HARLEY-DAVIDSON HERITAGE SOFTAIL

1340cc Petrol Class 2

#1448 of 5426 overall #242 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #290 of 465 cruiser bikes

88.5%

first-time pass rate

6.9%

failed outright

16,582

median miles at test

1,108

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The HERITAGE SOFTAIL's first-time pass rate has risen 3.7 points since 2006, 86.3% to 90.0%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage HERITAGE SOFTAIL passes first time 91.7% of the time; by 50k that's 85.3%.

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 SOFTAIL

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	41	30.8	0.8×
brakes	23	17.3	0.4×
lamps and reflectors	16	12	0.6×
tyres and wheels	13	9.8	0.5×
steering and suspension	11	8.3	0.3×
reg plates and vin	11	8.3	1.6×
fuel and exhaust	6	4.5	0.7×
Identification of the vehicle	5	3.8	2.0×
tyres	5	3.8	0.7×
structure and attachments	2	1.5	0.3×

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 SOFTAIL beats 1 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 SOFTAIL.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1996 (90.7% pass). Weakest: 1993 (83.6%).

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 SOFTAIL FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HARLEY-DAVIDSON HERITAGE SOFTAIL reliable?

The HARLEY-DAVIDSON HERITAGE SOFTAIL is more reliable than average for its class: 88.5% of its 1,108 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1448 of 5426 models.

What does a HERITAGE SOFTAIL fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 31% of all defects recorded against failed HERITAGE SOFTAIL tests.

What is the best year of HERITAGE SOFTAIL to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1996-registered examples do best (90.7%) and 1993 worst (83.6%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a HERITAGE SOFTAIL last?

The median HERITAGE SOFTAIL shows 16,582 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 85.3% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.