HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXSTD

1450cc Petrol Class 2

#1666 of 5426 overall #285 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #336 of 465 cruiser bikes

87.8%

first-time pass rate

4.7%

failed outright

12,998

median miles at test

2,681

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The FXSTD's first-time pass rate has fallen 4.8 points since 2006, 90.4% to 85.6%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage FXSTD passes first time 88.7% 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 FXSTD

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	76	32.3	0.5×
brakes	37	15.7	0.3×
lamps and reflectors	36	15.3	0.5×
reg plates and vin	29	12.3	1.7×
tyres and wheels	16	6.8	0.3×
fuel and exhaust	13	5.5	0.6×
tyres	11	4.7	0.5×
steering and suspension	9	3.8	0.1×
Identification of the vehicle	6	2.6	1.0×
structure and attachments	2	0.9	0.1×

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 FXSTD beats 0 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 FXSTD.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2002 (89.4% pass). Weakest: 2004 (84.3%).

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 FXSTD FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXSTD reliable?

The HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXSTD is more reliable than average for its class: 87.8% of its 2,681 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1666 of 5426 models.

What does a FXSTD fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 32% of all defects recorded against failed FXSTD tests.

What is the best year of FXSTD to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2002-registered examples do best (89.4%) and 2004 worst (84.3%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a FXSTD last?

The median FXSTD shows 12,998 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 87.0% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.