Indian Motorcycle Roadmaster vs Harley-Davidson Flstc

The Indian Motorcycle Roadmaster passes its MOT first time more often than the Harley-Davidson Flstc: 96.6% vs 89.4%, a 7.2-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

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

Metric	Indian Motorcycle Roadmaster	Harley-Davidson Flstc
First-time pass rate	96.6%	89.4%
Outright fail rate	2.3%	4.9%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted)	+9.6 pts	+5.1 pts
Engine size	1,811cc	1,450cc
Rank among all models	#15 of 5428	#1147 of 5428
Median miles at test	11,310	16,884
MOT tests analysed	641	23,752
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 Roadmaster	Harley-Davidson Flstc
Lights & signalling	0.6%	2.0%
Brakes	0.6%	1.4%
Tyres & wheels	0.5%	1.1%
Steering & suspension	0.5%	0.5%
Fuel & exhaust	0%	0.5%
Structure & body	0.3%	0.2%
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 Roadmaster	Harley-Davidson Flstc
2020	96.3%	91.4%
2021	100.0%	90.7%
2022	96.4%	92.3%
2023	94.5%	90.7%
2024	96.9%	90.4%
2025	97.3%	91.4%

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 Roadmaster	Harley-Davidson Flstc
0k-10k miles	98.1%	90.8%
10k-20k miles	95.2%	89.6%
20k-30k miles	96.5%	88.4%

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

Indian Motorcycle Roadmaster vs Harley-Davidson Flstc FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Which is more reliable, the Indian Motorcycle Roadmaster or the Harley-Davidson Flstc?

The Indian Motorcycle Roadmaster passes its MOT first time more often than the Harley-Davidson Flstc: 96.6% vs 89.4%, a 7.2-point lead. Adjusted for age, mileage and test class, the Indian Motorcycle Roadmaster still comes out ahead: +9.6 points vs comparable bikes for the Indian Motorcycle Roadmaster, +5.1 for the Harley-Davidson Flstc. An MOT checks roadworthiness items, not engine or gearbox internals.

What does the Indian Motorcycle Roadmaster fail its MOT on most?

Lights & signalling: 0.6% of Indian Motorcycle Roadmaster MOT tests failed on it, then brakes (0.6%).

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

Lights & signalling: 2.0% of Harley-Davidson Flstc MOT tests failed on it, then brakes (1.4%).

Which holds up better at high mileage, the Indian Motorcycle Roadmaster or the Harley-Davidson Flstc?

At 20k-30k miles the Indian Motorcycle Roadmaster passes first time more often: 96.5% for the Indian Motorcycle Roadmaster vs 88.4% for the Harley-Davidson Flstc.

INDIAN MOTORCYCLE ROADMASTER 96.6% pass · 641 tests HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTC 89.4% pass · 23.8k tests

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