Know Your MOT
13.9%fail rate

Harley Davidson. MOT failure rate

What a Harley Davidson. fails its MOT on, and the part that fixes each.

About 13.9% of Harley Davidson.s fail their MOT, most often on lamps & electrical, registration plate, brakes, exhaust & emissions. Confirm any part against your registration or VIN before buying, and have safety-critical work done by a competent mechanic.

What it fails on, and why

Lamps & electrical26.3% of failures

Lighting is the single most common MOT failure and the cheapest to put right. A blown headlight, brake-light or number-plate bulb, a cracked lens, or a headlamp beam that points too high or low will all fail. Most are a two-minute bulb swap.

Registration plate26.3% of failures

A missing, damaged, dirty or incorrectly-spaced number plate, or one using the wrong font, will fail. A replacement plate is inexpensive.

Brakes21.1% of failures

Brake failures cover worn pads and discs, an imbalance between wheels, corroded or scored discs, or a binding caliper. Braking efficiency is measured on a rolling road, so a spongy or pulling brake shows up as a low reading.

Exhaust & emissions15.8% of failures

Exhaust failures cover leaks, insecure mountings and emissions over the limit. A blowing exhaust, a failed lambda reading or a diesel that smokes beyond the limit will fail.

Other10.5% of failures

This covers a range of smaller items, from a non-working horn to a warning light left on.

Tyres10.5% of failures

Tyres fail for tread below the 1.6mm legal limit across the central three-quarters, uneven or exposed-cord wear, or sidewall damage. The tester inspects all four; a single illegal tyre is a fail.

The parts that fix each

If your car has just failed, you have 10 working days to fix the items and get a free partial retest. Confirm the exact fitment against your registration or VIN before buying.

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Other models

All Harley Davidson models MOT failure rates comparedRanked worst to bestHarley Davidson Xl MOT failures10.7% failure rateHarley Davidson Flstf MOT failures9.8% failure rateFord Fiesta MOT failures27.1% failure rate

Sources: DVSA MOT History API: MOT test results and defect data ยท DVSA MOT testing data for Great Britain