Know Your MOT

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

Updated 05 September 2026.

7.2%fail rate

Harley-Davidson Flsl MOT failure rate

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

What it fails on, and why

Lamps & electrical19.1% 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.

Brakes10.3% 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.

Registration plate4.4% of failures

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

Steering2.9% of failures

Steering faults are typically worn track-rod ends or ball joints, play in the rack, or a split gaiter letting grease out and dirt in. Excessive free play at the wheel fails.

Suspension1.5% of failures

Suspension failures usually mean a worn or snapped coil spring, a leaking shock absorber, or play in a lower arm ball joint or bush. The tester checks for corrosion, fractures and excessive movement. A broken front spring is one of the most common failures on higher-mileage cars and is a straightforward replacement.

Tyres1.5% 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.

Failure rate by year

20186.2% fail · 321 tests
20197.9% fail · 330 tests
20206.3% fail · 111 tests
20215.9% fail · 102 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 lamps & electrical failure: Harley-Davidson Flsl headlight and indicator bulbsShop Harley-Davidson Flsl headlight and indicator bulbs on AmazonaffiliateFind Harley-Davidson Flsl headlight and indicator bulbs on eBayaffiliate
For the brakes failure: Harley-Davidson Flsl brake pads and discsShop Harley-Davidson Flsl brake pads and discs on AmazonaffiliateFind Harley-Davidson Flsl brake pads and discs on eBayaffiliate
For the registration plate failure: Harley-Davidson Flsl number plateShop Harley-Davidson Flsl number plate on AmazonaffiliateFind Harley-Davidson Flsl number plate on eBayaffiliate
For the steering failure: Harley-Davidson Flsl steering track rod endsShop Harley-Davidson Flsl steering track rod ends on AmazonaffiliateFind Harley-Davidson Flsl steering track rod ends on eBayaffiliate
For the suspension failure: Harley-Davidson Flsl suspension springs and shock absorbersShop Harley-Davidson Flsl suspension springs and shock absorbers on AmazonaffiliateFind Harley-Davidson Flsl suspension springs and shock absorbers on eBayaffiliate
For the tyres failure: Harley-Davidson Flsl tyresShop Harley-Davidson Flsl tyres on AmazonaffiliateFind Harley-Davidson Flsl tyres 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 Flsl?

It fails 7.2% of its MOT tests across the DVSA record, from 948 tests.

What do these cars fail their MOT on most?

The most common failure area is lamps & electrical, at 19.1% 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 5.9% for the best year to 7.9% for the worst.