HARLEY-DAVIDSON SUPERLOW

883cc Petrol Class 2

#565 of 5426 overall #83 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #106 of 465 cruiser bikes

91.5%

first-time pass rate

3.5%

failed outright

5,299

median miles at test

625

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The SUPERLOW's first-time pass rate has held steady since 2017 (90.6% → 90.5%).

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage SUPERLOW passes first time 92.5% of the time; by 20k that's 100.0%.

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 SUPERLOW

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lamps and reflectors	12	34.3	1.0×
Identification of the vehicle	6	17.1	4.2×
tyres	6	17.1	1.2×
lighting and signalling	3	8.6	—
structure and attachments	2	5.7	0.5×
suspension	2	5.7	0.4×
brakes	1	2.9	—
steering and suspension	1	2.9	0.1×
reg plates and vin	1	2.9	0.3×
steering	1	2.9	0.4×

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 SUPERLOW beats 4 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 SUPERLOW.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2014 (91.6% pass). Weakest: 2013 (90.0%).

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 SUPERLOW FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HARLEY-DAVIDSON SUPERLOW reliable?

The HARLEY-DAVIDSON SUPERLOW is more reliable than average for its class: 91.5% of its 625 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #565 of 5426 models.

What does a SUPERLOW fail its MOT on most?

lamps and reflectors — 34% of all defects recorded against failed SUPERLOW tests.

How many miles will a SUPERLOW last?

The median SUPERLOW shows 5,299 miles at test, and examples around 20k miles still pass 100.0% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.