Data as of: DVSA MOT results to 2025
Harley-Davidson Softail: MOT pass rate by registration year
Which Softail years pass first time, and which fall short of the model's 85.7% average, from 1,614 DVSA tests.
Pass rate by registration year
Highest pass rate: 2013 (94.8% of 97 tests). Lowest: 2006 (71.2% of 59). Years more than two points below the model average: 1994, 2006.
| Registered | Tests | First-time pass | vs model (85.7%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 69 | 84.1% | -1.6 pp |
| 1991 | 63 | 85.7% | +0.0 pp |
| 1993 | 106 | 86.8% | +1.1 pp |
| 1994 | 51 | 78.4% | -7.3 pp |
| 1995 | 109 | 89.0% | +3.3 pp |
| 1996 | 114 | 88.6% | +2.9 pp |
| 1997 | 82 | 84.1% | -1.6 pp |
| 2002 | 58 | 91.4% | +5.7 pp |
| 2006 | 59 | 71.2% | -14.5 pp |
| 2007 | 72 | 90.3% | +4.6 pp |
| 2013 | 97 | 94.8% | +9.1 pp |
| 2014 | 156 | 90.4% | +4.7 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 Softail years have the lowest MOT pass rate?
- 1994, 2006 registered examples pass first time less often than the Harley-Davidson Softail overall (85.7%); the 2006 cohort is lowest at 71.2% from 59 tests.
- Which Softail year has the highest MOT pass rate?
- 2013, at 94.8% of 97 first tests (2005–2025). Years more than two points above the model average: 1995, 1996, 2002, 2007, 2013, 2014.
- How much does the Softail pass rate vary by year?
- 23.6 percentage points between the highest (2013, 94.8%) and lowest (2006, 71.2%) 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 Softail reliability, failures and mileage · ranked #2308 of 5428 models· other Harley-Davidson models: XLH 883, Flstf, Flstc, XL, XL1200C, XL883