HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL 1200 CX ROADSTER 17

1202cc Petrol Class 2

#1111 of 5426 overall #178 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #216 of 465 cruiser bikes

89.5%

first-time pass rate

4.8%

failed outright

4,728

median miles at test

972

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The XL 1200 CX ROADSTER 17's first-time pass rate has risen 1.4 points since 2020, 93.1% to 94.5%.

What fails on a XL 1200 CX ROADSTER 17

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lamps and reflectors	27	38	1.4×
tyres	14	19.7	2.1×
Identification of the vehicle	12	16.9	5.3×
structure and attachments	11	15.5	1.5×
brakes	5	7	0.1×
steering	2	2.8	0.5×

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 1200 CX ROADSTER 17 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 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 XL 1200 CX ROADSTER 17.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2016 (91.2% pass). Weakest: 2019 (87.3%).

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 1200 CX ROADSTER 17 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL 1200 CX ROADSTER 17 reliable?

The HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL 1200 CX ROADSTER 17 is more reliable than average for its class: 89.5% of its 972 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1111 of 5426 models.

What does a XL 1200 CX ROADSTER 17 fail its MOT on most?

lamps and reflectors — 38% of all defects recorded against failed XL 1200 CX ROADSTER 17 tests.

What is the best year of XL 1200 CX ROADSTER 17 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2016-registered examples do best (91.2%) and 2019 worst (87.3%). Condition and history still trump the year.