Know Your MOT

MOT failure rate and common problems for the Harley-Davidson Flde, and how to check your own car by registration.

Updated 05 September 2026.

5.3%fail rate

Harley-Davidson Flde MOT failure rate

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

What it fails on, and why

Brakes12.8% 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.

Lamps & electrical10.3% 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 plate7.7% of failures

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

Tyres7.7% 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.

Exhaust & emissions5.1% 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.

Other2.6% of failures

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

Failure rate by year

20182.3% fail · 298 tests
20196.8% fail · 263 tests
20207.6% fail · 157 tests

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.

For the brakes failure: Harley-Davidson Flde brake pads and discsShop Harley-Davidson Flde brake pads and discs on AmazonaffiliateFind Harley-Davidson Flde brake pads and discs on eBayaffiliate
For the lamps & electrical failure: Harley-Davidson Flde headlight and indicator bulbsShop Harley-Davidson Flde headlight and indicator bulbs on AmazonaffiliateFind Harley-Davidson Flde headlight and indicator bulbs on eBayaffiliate
For the registration plate failure: Harley-Davidson Flde number plateShop Harley-Davidson Flde number plate on AmazonaffiliateFind Harley-Davidson Flde number plate on eBayaffiliate
For the tyres failure: Harley-Davidson Flde tyresShop Harley-Davidson Flde tyres on AmazonaffiliateFind Harley-Davidson Flde tyres on eBayaffiliate
For the exhaust & emissions failure: Harley-Davidson Flde exhaustShop Harley-Davidson Flde exhaust on AmazonaffiliateFind Harley-Davidson Flde exhaust on eBayaffiliate

Other models

All Harley-Davidson models MOT failure rates comparedRanked worst to bestHarley-Davidson Xl MOT failures10.1% failure rateHarley-Davidson Xlh MOT failures11.4% failure rateFord Fiesta MOT failures27.1% failure rate

Questions and answers

What is the MOT failure rate of the Harley-Davidson Flde?

It fails 5.3% of its MOT tests across the DVSA record, from 736 tests.

What do these cars fail their MOT on most?

The most common failure area is brakes, at 12.8% of this model's failures.

Does MOT failure rate change with the year of the car?

Yes. In this model the failure rate ranges from about 2.3% for the best year to 7.6% for the worst.