HARLEY-DAVIDSON VRSCDX NIGHT ROD SP 1250 17

1247cc Petrol Class 2

#1748 of 5426 overall #296 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #349 of 465 cruiser bikes

87.5%

first-time pass rate

4.5%

failed outright

3,491

median miles at test

264

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2020–2025

The VRSCDX NIGHT ROD SP 1250 17's first-time pass rate has fallen 3.0 points since 2020, 90.9% to 87.9%.

What fails on a VRSCDX NIGHT ROD SP 1250 17

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects
lamps and reflectors	11	73.3
suspension	2	13.3
brakes	1	6.7
structure and attachments	1	6.7

Defects recorded against failed normal tests, 2005–2025, grouped by DVSA inspection section. One test can record multiple defects.

How rivals compare

same type, similar capacity, high test volume

On first-time pass rate the VRSCDX NIGHT ROD SP 1250 17 beats 1 of its 4 closest rivals (TRIUMPH THUNDERBIRD, HARLEY-DAVIDSON XLH 883, HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTF).

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 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTC 89.4% pass · 23.7k 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 VRSCDX NIGHT ROD SP 1250 17.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2016 (87.9% pass). Weakest: 2017 (87.8%).

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.