HARLEY-DAVIDSON XLH 883

883cc Petrol Class 2

#1784 of 5426 overall #301 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #354 of 465 cruiser bikes

87.4%

first-time pass rate

5.9%

failed outright

10,350

median miles at test

41.2k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The XLH 883's first-time pass rate has held steady since 2005 (87.5% → 87.3%).

Pass rate by mileage

how the XLH 883's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XLH 883 passes first time 89.2% of the time; by 50k that's 88.8%.

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 XLH 883

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	1,293	27.9	0.5×
brakes	764	16.5	0.3×
lamps and reflectors	684	14.8	0.6×
reg plates and vin	520	11.2	1.6×
steering and suspension	392	8.5	0.3×
fuel and exhaust	290	6.3	0.8×
tyres and wheels	278	6	0.3×
Identification of the vehicle	157	3.4	1.6×
structure and attachments	144	3.1	0.4×
tyres	111	2.4	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 XLH 883 beats 0 of its 4 closest rivals (TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE, TRIUMPH THUNDERBIRD, HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL).

TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE 89.0% pass · 195k tests TRIUMPH THUNDERBIRD 87.8% pass · 56.3k tests HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL 87.9% pass · 18.5k tests TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE T 100 (865) 89.6% pass · 16.2k 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 XLH 883.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2008 (90.2% pass). Weakest: 1986 (77.2%).

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 XLH 883 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HARLEY-DAVIDSON XLH 883 reliable?

The HARLEY-DAVIDSON XLH 883 is more reliable than average for its class: 87.4% of its 41,183 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1784 of 5426 models.

What does a XLH 883 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 28% of all defects recorded against failed XLH 883 tests.

What is the best year of XLH 883 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2008-registered examples do best (90.2%) and 1986 worst (77.2%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XLH 883 last?

The median XLH 883 shows 10,350 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 88.8% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.