BIKERELIABILITY Reg check
League table/ HARLEY-DAVIDSON/FXSTC
Model report · 2005–2025

HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXSTC

1584cc Petrol Class 2
#1818 of 5428 overall #310 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #363 of 465 cruiser bikes
87.3%
first-time pass rate
4.9%
failed outright
16,218
median miles at test
8,369
MOT tests, 2005–2025
+2.7pp
vs expected · age & mileage

The pass rate is the MOT first-time pass: a roadworthiness check of the items an MOT covers (brakes, lights, tyres, steering, structure, emissions), not a full mechanical inspection of engine or gearbox internals. It is a reliability signal, not a complete measure of mechanical reliability. What this measures.

“vs expected” adjusts for age, mileage and test class, so a cherished classic and a hard-used commuter are compared fairly. How this works.

Pass rate over time

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

The FXSTC's first-time pass rate has risen 3.0 points since 2005, 83.0% to 86.0%.

78%87%96%2005: 83.0% pass (47 tests)2006: 89.9% pass (267 tests)2007: 92.8% pass (265 tests)2008: 86.0% pass (243 tests)2009: 88.8% pass (277 tests)2010: 86.7% pass (436 tests)2011: 84.4% pass (508 tests)2012: 80.6% pass (537 tests)2013: 85.9% pass (538 tests)2014: 89.8% pass (510 tests)2015: 88.8% pass (519 tests)2016: 88.7% pass (504 tests)2017: 88.0% pass (501 tests)2018: 86.5% pass (399 tests)2019: 88.2% pass (391 tests)2020: 90.7% pass (322 tests)2021: 90.1% pass (473 tests)2022: 83.3% pass (456 tests)2023: 86.8% pass (456 tests)2024: 89.7% pass (348 tests)2025: 86.0% pass (372 tests)20052025

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage FXSTC passes first time 87.6% of the time; by 50k that's 91.6%.

85%89%93%0k: 87.6% pass (2,542 tests)10k: 87.3% pass (2,396 tests)20k: 86.3% pass (1,601 tests)30k: 87.2% pass (811 tests)40k: 87.2% pass (429 tests)50k: 91.6% pass (215 tests)0k30k50k

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 FXSTC

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded
Component group Share of defects Defects % of defects vs all bikes
lighting and signalling
212 28.4 0.4×
lamps and reflectors
143 19.2 0.6×
brakes
114 15.3 0.3×
tyres and wheels
56 7.5 0.3×
reg plates and vin
55 7.4 0.8×
steering and suspension
48 6.4 0.2×
fuel and exhaust
38 5.1 0.6×
tyres
32 4.3 0.5×
suspension
25 3.4 0.3×
Identification of the vehicle
23 3.1 1.2×

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 FXSTC beats 0 of its 4 closest rivals (HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTF, HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTC, HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL1200C).

HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTF 89.0% pass · 30.1k tests Compare head-to-head →
HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTC 89.4% pass · 23.8k tests Compare head-to-head →
HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL1200C 88.4% pass · 15.7k tests Compare head-to-head →
HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXDWG 88.7% pass · 14.6k tests Compare head-to-head →

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 FXSTC.

Compare with any bike

rival not listed above? pick any model to see it head-to-head with the Fxstc

More HARLEY-DAVIDSON models

other HARLEY-DAVIDSON bikes ranked by MOT pass rate
HARLEY-DAVIDSON XLH 883 87.4% pass · 41.3k tests
HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTF 89.0% pass · 30.1k tests
HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTC 89.4% pass · 23.8k tests
HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL 87.9% pass · 18.5k tests
HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL1200C 88.4% pass · 15.7k tests
HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL883 87.2% pass · 14.9k tests

See all HARLEY-DAVIDSON models →

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1986 (95.5% pass). Weakest: 1989 (80.8%).

78%88%98%1971: 94.4% pass (54 tests)1986: 95.5% pass (67 tests)1987: 94.2% pass (138 tests)1988: 87.4% pass (127 tests)1989: 80.8% pass (255 tests)1990: 84.7% pass (353 tests)1991: 87.6% pass (451 tests)1992: 90.5% pass (325 tests)1993: 88.7% pass (186 tests)1994: 86.0% pass (336 tests)1995: 91.1% pass (225 tests)1996: 88.3% pass (196 tests)1997: 89.6% pass (451 tests)1998: 88.0% pass (601 tests)1999: 91.5% pass (153 tests)2003: 82.1% pass (56 tests)2006: 86.5% pass (520 tests)2007: 86.8% pass (1,916 tests)2008: 84.3% pass (1,125 tests)2009: 90.2% pass (651 tests)197119952009

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 FXSTC FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXSTC reliable?

The HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXSTC is more reliable than average for its class: 87.3% of its 8,369 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1818 of 5428 models.

What does a FXSTC fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 28% of all defects recorded against failed FXSTC tests.

What is the best year of FXSTC to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1986-registered examples do best (95.5%) and 1989 worst (80.8%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a FXSTC last?

The median FXSTC shows 16,218 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 91.6% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.

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