HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL 1200 V SEVENTY TWO 12

1202cc Petrol Class 2

#1369 of 5426 overall #221 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #268 of 465 cruiser bikes

88.7%

first-time pass rate

4.5%

failed outright

5,232

median miles at test

684

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2015–2025

The XL 1200 V SEVENTY TWO 12's first-time pass rate has risen 5.3 points since 2015, 92.3% to 97.6%.

What fails on a XL 1200 V SEVENTY TWO 12

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lamps and reflectors	12	27.9	0.9×
Identification of the vehicle	6	14	3.8×
tyres	5	11.6	1.1×
brakes	5	11.6	0.1×
lighting and signalling	5	11.6	0.2×
wheels	3	7	7.3×
fuel and exhaust	3	7	0.6×
tyres and wheels	2	4.7	0.1×
reg plates and vin	1	2.3	0.3×
steering	1	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 XL 1200 V SEVENTY TWO 12 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 XL 1200 V SEVENTY TWO 12.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2013 (89.3% pass). Weakest: 2012 (88.4%).

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 V SEVENTY TWO 12 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL 1200 V SEVENTY TWO 12 reliable?

The HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL 1200 V SEVENTY TWO 12 is more reliable than average for its class: 88.7% of its 684 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1369 of 5426 models.

What does a XL 1200 V SEVENTY TWO 12 fail its MOT on most?

lamps and reflectors — 28% of all defects recorded against failed XL 1200 V SEVENTY TWO 12 tests.