HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL 883 N IRON

883cc Petrol Class 2

#1604 of 5426 overall #272 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #322 of 465 cruiser bikes

88.0%

first-time pass rate

4.9%

failed outright

7,943

median miles at test

2,051

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2012–2025

The XL 883 N IRON's first-time pass rate has risen 5.3 points since 2012, 80.9% to 86.2%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the XL 883 N IRON's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XL 883 N IRON passes first time 90.1% of the time; by 20k that's 83.4%.

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 883 N IRON

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lamps and reflectors	57	27.7	1.1×
lighting and signalling	48	23.3	0.4×
brakes	27	13.1	0.3×
steering and suspension	20	9.7	0.3×
Identification of the vehicle	11	5.3	2.3×
reg plates and vin	10	4.9	0.7×
suspension	10	4.9	0.5×
structure and attachments	10	4.9	0.7×
fuel and exhaust	8	3.9	0.4×
driving controls	5	2.4	1.0×

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 883 N IRON beats 3 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 XL 883 N IRON.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2010 (89.4% pass). Weakest: 2009 (86.2%).

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 883 N IRON FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL 883 N IRON reliable?

The HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL 883 N IRON is more reliable than average for its class: 88.0% of its 2,051 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1604 of 5426 models.

What does a XL 883 N IRON fail its MOT on most?

lamps and reflectors — 28% of all defects recorded against failed XL 883 N IRON tests.

How many miles will a XL 883 N IRON last?

The median XL 883 N IRON shows 7,943 miles at test, and examples around 20k miles still pass 83.4% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.