Indian Motorcycle FTR 1200 vs Harley-Davidson XLH 883

The Indian Motorcycle FTR 1200 passes its MOT first time more often than the Harley-Davidson XLH 883: 91.5% vs 87.4%, a 4.1-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

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

Metric	Indian Motorcycle FTR 1200	Harley-Davidson XLH 883
First-time pass rate	91.5%	87.4%
Outright fail rate	3.7%	5.9%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted)	+1.9 pts	+1.6 pts
Engine size	1,203cc	883cc
Rank among all models	#567 of 5428	#1787 of 5428
Median miles at test	3,734	10,350
MOT tests analysed	752	41,267
Most common failure	lamps and reflectors	lighting and signalling

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.

"Vs comparable bikes" is the first-time pass rate minus the rate expected for each bike's own mix of age, mileage and test class, in percentage points: positive means better than comparable bikes. How this works.

What fails, side by side

share of each bike's MOT tests that failed on the component · lower is better

Component	Indian Motorcycle FTR 1200	Harley-Davidson XLH 883
Lights & signalling	1.6%	3.0%
Brakes	1.2%	1.4%
Steering & suspension	0.4%	1.1%
Tyres & wheels	0.3%	0.9%
Structure & body	0.4%	0.5%
Fuel & exhaust	0%	0.6%
Drive system	0%	0.1%

A test that fails on two components counts once in each. Component links go to the bikes most likely to fail on it.

Pass rate by test year

first-time MOT pass rate in each calendar year both bikes were tested

Test year	Indian Motorcycle FTR 1200	Harley-Davidson XLH 883
2022	91.1%	87.1%
2023	92.1%	87.1%
2024	89.7%	86.4%
2025	93.3%	87.4%

Each year mixes bikes of different ages, so a fleet that is getting older tends to slip.

Pass rate by mileage

first-time MOT pass rate by miles on the clock at test

Mileage	Indian Motorcycle FTR 1200	Harley-Davidson XLH 883
0k-10k miles	91.5%	89.1%
10k-20k miles	92.5%	87.0%

Bands with fewer than 30 tests for either bike are left out.

Indian Motorcycle FTR 1200 vs Harley-Davidson XLH 883 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Which is more reliable, the Indian Motorcycle FTR 1200 or the Harley-Davidson XLH 883?

The Indian Motorcycle FTR 1200 passes its MOT first time more often than the Harley-Davidson XLH 883: 91.5% vs 87.4%, a 4.1-point lead. Adjusted for age, mileage and test class the two are level (+1.9 vs +1.6 points against comparable bikes), so the raw gap is mostly down to how old and how used each fleet is. An MOT checks roadworthiness items, not engine or gearbox internals.

What does the Indian Motorcycle FTR 1200 fail its MOT on most?

Lights & signalling: 1.6% of Indian Motorcycle FTR 1200 MOT tests failed on it, then brakes (1.2%).

What does the Harley-Davidson XLH 883 fail its MOT on most?

Lights & signalling: 3.0% of Harley-Davidson XLH 883 MOT tests failed on it, then brakes (1.4%).

INDIAN MOTORCYCLE FTR 1200 91.5% pass · 752 tests HARLEY-DAVIDSON XLH 883 87.4% pass · 41.3k tests

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