HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL1200S

1200cc Petrol Class 2

#1818 of 5426 overall #311 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #364 of 465 cruiser bikes

87.3%

first-time pass rate

6.4%

failed outright

11,102

median miles at test

4,163

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The XL1200S's first-time pass rate has held steady since 2005 (91.3% → 91.9%).

Pass rate by mileage

how the XL1200S's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XL1200S passes first time 88.8% of the time; by 40k that's 81.5%.

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 XL1200S

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	140	26	0.5×
brakes	97	18	0.4×
lamps and reflectors	76	14.1	0.7×
reg plates and vin	66	12.3	1.8×
steering and suspension	44	8.2	0.3×
tyres and wheels	42	7.8	0.5×
fuel and exhaust	30	5.6	0.8×
Identification of the vehicle	19	3.5	2.0×
body and structure	12	2.2	0.6×
tyres	12	2.2	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 XL1200S beats 0 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 FLSTF 88.9% pass · 30.1k 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 XL1200S.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2006 (92.0% pass). Weakest: 2004 (78.8%).

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 XL1200S FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL1200S reliable?

The HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL1200S is more reliable than average for its class: 87.3% of its 4,163 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1818 of 5426 models.

What does a XL1200S fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 26% of all defects recorded against failed XL1200S tests.

What is the best year of XL1200S to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2006-registered examples do best (92.0%) and 2004 worst (78.8%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XL1200S last?

The median XL1200S shows 11,102 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 81.5% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.