Harley-Davidson XL 1200 X FORTY EIGHT MOT pass rate and common failures

Harley-Davidson XL 1200 X FORTY EIGHT motorcycles pass the MOT 88.29% of the time, measured across 828 tests in the DVSA record. A further 6.64% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

About average - within 1.4 points of the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.

Pass rate 88.29% 731 of 828

Fixed at the station 6.64% passed after an on-the-spot repair

Average mileage at test 7,362 miles

Average age at test 7.15 years old

Engine 1,202cc MOT class 1 and 2

For sale now 0 Harley-Davidson XL 1200 X FORTY EIGHT adverts

What to check before the MOT

Built from this model's own failure record, not general advice.

Start with missing - it accounts for 71.4% of failed tests on this model.
Then check does not conform to the specified requirements and too high, the next two most common reasons.
The most common advisory is noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition (30.9% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
Average recorded mileage at test is 7,362 miles, which is the number to compare any advert against.

Pass rate by age

A single pass rate hides the most useful thing in this data: how the same model behaves at three years old and at fifteen.

Age at test	Pass rate		Tests
3-5 years	90.91%		99
6-10 years	87.83%		723

Why the Harley-Davidson XL 1200 X FORTY EIGHT fails

Share of failed tests on this model where the item was recorded. One test can fail on several items, so the column does not add up to 100%.

#	Item	Of failures	Tests
1	Missing	71.4%	30
2	Does not conform to the specified requirements	57.1%	24
3	Too high	14.3%	6
4	Insecure	14.3%	6
5	Too low	14.3%	6
6	Inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps	11.9%	5
7	Incorrect	11.9%	5
8	Does not illuminate simultaneously with the position lamp(s)	9.5%	4
9	Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition	9.5%	4
10	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	9.5%	4

Most common advisories

Not a failure and not a legal requirement to fix - but an advisory that repeats year after year is money the next owner spends.

#	Item	Of all tests	Tests
1	Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition	30.9%	256
2	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	3.4%	28
3	Has a serious fluid leak	1.9%	16
4	Less than 1.0 mm thick	1.4%	12
5	Chain guard missing	1.1%	9
6	Tread not clearly visible	0.7%	6
7	Insecure	0.6%	5
8	Inscription illegible	0.4%	3
9	Excessively binding	0.2%	2
10	Modified such that structural rigidity is significantly reduced	0.2%	2

Harley-Davidson XL 1200 X FORTY EIGHT for sale

No Harley-Davidson XL 1200 X FORTY EIGHT in stock at the moment - 48 other Harley-Davidson bikes are advertised.

Used Harley-Davidson XL 1200 X FORTY EIGHT Used Harley-Davidson All Harley-Davidson Harley-Davidson MOT statistics Check a specific bike by plate

Similar bikes compared

Models of comparable capacity, so the comparison means something.

Model	Tests	Pass rate	Avg mileage
Triumph TIGER · 969cc	16,144	91.27%	22,934
BMW R1200 · 1,170cc	15,691	94.77%	28,205
Triumph BONNEVILLE 642-904cc · 642-904cc	12,456	90.8%	12,824
BMW R SERIES · 1,152cc	9,796	91.92%	40,594
BMW S 1000 · 999cc	8,445	91.96%	15,282
BMW R1250 · 1,254cc	6,764	96.17%	17,373

Source: DVSA MOT testing data, 2025 · updated Aug 2026 · licence and method

Harley-Davidson XL 1200 X FORTY EIGHT MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Harley-Davidson XL 1200 X FORTY EIGHT?+

88.29% of Harley-Davidson XL 1200 X FORTY EIGHT MOT tests end in a pass, based on 828 tests in the DVSA dataset.

What is the most common MOT failure on a Harley-Davidson XL 1200 X FORTY EIGHT?+

Missing, which appears in 71.4% of failed tests on this model.

Does the Harley-Davidson XL 1200 X FORTY EIGHT get harder to pass as it ages?+

At 6-10 years old the pass rate is 87.83%, against 90.91% for examples 3-5 years old.

Where does this data come from?+

From the DVSA anonymised MOT testing dataset, which records every MOT carried out in England, Scotland and Wales. It is published under the Open Government Licence and covers 2025.

Does a high pass rate mean the bike is reliable?+

Not by itself. The MOT checks safety items - brakes, tyres, lights, structure - and says nothing about engines, gearboxes or electrics. Read it as a maintenance signal, not a reliability score.