BIKERELIABILITY Reg check
League table/ Indian Motorcycle Scout/vs Harley-Davidson Flstf
Head-to-head · 2005–2025

Data as of: DVSA MOT results to 2025

Indian Motorcycle Scout vs Harley-Davidson Flstf

The Indian Motorcycle Scout passes its MOT first time more often than the Harley-Davidson Flstf: 92.2% vs 89.0%, a 3.2-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

first-time pass rate, outright fail rate and tests analysed · 2005–2025
Metric Indian Motorcycle Scout Harley-Davidson Flstf
First-time pass rate 92.2% 89.0%
Outright fail rate 3.8% 4.9%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted) +3.3 pts +3.6 pts
Engine size 1,133cc 1,450cc
Rank among all models #434 of 5428 #1269 of 5428
Median miles at test 5,240 12,480
MOT tests analysed 3,775 30,148
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 Harley-Davidson Flstf
Lights & signalling 1.6% 2.4%
Brakes 0.7% 1.0%
Steering & suspension 1.0% 0.6%
Tyres & wheels 0.5% 1.0%
Structure & body 0.7% 0.3%
Fuel & exhaust 0.0% 0.6%

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 Harley-Davidson Flstf
2018 91.6% 89.6%
2019 89.8% 88.6%
2020 96.2% 91.2%
2021 91.2% 90.4%
2022 90.4% 90.3%
2023 92.8% 89.7%
2024 92.5% 90.4%
2025 92.9% 91.8%

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 Harley-Davidson Flstf
0k-10k miles 93.2% 90.1%
10k-20k miles 88.8% 88.7%
20k-30k miles 84.9% 87.8%

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

Indian Motorcycle Scout vs Harley-Davidson Flstf FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Which is more reliable, the Indian Motorcycle Scout or the Harley-Davidson Flstf?

The Indian Motorcycle Scout passes its MOT first time more often than the Harley-Davidson Flstf: 92.2% vs 89.0%, a 3.2-point lead. Adjusted for age, mileage and test class the two are level (+3.3 vs +3.6 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 fail its MOT on most?

Lights & signalling: 1.6% of Indian Motorcycle Scout MOT tests failed on it, then steering & suspension (1.0%).

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

Lights & signalling: 2.4% of Harley-Davidson Flstf MOT tests failed on it, then brakes (1.0%).

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

At 20k-30k miles the Harley-Davidson Flstf passes first time more often: 84.9% for the Indian Motorcycle Scout vs 87.8% for the Harley-Davidson Flstf.

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