HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL 883 N IRON 20

883cc Petrol Class 2

#854 of 5426 overall #130 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #161 of 465 cruiser bikes

90.3%

first-time pass rate

3.0%

failed outright

3,340

median miles at test

536

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2023–2025

The XL 883 N IRON 20's first-time pass rate has risen 6.1 points since 2023, 86.5% to 92.6%.

What fails on a XL 883 N IRON 20

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lamps and reflectors	12	38.7	0.8×
brakes	8	25.8	0.3×
tyres	4	12.9	1.1×
structure and attachments	3	9.7	0.8×
steering	2	6.5	0.9×
suspension	1	3.2	0.3×
Identification of the vehicle	1	3.2	0.8×

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 20 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 20.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2020 (90.6% pass). Weakest: 2019 (89.5%).

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 20 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL 883 N IRON 20 reliable?

The HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL 883 N IRON 20 is more reliable than average for its class: 90.3% of its 536 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #854 of 5426 models.

What does a XL 883 N IRON 20 fail its MOT on most?

lamps and reflectors — 39% of all defects recorded against failed XL 883 N IRON 20 tests.

What is the best year of XL 883 N IRON 20 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2020-registered examples do best (90.6%) and 2019 worst (89.5%). Condition and history still trump the year.