HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL 883 N IRON 17

883cc Petrol Class 2

#919 of 5426 overall #141 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #175 of 465 cruiser bikes

90.1%

first-time pass rate

4.6%

failed outright

4,976

median miles at test

3,806

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2019–2025

The XL 883 N IRON 17's first-time pass rate has fallen 5.7 points since 2019, 93.4% to 87.7%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the XL 883 N IRON 17's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XL 883 N IRON 17 passes first time 90.3% of the time; by 20k that's 83.2%.

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 17

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lamps and reflectors	140	46.5	1.6×
Identification of the vehicle	51	16.9	5.7×
brakes	34	11.3	0.2×
structure and attachments	30	10	1.1×
tyres	16	5.3	0.6×
suspension	14	4.7	0.5×
steering	13	4.3	0.8×
audible warning (Horn)	2	0.7	0.3×
wheels	1	0.3	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 883 N IRON 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 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 17.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2016 (90.8% pass). Weakest: 2017 (90.0%).

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 17 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL 883 N IRON 17 reliable?

The HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL 883 N IRON 17 is more reliable than average for its class: 90.1% of its 3,806 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #919 of 5426 models.

What does a XL 883 N IRON 17 fail its MOT on most?

lamps and reflectors — 47% of all defects recorded against failed XL 883 N IRON 17 tests.

What is the best year of XL 883 N IRON 17 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2016-registered examples do best (90.8%) and 2017 worst (90.0%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XL 883 N IRON 17 last?

The median XL 883 N IRON 17 shows 4,976 miles at test, and examples around 20k miles still pass 83.2% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.