HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL883

883cc Petrol Class 2

#1854 of 5426 overall #318 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #372 of 465 cruiser bikes

87.2%

first-time pass rate

6.0%

failed outright

8,777

median miles at test

14.9k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The XL883's first-time pass rate has risen 4.2 points since 2005, 84.6% to 88.8%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the XL883's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XL883 passes first time 89.1% of the time; by 50k that's 76.1%.

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 XL883

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	399	22.9	0.4×
lamps and reflectors	306	17.5	0.8×
brakes	270	15.5	0.3×
reg plates and vin	203	11.6	1.6×
steering and suspension	162	9.3	0.3×
fuel and exhaust	98	5.6	0.8×
tyres and wheels	91	5.2	0.3×
structure and attachments	84	4.8	0.7×
suspension	69	4	0.6×
Identification of the vehicle	64	3.7	1.8×

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 XL883 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 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 XL883.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2011 (90.4% pass). Weakest: 1986 (73.1%).

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 XL883 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL883 reliable?

The HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL883 is more reliable than average for its class: 87.2% of its 14,882 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1854 of 5426 models.

What does a XL883 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 23% of all defects recorded against failed XL883 tests.

What is the best year of XL883 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2011-registered examples do best (90.4%) and 1986 worst (73.1%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XL883 last?

The median XL883 shows 8,777 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 76.1% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.