HARLEY-DAVIDSON WLA

750cc Petrol Class 2

#314 of 5426 overall #48 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #64 of 465 cruiser bikes

92.9%

first-time pass rate

4.0%

failed outright

5,286

median miles at test

323

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2012

The WLA's first-time pass rate has fallen 5.5 points since 2006, 95.7% to 90.2%.

What fails on a WLA

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects
brakes	7	35
steering and suspension	5	25
lighting and signalling	4	20
reg plates and vin	2	10
fuel and exhaust	1	5
tyres and wheels	1	5

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 WLA 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 WLA.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1943 (95.0% pass). Weakest: 1942 (91.0%).

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.