Vincent Black Shadow vs Harley-Davidson XLH 883

The Vincent Black Shadow passes its MOT first time more often than the Harley-Davidson XLH 883: 94.0% vs 87.4%, a 6.6-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

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

Metric	Vincent Black Shadow	Harley-Davidson XLH 883
First-time pass rate	94.0%	87.4%
Outright fail rate	1.2%	5.9%
Engine size	998cc	883cc
Rank among all models	#172 of 5428	#1787 of 5428
Median miles at test	13,531	10,350
MOT tests analysed	822	41,267
Most common failure	lighting and signalling	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.

What fails, side by side

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

Component	Vincent Black Shadow	Harley-Davidson XLH 883
Lights & signalling	0.7%	3.0%
Brakes	0.2%	1.4%
Steering & suspension	0.2%	1.1%
Tyres & wheels	0.1%	0.9%
Fuel & exhaust	0%	0.6%
Structure & body	0%	0.5%
Drive system	0.1%	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	Vincent Black Shadow	Harley-Davidson XLH 883
2006	96.3%	89.9%
2007	91.9%	88.4%
2008	96.0%	88.6%
2009	90.8%	86.6%
2010	93.6%	86.0%
2011	94.7%	86.1%
2012	91.6%	86.8%

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	Vincent Black Shadow	Harley-Davidson XLH 883
0k-10k miles	94.5%	89.1%
10k-20k miles	94.6%	87.0%
20k-30k miles	92.2%	85.3%
30k-40k miles	93.9%	83.7%
40k-50k miles	90.9%	83.6%
50k-60k miles	92.0%	88.4%

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

Vincent Black Shadow vs Harley-Davidson XLH 883 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Which is more reliable, the Vincent Black Shadow or the Harley-Davidson XLH 883?

The Vincent Black Shadow passes its MOT first time more often than the Harley-Davidson XLH 883: 94.0% vs 87.4%, a 6.6-point lead. An MOT checks roadworthiness items, not engine or gearbox internals.

What does the Vincent Black Shadow fail its MOT on most?

Lights & signalling: 0.7% of Vincent Black Shadow MOT tests failed on it, then brakes (0.2%).

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%).

Which holds up better at high mileage, the Vincent Black Shadow or the Harley-Davidson XLH 883?

At 50k-60k miles the Vincent Black Shadow passes first time more often: 92.0% for the Vincent Black Shadow vs 88.4% for the Harley-Davidson XLH 883.

VINCENT BLACK SHADOW 94.0% pass · 822 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.