HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL 1200 X FORTY EIGHT 12

1202cc Petrol Class 2

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

87.5%

first-time pass rate

4.6%

failed outright

5,296

median miles at test

1,083

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2014–2025

The XL 1200 X FORTY EIGHT 12's first-time pass rate has fallen 7.1 points since 2014, 93.2% to 86.1%.

What fails on a XL 1200 X FORTY EIGHT 12

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lamps and reflectors	28	32.6	1.1×
lighting and signalling	16	18.6	0.2×
Identification of the vehicle	14	16.3	5.2×
structure and attachments	7	8.1	0.8×
reg plates and vin	6	7	1.0×
brakes	5	5.8	0.1×
wheels	3	3.5	4.6×
tyres and wheels	3	3.5	0.1×
steering and suspension	2	2.3	0.1×
fuel and exhaust	2	2.3	0.2×

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 1200 X FORTY EIGHT 12 beats 1 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 X FORTY EIGHT 12.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2011 (88.4% pass). Weakest: 2012 (86.7%).

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 X FORTY EIGHT 12 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL 1200 X FORTY EIGHT 12 reliable?

The HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL 1200 X FORTY EIGHT 12 is more reliable than average for its class: 87.5% of its 1,083 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1748 of 5426 models.

What does a XL 1200 X FORTY EIGHT 12 fail its MOT on most?

lamps and reflectors — 33% of all defects recorded against failed XL 1200 X FORTY EIGHT 12 tests.