HARLEY-DAVIDSON XLH1000

997cc Petrol Class 2

#3219 of 5426 overall #392 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #455 of 465 cruiser bikes

81.8%

first-time pass rate

10.5%

failed outright

12,424

median miles at test

1,272

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2021

The XLH1000's first-time pass rate has held steady since 2006 (79.6% → 80.0%).

Pass rate by mileage

how the XLH1000's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XLH1000 passes first time 81.7% of the time; by 40k that's 83.0%.

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 XLH1000

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	98	27.9	1.2×
brakes	86	24.5	1.1×
steering and suspension	72	20.5	1.4×
tyres and wheels	21	6	0.8×
body and structure	19	5.4	2.3×
reg plates and vin	16	4.6	1.9×
fuel and exhaust	14	4	1.3×
lamps and reflectors	12	3.4	0.4×
drive system	7	2	0.8×
Identification of the vehicle	6	1.7	2.0×

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 XLH1000 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 XLH1000.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1982 (92.7% pass). Weakest: 1983 (65.5%).

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 XLH1000 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HARLEY-DAVIDSON XLH1000 reliable?

The HARLEY-DAVIDSON XLH1000 is less reliable than average for its class: 81.8% of its 1,272 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3219 of 5426 models.

What does a XLH1000 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 28% of all defects recorded against failed XLH1000 tests.

What is the best year of XLH1000 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1982-registered examples do best (92.7%) and 1983 worst (65.5%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XLH1000 last?

The median XLH1000 shows 12,424 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 83.0% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.