Know Your MOT
10.6%fail rate

Harley-Davidson Xl1200x common MOT failures and failure rate

What a Harley-Davidson Xl1200x fails its MOT on, from real DVSA test data, and the part that resolves each item.

Based on 132 MOT tests in DVSA data.

About 10.6% of MOT tests recorded on the Harley-Davidson Xl1200x in DVSA data end in a failure. The same handful of items account for most of them.

Its most common failure is registration plate, which makes up 35.7% of the Harley-Davidson Xl1200x's failures, followed by registration plate, brakes, lamps & electrical, other. Each item below links to the part that resolves it. Confirm the exact fitment against your registration or VIN before buying, and have safety-critical work done by a competent mechanic.

What it fails on, and why

Registration plate35.7% of failures

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

Brakes21.4% 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 & electrical21.4% 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.

Other14.3% of failures

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

Suspension7.1% 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.

Exhaust & emissions7.1% 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.

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. These are the usual parts; confirm the exact fitment against your registration or VIN before buying.

For the registration plate failure: Harley-Davidson Xl1200x number plateSearch Amazon for Harley-Davidson Xl1200x number plateaffiliate searchFind Harley-Davidson Xl1200x number plate on eBayaffiliate
For the brakes failure: Harley-Davidson Xl1200x brake pads and discsSearch Amazon for Harley-Davidson Xl1200x brake pads and discsaffiliate searchFind Harley-Davidson Xl1200x brake pads and discs on eBayaffiliate
For the lamps & electrical failure: Harley-Davidson Xl1200x headlight and indicator bulbsSearch Amazon for Harley-Davidson Xl1200x headlight and indicator bulbsaffiliate searchFind Harley-Davidson Xl1200x headlight and indicator bulbs on eBayaffiliate
For the suspension failure: Harley-Davidson Xl1200x suspension springs and shock absorbersSearch Amazon for Harley-Davidson Xl1200x suspension springs and shock absorbersaffiliate searchFind Harley-Davidson Xl1200x suspension springs and shock absorbers on eBayaffiliate
For the exhaust & emissions failure: Harley-Davidson Xl1200x exhaustSearch Amazon for Harley-Davidson Xl1200x exhaustaffiliate searchFind Harley-Davidson Xl1200x exhaust on eBayaffiliate

Other models

Harley-Davidson Xl MOT failures10.1% failure rateHarley-Davidson Xlh MOT failures11.3% failure rateHarley-Davidson Xl53 MOT failures11.4% 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