HARLEY-DAVIDSON IRON

883cc Petrol Class 2

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

88.5%

first-time pass rate

4.8%

failed outright

5,434

median miles at test

442

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2017–2025

The IRON's first-time pass rate has risen 9.3 points since 2017, 87.5% to 96.8%.

What fails on a IRON

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects
lamps and reflectors	13	23.2
brakes	12	21.4
reg plates and vin	8	14.3
suspension	6	10.7
Identification of the vehicle	4	7.1
lighting and signalling	4	7.1
fuel and exhaust	3	5.4
steering and suspension	2	3.6
structure and attachments	2	3.6
tyres and wheels	2	3.6

Defects recorded against failed normal tests, 2005–2025, grouped by DVSA inspection section. One test can record multiple defects.

How rivals compare

same type, similar capacity, high test volume

On first-time pass rate the IRON beats 3 of its 4 closest rivals (TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE, TRIUMPH THUNDERBIRD, HARLEY-DAVIDSON XLH 883).

TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE 89.0% pass · 195k tests TRIUMPH THUNDERBIRD 87.8% pass · 56.3k tests HARLEY-DAVIDSON XLH 883 87.4% pass · 41.2k tests HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL 87.9% pass · 18.5k 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 IRON.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2013 (89.0% pass). Weakest: 2014 (87.3%).

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.