Indian Motorcycle Scout Bobber vs Harley-Davidson XLH 883

The Indian Motorcycle Scout Bobber passes its MOT first time more often than the Harley-Davidson XLH 883: 90.2% vs 87.4%, a 2.8-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

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

Metric	Indian Motorcycle Scout Bobber	Harley-Davidson XLH 883
First-time pass rate	90.2%	87.4%
Outright fail rate	4.0%	5.9%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted)	+0.8 pts	+1.6 pts
Engine size	1,133cc	883cc
Rank among all models	#884 of 5428	#1787 of 5428
Median miles at test	3,985	10,350
MOT tests analysed	1,836	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 Scout Bobber	Harley-Davidson XLH 883
Lights & signalling	1.9%	3.0%
Brakes	0.4%	1.4%
Steering & suspension	0.5%	1.1%
Tyres & wheels	0.4%	0.9%
Structure & body	0.7%	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 Scout Bobber	Harley-Davidson XLH 883
2021	92.8%	87.8%
2022	88.0%	87.1%
2023	89.9%	87.1%
2024	90.5%	86.4%
2025	90.7%	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 Scout Bobber	Harley-Davidson XLH 883
0k-10k miles	90.9%	89.1%
10k-20k miles	86.2%	87.0%

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

Indian Motorcycle Scout Bobber vs Harley-Davidson XLH 883 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Which is more reliable, the Indian Motorcycle Scout Bobber or the Harley-Davidson XLH 883?

The Indian Motorcycle Scout Bobber passes its MOT first time more often than the Harley-Davidson XLH 883: 90.2% vs 87.4%, a 2.8-point lead. Adjusted for age, mileage and test class the two are level (+0.8 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 Scout Bobber fail its MOT on most?

Lights & signalling: 1.9% of Indian Motorcycle Scout Bobber MOT tests failed on it, then structure & body (0.7%).

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 SCOUT BOBBER 90.2% pass · 1,836 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.