HARLEY-DAVIDSON XLH1200

1200cc Petrol Class 2

#2593 of 5426 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

Pass rate over time

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

The XLH1200's first-time pass rate has risen 1.4 points since 2005, 85.5% to 86.9%.

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%.

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	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	556	32.1	0.8×
brakes	305	17.6	0.5×
steering and suspension	206	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 TRIUMPH THUNDERBIRD 87.8% pass · 56.3k tests HARLEY-DAVIDSON XLH 883 87.4% pass · 41.2k tests HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTF 88.9% pass · 30.1k 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 XLH1200.

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%).

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 10,367 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2593 of 5426 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.