HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXSTSSE

1802cc Petrol Class 2

#854 of 5426 overall #130 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #161 of 465 cruiser bikes

90.3%

first-time pass rate

4.8%

failed outright

9,408

median miles at test

795

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2010–2025

The FXSTSSE's first-time pass rate has fallen 8.0 points since 2010, 93.3% to 85.3%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage FXSTSSE passes first time 90.4% of the time; by 20k that's 83.1%.

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 FXSTSSE

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
tyres and wheels	13	25	0.8×
brakes	8	15.4	0.2×
reg plates and vin	8	15.4	1.8×
fuel and exhaust	6	11.5	1.0×
lighting and signalling	5	9.6	0.1×
lamps and reflectors	4	7.7	0.2×
tyres	4	7.7	0.6×
suspension	2	3.8	0.3×
audible warning (Horn)	1	1.9	0.7×
Identification of the vehicle	1	1.9	0.5×

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 FXSTSSE beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTF, HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTC, TRIUMPH ROCKET III).

HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTF 88.9% pass · 30.1k tests HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTC 89.4% pass · 23.7k tests TRIUMPH ROCKET III 88.3% pass · 15.5k 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 FXSTSSE.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2007 (90.7% pass). Weakest: 2008 (88.2%).

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 FXSTSSE FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXSTSSE reliable?

The HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXSTSSE is more reliable than average for its class: 90.3% of its 795 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #854 of 5426 models.

What does a FXSTSSE fail its MOT on most?

tyres and wheels — 25% of all defects recorded against failed FXSTSSE tests.

What is the best year of FXSTSSE to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2009-registered examples do best (90.7%) and 2008 worst (88.2%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a FXSTSSE last?

The median FXSTSSE shows 9,408 miles at test, and examples around 20k miles still pass 83.1% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.