HARLEY-DAVIDSON SOFTAIL

1340cc Petrol Class 2

#2230 of 5426 overall #362 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #416 of 465 cruiser bikes

85.9%

first-time pass rate

4.7%

failed outright

15,489

median miles at test

1,609

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The SOFTAIL's first-time pass rate has risen 5.0 points since 2006, 84.4% to 89.4%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage SOFTAIL passes first time 87.9% of the time; by 50k that's 79.1%.

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 SOFTAIL

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	50	29.2	0.4×
lamps and reflectors	43	25.1	1.0×
brakes	22	12.9	0.3×
Identification of the vehicle	12	7	3.0×
tyres and wheels	11	6.4	0.3×
steering and suspension	9	5.3	0.1×
reg plates and vin	8	4.7	0.8×
steering	7	4.1	0.9×
fuel and exhaust	5	2.9	0.4×
suspension	4	2.3	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 SOFTAIL 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 SOFTAIL.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2013 (94.8% pass). Weakest: 2006 (71.2%).

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 SOFTAIL FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HARLEY-DAVIDSON SOFTAIL reliable?

The HARLEY-DAVIDSON SOFTAIL is about average for its class: 85.9% of its 1,609 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2230 of 5426 models.

What does a SOFTAIL fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 29% of all defects recorded against failed SOFTAIL tests.

What is the best year of SOFTAIL to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2013-registered examples do best (94.8%) and 2006 worst (71.2%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a SOFTAIL last?

The median SOFTAIL shows 15,489 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 79.1% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.