Data as of: DVSA MOT results to 2025
Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail: MOT pass rate by registration year
Which Heritage Softail years pass first time, and which fall short of the model's 88.5% average, from 1,108 DVSA tests.
Pass rate by registration year
Highest pass rate: 1996 (90.7% of 161 tests). Lowest: 1993 (83.6% of 61). Years more than two points below the model average: 1993.
| Registered | Tests | First-time pass | vs model (88.5%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 61 | 83.6% | -4.9 pp |
| 1994 | 124 | 87.9% | -0.6 pp |
| 1995 | 126 | 87.3% | -1.2 pp |
| 1996 | 161 | 90.7% | +2.2 pp |
| 1997 | 92 | 87.0% | -1.5 pp |
| 2007 | 51 | 90.2% | +1.7 pp |
Older cohorts are survivors: the worst examples have already left the road, which tends to lift the earliest years. A first-time MOT pass is a roadworthiness check, not a full mechanical inspection.
Pass rate over time
Questions
- Which Heritage Softail years have the lowest MOT pass rate?
- 1993 registered examples pass first time less often than the Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail overall (88.5%); the 1993 cohort is lowest at 83.6% from 61 tests.
- Which Heritage Softail year has the highest MOT pass rate?
- 1996, at 90.7% of 161 first tests (2005–2025).
- How much does the Heritage Softail pass rate vary by year?
- 7.1 percentage points between the highest (1996, 90.7%) and lowest (1993, 83.6%) cohorts with at least 50 tests. Older cohorts are survivors: the worst examples have already left the road, which tends to lift the earliest years.
Full report: Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail reliability, failures and mileage · ranked #1449 of 5428 models· other Harley-Davidson models: XLH 883, Flstf, Flstc, XL, XL1200C, XL883