BIKERELIABILITY Reg check
League table/ HARLEY-DAVIDSON/XL1200C
Model report · 2005–2025

HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL1200C

1200cc Petrol Class 2
#1478 of 5428 overall #246 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #294 of 465 cruiser bikes
88.4%
first-time pass rate
5.7%
failed outright
9,976
median miles at test
15.7k
MOT tests, 2005–2025
+2.3pp
vs expected · age & mileage

The pass rate is the MOT first-time pass: a roadworthiness check of the items an MOT covers (brakes, lights, tyres, steering, structure, emissions), not a full mechanical inspection of engine or gearbox internals. It is a reliability signal, not a complete measure of mechanical reliability. What this measures.

“vs expected” adjusts for age, mileage and test class, so a cherished classic and a hard-used commuter are compared fairly. How this works.

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2025

The XL1200C's first-time pass rate has risen 3.0 points since 2005, 85.9% to 88.9%.

84%89%93%2005: 85.9% pass (64 tests)2006: 88.0% pass (435 tests)2007: 89.6% pass (567 tests)2008: 87.1% pass (695 tests)2009: 86.5% pass (771 tests)2010: 86.0% pass (820 tests)2011: 85.9% pass (875 tests)2012: 87.1% pass (865 tests)2013: 87.4% pass (891 tests)2014: 89.5% pass (924 tests)2015: 88.8% pass (952 tests)2016: 87.5% pass (969 tests)2017: 88.2% pass (953 tests)2018: 90.7% pass (792 tests)2019: 89.2% pass (759 tests)2020: 91.8% pass (610 tests)2021: 90.0% pass (842 tests)2022: 88.3% pass (866 tests)2023: 88.7% pass (825 tests)2024: 90.8% pass (597 tests)2025: 88.9% pass (666 tests)20052025

Pass rate by mileage

how the XL1200C's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XL1200C passes first time 89.9% of the time; by 50k that's 82.7%.

78%85%92%0k: 89.9% pass (7,792 tests)10k: 88.1% pass (4,888 tests)20k: 86.1% pass (1,861 tests)30k: 86.1% pass (591 tests)40k: 80.3% pass (254 tests)50k: 82.7% pass (75 tests)0k30k50k

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 XL1200C

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded
Component group Share of defects Defects % of defects vs all bikes
lighting and signalling
376 24.4 0.4×
brakes
252 16.4 0.3×
lamps and reflectors
234 15.2 0.6×
reg plates and vin
176 11.4 1.4×
fuel and exhaust
129 8.4 1.0×
tyres and wheels
121 7.9 0.4×
steering and suspension
77 5 0.1×
tyres
72 4.7 0.6×
Identification of the vehicle
55 3.6 1.5×
suspension
49 3.2 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 XL1200C beats 2 of its 4 closest rivals (TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE, TRIUMPH THUNDERBIRD, HARLEY-DAVIDSON XLH 883).

TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE 89.0% pass · 195k tests Compare head-to-head →
TRIUMPH THUNDERBIRD 87.8% pass · 56.3k tests Compare head-to-head →
HARLEY-DAVIDSON XLH 883 87.4% pass · 41.3k tests Compare head-to-head →
HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTF 89.0% pass · 30.1k tests Compare head-to-head →

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 XL1200C.

Compare with any bike

rival not listed above? pick any model to see it head-to-head with the XL1200C

More HARLEY-DAVIDSON models

other HARLEY-DAVIDSON bikes ranked by MOT pass rate
HARLEY-DAVIDSON XLH 883 87.4% pass · 41.3k tests
HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTF 89.0% pass · 30.1k tests
HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTC 89.4% pass · 23.8k tests
HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL 87.9% pass · 18.5k tests
HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL883 87.2% pass · 14.9k tests
HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXDWG 88.7% pass · 14.6k tests

See all HARLEY-DAVIDSON models →

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2012 (91.9% pass). Weakest: 1994 (79.2%).

77%86%94%1991: 82.0% pass (61 tests)1994: 79.2% pass (120 tests)1995: 88.6% pass (123 tests)1996: 86.7% pass (240 tests)1997: 89.0% pass (582 tests)1998: 85.5% pass (505 tests)1999: 85.8% pass (513 tests)2000: 87.0% pass (598 tests)2001: 86.0% pass (893 tests)2002: 86.2% pass (824 tests)2003: 86.8% pass (1,520 tests)2004: 88.9% pass (2,056 tests)2005: 88.9% pass (1,769 tests)2006: 90.8% pass (1,455 tests)2007: 88.7% pass (1,002 tests)2008: 88.5% pass (905 tests)2009: 91.6% pass (831 tests)2010: 89.3% pass (328 tests)2011: 91.8% pass (655 tests)2012: 91.9% pass (320 tests)199120032012

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 XL1200C FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL1200C reliable?

The HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL1200C is more reliable than average for its class: 88.4% of its 15,738 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1478 of 5428 models.

What does a XL1200C fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 24% of all defects recorded against failed XL1200C tests.

What is the best year of XL1200C to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2012-registered examples do best (91.9%) and 1994 worst (79.2%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XL1200C last?

The median XL1200C shows 9,976 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 82.7% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.

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