HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL

883cc Petrol Class 2

#1639 of 5426 overall #276 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #327 of 465 cruiser bikes

HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL — Photo: Michael Barera · CC BY-SA 4.0

87.9%

first-time pass rate

5.3%

failed outright

6,112

median miles at test

18.5k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2025

The XL's first-time pass rate has fallen 2.2 points since 2006, 89.7% to 87.5%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage XL passes first time 89.0% of the time; by 40k that's 82.3%.

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 XL

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lamps and reflectors	727	40.3	1.7×
brakes	209	11.6	0.2×
Identification of the vehicle	207	11.5	4.7×
structure and attachments	205	11.4	1.4×
suspension	125	6.9	0.8×
lighting and signalling	110	6.1	0.1×
tyres	96	5.3	0.6×
steering	57	3.2	0.6×
reg plates and vin	48	2.7	0.3×
steering and suspension	22	1.2	—

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 XL 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 TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE T 100 (865) 89.6% pass · 16.2k 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 XL.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2011 (93.5% pass). Weakest: 2005 (71.3%).

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 XL FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL reliable?

The HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL is more reliable than average for its class: 87.9% of its 18,536 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1639 of 5426 models.

What does a XL fail its MOT on most?

lamps and reflectors — 40% of all defects recorded against failed XL tests.

What is the best year of XL to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2011-registered examples do best (93.5%) and 2005 worst (71.3%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XL last?

The median XL shows 6,112 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 82.3% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.