HARLEY-DAVIDSON IRON 883 XL N 13

883cc Petrol Class 2

#1937 of 5426 overall #337 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #391 of 465 cruiser bikes

86.9%

first-time pass rate

6.4%

failed outright

6,700

median miles at test

1,644

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2016–2025

The IRON 883 XL N 13's first-time pass rate has risen 12.2 points since 2016, 79.3% to 91.5%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the IRON 883 XL N 13's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage IRON 883 XL N 13 passes first time 87.4% of the time; by 20k that's 90.6%.

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 IRON 883 XL N 13

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lamps and reflectors	74	36.1	1.8×
lighting and signalling	27	13.2	0.3×
brakes	24	11.7	0.3×
Identification of the vehicle	19	9.3	5.0×
structure and attachments	18	8.8	1.2×
reg plates and vin	14	6.8	1.3×
suspension	11	5.4	0.7×
tyres	7	3.4	0.5×
fuel and exhaust	6	2.9	0.4×
steering	5	2.4	0.6×

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 IRON 883 XL N 13 beats 0 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 883 XL N 13.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2013 (87.0% pass). Weakest: 2012 (83.3%).

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.

HARLEY-DAVIDSON IRON 883 XL N 13 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HARLEY-DAVIDSON IRON 883 XL N 13 reliable?

The HARLEY-DAVIDSON IRON 883 XL N 13 is more reliable than average for its class: 86.9% of its 1,644 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1937 of 5426 models.

What does a IRON 883 XL N 13 fail its MOT on most?

lamps and reflectors — 36% of all defects recorded against failed IRON 883 XL N 13 tests.

How many miles will a IRON 883 XL N 13 last?

The median IRON 883 XL N 13 shows 6,700 miles at test, and examples around 20k miles still pass 90.6% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.