HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL 883 N IRON 11

883cc Petrol Class 2

#2443 of 5426 overall #369 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #425 of 465 cruiser bikes

85.2%

first-time pass rate

5.2%

failed outright

8,144

median miles at test

1,126

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The XL 883 N IRON 11's first-time pass rate has risen 6.4 points since 2014, 86.6% to 93.0%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the XL 883 N IRON 11's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XL 883 N IRON 11 passes first time 86.5% of the time; by 20k that's 82.8%.

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 11

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lamps and reflectors	32	28.3	1.1×
lighting and signalling	19	16.8	0.4×
reg plates and vin	14	12.4	1.7×
brakes	11	9.7	0.2×
Identification of the vehicle	9	8	3.5×
structure and attachments	9	8	0.9×
suspension	8	7.1	0.7×
tyres	4	3.5	0.5×
steering and suspension	4	3.5	0.1×
body and structure	3	2.7	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 883 N IRON 11 beats 0 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 11.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2011 (86.1% pass). Weakest: 2010 (81.9%).

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 11 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL 883 N IRON 11 reliable?

The HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL 883 N IRON 11 is about average for its class: 85.2% of its 1,126 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2443 of 5426 models.

What does a XL 883 N IRON 11 fail its MOT on most?

lamps and reflectors — 28% of all defects recorded against failed XL 883 N IRON 11 tests.

How many miles will a XL 883 N IRON 11 last?

The median XL 883 N IRON 11 shows 8,144 miles at test, and examples around 20k miles still pass 82.8% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.