HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL 883 N IRON 18

883cc Petrol Class 2

#1212 of 5426 overall #194 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #234 of 465 cruiser bikes

89.2%

first-time pass rate

4.4%

failed outright

4,527

median miles at test

1,597

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2021–2025

The XL 883 N IRON 18's first-time pass rate has risen 2.8 points since 2021, 87.8% to 90.6%.

What fails on a XL 883 N IRON 18

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lamps and reflectors	50	41	1.4×
structure and attachments	21	17.2	1.6×
Identification of the vehicle	20	16.4	5.4×
brakes	14	11.5	0.2×
tyres	8	6.6	0.7×
suspension	5	4.1	0.3×
steering	4	3.3	0.6×

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 18 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 18.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2017 (89.8% pass). Weakest: 2018 (89.2%).

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 18 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL 883 N IRON 18 reliable?

The HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL 883 N IRON 18 is more reliable than average for its class: 89.2% of its 1,597 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1212 of 5426 models.

What does a XL 883 N IRON 18 fail its MOT on most?

lamps and reflectors — 41% of all defects recorded against failed XL 883 N IRON 18 tests.

What is the best year of XL 883 N IRON 18 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2017-registered examples do best (89.8%) and 2019 worst (89.2%). Condition and history still trump the year.