.8	0.1×
Identification of the vehicle	7	3.4	1.3×
audible warning (Horn)	4	1.9	1.0×
wheels	3	1.4	2.2×

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 FXST SOFTAIL STANDARD beats 3 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 FXST SOFTAIL STANDARD.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2000 (91.5% pass). Weakest: 1998 (81.4%).

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 FXST SOFTAIL STANDARD FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXST SOFTAIL STANDARD reliable?

The HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXST SOFTAIL STANDARD is more reliable than average for its class: 89.0% of its 2,288 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1269 of 5426 models.

What does a FXST SOFTAIL STANDARD fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 37% of all defects recorded against failed FXST SOFTAIL STANDARD tests.

What is the best year of FXST SOFTAIL STANDARD to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2000-registered examples do best (91.5%) and 1998 worst (81.4%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a FXST SOFTAIL STANDARD last?

The median FXST SOFTAIL STANDARD shows 17,577 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 88.1% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.