Harley-Davidson XL 883R vs Triumph Thunderbird

The Harley-Davidson XL 883R passes its MOT first time more often than the Triumph Thunderbird — 88.4% vs 87.8%, a 0.6-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

first-time pass rate, outright fail rate and tests analysed · 2005–2025

Metric	Harley-Davidson XL 883R	Triumph Thunderbird
First-time pass rate	88.4%	87.8%
Outright fail rate	5.6%	6.2%
Median miles at test	8,660	13,106
MOT tests analysed	8,030	56,312
Most common failure	brakes	brakes

First-time outcomes on normal tests, 2005–2025. "Most common failure" is the component group with the most recorded defects on failed tests. Read pass rates against test counts: a smaller sample is noisier. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT results.

HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL 883R 88.4% pass · 8,030 tests TRIUMPH THUNDERBIRD 87.8% pass · 56.3k tests

See each bike's full report — trend, mileage curve, failure breakdown and rivals — on its own page.