HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL 883 N IRON 19

883cc Petrol Class 2

#704 of 5426 overall #103 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #129 of 465 cruiser bikes

90.9%

first-time pass rate

4.9%

failed outright

3,654

median miles at test

824

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2022–2025

The XL 883 N IRON 19's first-time pass rate has fallen 3.5 points since 2022, 94.0% to 90.5%.

What fails on a XL 883 N IRON 19

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lamps and reflectors	35	51.5	1.9×
structure and attachments	13	19.1	1.8×
brakes	11	16.2	0.3×
Identification of the vehicle	8	11.8	4.2×
tyres	1	1.5	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 883 N IRON 19 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 19.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2020 (96.8% pass). Weakest: 2019 (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 19 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL 883 N IRON 19 reliable?

The HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL 883 N IRON 19 is more reliable than average for its class: 90.9% of its 824 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #704 of 5426 models.

What does a XL 883 N IRON 19 fail its MOT on most?

lamps and reflectors — 51% of all defects recorded against failed XL 883 N IRON 19 tests.

What is the best year of XL 883 N IRON 19 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2020-registered examples do best (96.8%) and 2019 worst (90.0%). Condition and history still trump the year.