HARLEY-DAVIDSON HERITAGE

1340cc Petrol Class 2

#1478 of 5426 overall #247 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #295 of 465 cruiser bikes

88.4%

first-time pass rate

6.3%

failed outright

13,702

median miles at test

773

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The HERITAGE's first-time pass rate has risen 4.7 points since 2006, 87.1% to 91.8%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage HERITAGE passes first time 90.4% of the time; by 50k that's 91.3%.

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 HERITAGE

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lamps and reflectors	17	20.7	0.8×
brakes	17	20.7	0.4×
lighting and signalling	16	19.5	0.3×
reg plates and vin	7	8.5	1.4×
tyres and wheels	6	7.3	0.4×
suspension	6	7.3	0.9×
steering and suspension	4	4.9	0.2×
tyres	4	4.9	0.8×
structure and attachments	3	3.7	0.6×
audible warning (Horn)	2	2.4	1.4×

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 HERITAGE 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 HERITAGE.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1994 (94.3% pass). Weakest: 1995 (90.0%).

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 HERITAGE FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HARLEY-DAVIDSON HERITAGE reliable?

The HARLEY-DAVIDSON HERITAGE is more reliable than average for its class: 88.4% of its 773 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1478 of 5426 models.

What does a HERITAGE fail its MOT on most?

lamps and reflectors — 21% of all defects recorded against failed HERITAGE tests.

How many miles will a HERITAGE last?

The median HERITAGE shows 13,702 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 91.3% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.