HARLEY-DAVIDSON SUPERLOW XL 883 L 13

883cc Petrol Class 2

#505 of 5426 overall #74 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #96 of 465 cruiser bikes

91.8%

first-time pass rate

3.0%

failed outright

6,257

median miles at test

576

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The SUPERLOW XL 883 L 13's first-time pass rate has risen 5.9 points since 2016, 87.1% to 93.0%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage SUPERLOW XL 883 L 13 passes first time 93.0% of the time; by 20k that's 78.4%.

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 SUPERLOW XL 883 L 13

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
tyres and wheels	5	16.7	0.4×
structure and attachments	5	16.7	1.3×
lamps and reflectors	4	13.3	0.4×
brakes	4	13.3	0.2×
lighting and signalling	4	13.3	0.1×
tyres	4	13.3	0.8×
audible warning (Horn)	2	6.7	1.9×
fuel and exhaust	1	3.3	0.2×
Identification of the vehicle	1	3.3	0.8×

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 XL 883 L 13 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 XL 883 L 13.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2013 (91.9% pass). Weakest: 2013 (91.9%).

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 XL 883 L 13 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HARLEY-DAVIDSON SUPERLOW XL 883 L 13 reliable?

The HARLEY-DAVIDSON SUPERLOW XL 883 L 13 is more reliable than average for its class: 91.8% of its 576 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #505 of 5426 models.

What does a SUPERLOW XL 883 L 13 fail its MOT on most?

tyres and wheels — 17% of all defects recorded against failed SUPERLOW XL 883 L 13 tests.

How many miles will a SUPERLOW XL 883 L 13 last?

The median SUPERLOW XL 883 L 13 shows 6,257 miles at test, and examples around 20k miles still pass 78.4% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.