HARLEY-DAVIDSON VRSCA

1130cc Petrol Class 2

#1400 of 5426 overall #228 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #276 of 465 cruiser bikes

88.6%

first-time pass rate

5.1%

failed outright

7,424

median miles at test

12.1k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2025

The VRSCA's first-time pass rate has fallen 6.6 points since 2005, 97.6% to 91.0%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage VRSCA passes first time 89.7% of the time; by 30k that's 84.0%.

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 VRSCA

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	311	28.7	0.5×
brakes	164	15.1	0.3×
reg plates and vin	155	14.3	1.6×
tyres and wheels	123	11.4	0.5×
lamps and reflectors	121	11.2	0.5×
fuel and exhaust	58	5.4	0.6×
steering and suspension	48	4.4	0.1×
tyres	46	4.2	0.4×
Identification of the vehicle	32	3	1.1×
steering	25	2.3	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 VRSCA beats 2 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 FLSTF 88.9% pass · 30.1k 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 VRSCA.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2008 (90.3% pass). Weakest: 2009 (81.7%).

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 VRSCA FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HARLEY-DAVIDSON VRSCA reliable?

The HARLEY-DAVIDSON VRSCA is more reliable than average for its class: 88.6% of its 12,144 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1400 of 5426 models.

What does a VRSCA fail its MOT on most?

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

What is the best year of VRSCA to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2008-registered examples do best (90.3%) and 2009 worst (81.7%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a VRSCA last?

The median VRSCA shows 7,424 miles at test, and examples around 30k miles still pass 84.0% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.