BIKERELIABILITY Reg check
League table/ HARLEY-DAVIDSON/XLH1200
Model report · 2005–2025

HARLEY-DAVIDSON XLH1200

1200cc Petrol Class 2
#2595 of 5428 overall #374 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #432 of 465 cruiser bikes
84.6%
first-time pass rate
7.9%
failed outright
14,078
median miles at test
10.4k
MOT tests, 2005–2025
-0.1pp
vs expected · age & mileage

The pass rate is the MOT first-time pass: a roadworthiness check of the items an MOT covers (brakes, lights, tyres, steering, structure, emissions), not a full mechanical inspection of engine or gearbox internals. It is a reliability signal, not a complete measure of mechanical reliability. What this measures.

“vs expected” adjusts for age, mileage and test class, so a cherished classic and a hard-used commuter are compared fairly. How this works.

Pass rate over time

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

The XLH1200's first-time pass rate has risen 2.3 points since 2005, 84.6% to 86.9%.

80%86%91%2005: 84.6% pass (156 tests)2006: 89.3% pass (719 tests)2007: 85.4% pass (670 tests)2008: 84.8% pass (660 tests)2009: 82.7% pass (665 tests)2010: 83.5% pass (623 tests)2011: 83.0% pass (593 tests)2012: 82.7% pass (584 tests)2013: 81.9% pass (558 tests)2014: 83.2% pass (570 tests)2015: 85.0% pass (568 tests)2016: 85.3% pass (556 tests)2017: 83.0% pass (519 tests)2018: 82.0% pass (405 tests)2019: 83.8% pass (401 tests)2020: 86.6% pass (298 tests)2021: 89.2% pass (415 tests)2022: 84.4% pass (418 tests)2023: 85.3% pass (402 tests)2024: 85.3% pass (279 tests)2025: 86.9% pass (313 tests)20052025

Pass rate by mileage

how the XLH1200's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XLH1200 passes first time 85.5% of the time; by 50k that's 86.9%.

80%84%88%0k: 85.5% pass (3,575 tests)10k: 85.1% pass (3,226 tests)20k: 84.1% pass (1,756 tests)30k: 81.0% pass (854 tests)40k: 81.8% pass (275 tests)50k: 86.9% pass (122 tests)0k30k50k

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 XLH1200

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded
Component group Share of defects Defects % of defects vs all bikes
lighting and signalling
557 32 0.8×
brakes
308 17.7 0.5×
steering and suspension
207 11.9 0.5×
lamps and reflectors
184 10.6 0.6×
reg plates and vin
167 9.6 2.2×
tyres and wheels
141 8.1 0.6×
fuel and exhaust
75 4.3 0.9×
Identification of the vehicle
35 2 1.5×
tyres
34 2 0.4×
structure and attachments
30 1.7 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 XLH1200 beats 0 of its 4 closest rivals (TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE, TRIUMPH THUNDERBIRD, HARLEY-DAVIDSON XLH 883).

TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE 89.0% pass · 195k tests Compare head-to-head →
TRIUMPH THUNDERBIRD 87.8% pass · 56.3k tests Compare head-to-head →
HARLEY-DAVIDSON XLH 883 87.4% pass · 41.3k tests Compare head-to-head →
HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTF 89.0% pass · 30.1k tests Compare head-to-head →

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 XLH1200.

Compare with any bike

rival not listed above? pick any model to see it head-to-head with the XLH1200

More HARLEY-DAVIDSON models

other HARLEY-DAVIDSON bikes ranked by MOT pass rate
HARLEY-DAVIDSON XLH 883 87.4% pass · 41.3k tests
HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTF 89.0% pass · 30.1k tests
HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTC 89.4% pass · 23.8k tests
HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL 87.9% pass · 18.5k tests
HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL1200C 88.4% pass · 15.7k tests
HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL883 87.2% pass · 14.9k tests

See all HARLEY-DAVIDSON models →

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2011 (94.9% pass). Weakest: 1987 (75.9%).

72%85%99%1971: 83.6% pass (55 tests)1987: 75.9% pass (58 tests)1988: 82.2% pass (353 tests)1989: 83.1% pass (528 tests)1990: 80.4% pass (935 tests)1991: 83.3% pass (920 tests)1992: 81.7% pass (644 tests)1993: 84.6% pass (493 tests)1994: 83.5% pass (605 tests)1995: 84.8% pass (726 tests)1996: 78.3% pass (443 tests)1997: 88.3% pass (469 tests)1998: 85.1% pass (1,037 tests)1999: 87.1% pass (871 tests)2000: 86.9% pass (487 tests)2001: 86.3% pass (182 tests)2002: 84.3% pass (115 tests)2003: 84.2% pass (152 tests)2004: 90.0% pass (239 tests)2005: 89.5% pass (190 tests)2006: 88.5% pass (243 tests)2007: 92.8% pass (207 tests)2008: 82.4% pass (68 tests)2009: 89.4% pass (66 tests)2010: 88.5% pass (52 tests)2011: 94.9% pass (59 tests)197119992011

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 XLH1200 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HARLEY-DAVIDSON XLH1200 reliable?

The HARLEY-DAVIDSON XLH1200 is about average for its class: 84.6% of its 10,372 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2595 of 5428 models.

What does a XLH1200 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 32% of all defects recorded against failed XLH1200 tests.

What is the best year of XLH1200 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2011-registered examples do best (94.9%) and 1987 worst (75.9%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XLH1200 last?

The median XLH1200 shows 14,078 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 86.9% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.

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