Data as of: DVSA MOT results to 2025
Harley-Davidson XL53 C: MOT pass rate by registration year
Which XL53 C years pass first time, and which fall short of the model's 87.4% average, from 12,835 DVSA tests.
Pass rate by registration year
Highest pass rate: 2003 (89.3% of 1,841 tests). Lowest: 2000 (85.4% of 1,393).
| Registered | Tests | First-time pass | vs model (87.4%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 1,401 | 85.9% | -1.5 pp |
| 1999 | 1,667 | 87.9% | +0.5 pp |
| 2000 | 1,393 | 85.4% | -2.0 pp |
| 2001 | 1,629 | 86.1% | -1.3 pp |
| 2002 | 1,304 | 86.3% | -1.1 pp |
| 2003 | 1,841 | 89.3% | +1.9 pp |
| 2004 | 3,571 | 88.7% | +1.3 pp |
Older cohorts are survivors: the worst examples have already left the road, which tends to lift the earliest years. A first-time MOT pass is a roadworthiness check, not a full mechanical inspection.
Pass rate over time
Questions
- Which XL53 C years have the lowest MOT pass rate?
- none: no registration year of the Harley-Davidson XL53 C falls more than two points under the model's 87.4% overall pass rate.
- Which XL53 C year has the highest MOT pass rate?
- 2003, at 89.3% of 1,841 first tests (2005–2025).
- How much does the XL53 C pass rate vary by year?
- 3.9 percentage points between the highest (2003, 89.3%) and lowest (2000, 85.4%) cohorts with at least 50 tests. Older cohorts are survivors: the worst examples have already left the road, which tends to lift the earliest years.
Full report: Harley-Davidson XL53 C reliability, failures and mileage · ranked #1787 of 5428 models· other Harley-Davidson models: XLH 883, Flstf, Flstc, XL, XL1200C, XL883