HARLEY-DAVIDSON SOFT TAIL

1340cc Petrol Class 2

#1784 of 5426 overall #301 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #354 of 465 cruiser bikes

87.4%

first-time pass rate

5.1%

failed outright

18,108

median miles at test

1,234

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The SOFT TAIL's first-time pass rate has held steady since 2006 (90.8% → 91.7%).

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage SOFT TAIL passes first time 87.5% of the time; by 40k that's 84.4%.

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 SOFT TAIL

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	34	29.8	0.5×
reg plates and vin	17	14.9	1.8×
brakes	16	14	0.3×
tyres and wheels	13	11.4	0.4×
lamps and reflectors	12	10.5	0.5×
fuel and exhaust	8	7	0.9×
steering and suspension	5	4.4	0.1×
tyres	4	3.5	0.5×
structure and attachments	3	2.6	0.4×
drive system	2	1.8	0.2×

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 SOFT TAIL 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 SOFT TAIL.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2001 (92.1% pass). Weakest: 2005 (82.0%).

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 SOFT TAIL FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HARLEY-DAVIDSON SOFT TAIL reliable?

The HARLEY-DAVIDSON SOFT TAIL is more reliable than average for its class: 87.4% of its 1,234 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1784 of 5426 models.

What does a SOFT TAIL fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 30% of all defects recorded against failed SOFT TAIL tests.

What is the best year of SOFT TAIL to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2001-registered examples do best (92.1%) and 2005 worst (82.0%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a SOFT TAIL last?

The median SOFT TAIL shows 18,108 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 84.4% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.