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Harley-davidson XL 1200 C Custom Sport Reliability, MOT Pass Rate & Common Faults

Free Harley-davidson XL 1200 C Custom Sport car check

Is the Harley-davidson XL 1200 C Custom Sport reliable? We analysed 16,429 real MOT tests across 1,340 vehicles to find out.

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Data last updated: · Based on 16,429 real MOT tests
MOT Pass Rate
89.4%
Typical Mileage
10,286mi
Annual Mileage
482mi/yr
Est. Lifespan
29yrs

The Harley-davidson XL 1200 C Custom Sport is above average for reliability based on real UK MOT data. Common problems include tyre tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm, stop lamp does not illuminate immediately a brake applies and exhaust markings indicating not for road use or similar wording. Here's everything you need to know before buying a used Harley-davidson XL 1200 C Custom Sport.

Harley-davidson XL 1200 C Custom Sport Number Plates

Number plates registered to a Harley-davidson XL 1200 C Custom Sport. Click on any registration for full vehicle details — including MOT history, mileage records, previous owners and damage history.

Harley-davidson XL 1200 C Custom Sport MOT Pass Rate by Year

How likely is a Harley-davidson XL 1200 C Custom Sport to pass its MOT? Here's the pass rate for each registration year, newest first.

91.2%
2010
90.3%
2009
87.9%
2008
90.8%
2007
89.1%
2006
90.3%
2005
89.4%
2004
89%
2003
89.5%
2002
89.3%
2001
87.4%
2000
88%
1999
90.6%
1998
85.6%
1997

Harley-davidson XL 1200 C Custom Sport Problems — What Goes Wrong?

The most common reasons a Harley-davidson XL 1200 C Custom Sport fails its MOT, ranked by how often they occur. Check for these problems before you buy.

Tyre tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm 71
Stop lamp does not illuminate immediately a brake applies 54
Exhaust markings indicating not for road use or similar wording 50
Exhaust noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motor bicycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition 47
Registration plate with character(s) which are not the correct height 47
Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick 40
reflector on motorcycle missing 31
Registration plate with character(s) which are not the correct width 25
Stop lamp remains on when the brake is released 22

Harley-davidson XL 1200 C Custom Sport Mileage — What's Normal?

How many miles does a typical Harley-davidson XL 1200 C Custom Sport owner drive per year? Use this to check if a car you're looking at has suspiciously low or high mileage.

Low usage
156 mi/yr
Typical
482 mi/yr
Average
1,018 mi/yr
Heavy usage
1,210 mi/yr

Harley-davidson XL 1200 C Custom Sport MOT Data by Registration Year

Full breakdown of pass rate and mileage for each year. Use this to compare the Harley-davidson XL 1200 C Custom Sport year you're looking at.

Year Tests Pass Rate Low Mi. Typical Mi. High Mi.
2010 499 91.2% 4,005 7,631 12,140
2009 776 90.3% 4,380 7,942 13,608
2008 982 87.9% 5,123 8,822 13,964
2007 1,081 90.8% 6,239 10,446 15,559
2006 1,503 89.1% 5,651 9,661 15,759
2005 1,821 90.3% 5,854 10,613 16,305
2004 2,638 89.4% 6,238 10,548 16,992
2003 2,044 89.0% 5,569 8,970 16,068
2002 964 89.5% 6,535 10,708 16,468
2001 1,269 89.3% 7,329 12,046 20,071
2000 1,103 87.4% 7,136 10,699 18,028
1999 664 88.0% 7,327 12,537 19,252
1998 512 90.6% 6,051 10,762 17,224
1997 306 85.6% 7,073 15,416 21,242

How Long Does a Harley-davidson XL 1200 C Custom Sport Last?

Based on 1,340 Harley-davidson XL 1200 C Custom Sport vehicles on UK roads.

Average
16.2 years
Median
17.0 years
Estimated max lifespan
29 years

Harley-davidson XL 1200 C Custom Sport Mileage Distribution

Total mileage recorded across all Harley-davidson XL 1200 C Custom Sport MOT tests. If the car you're looking at is above the 75th percentile, it's done more miles than most.

Median
10,286 mi
75th Percentile
16,614 mi
95th Percentile
29,611 mi
Max Recorded
502,401 mi

Best Year to Buy a Used Harley-davidson XL 1200 C Custom Sport

Based on MOT pass rates across all registration years with sufficient test data.

Best year
2010

91.2% MOT pass rate from 499 tests

Year to avoid
1997

85.6% MOT pass rate from 306 tests

The best year to buy a used Harley-davidson XL 1200 C Custom Sport is 2010, which has the highest MOT pass rate at 91.2% across 499 tests. The 1997 model year has the lowest pass rate at 85.6% — if you're looking at one from that year, budget for potential repairs and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.

How Does the Harley-davidson XL 1200 C Custom Sport Compare?

MOT pass rates compared to similar models. Click any model for the full breakdown.

Model Pass Rate Tests Typical Mileage Lifespan
Harley-davidson XL 1200 C Custom Sport THIS CAR 89.4% 16,429 10,286 mi 29 yrs
Harley-davidson Xlh 883 88.8% 47,203 10,536 mi 38 yrs
Harley-davidson XL53 C 88.6% 15,043 11,058 mi 28 yrs
Harley-davidson Flstfi 90.4% 12,402 11,794 mi 26 yrs
Honda Ww 125 A-m 86% 10,063 24,769 mi — yrs

Compared to the Harley-davidson Xlh 883 (88.8% pass rate) and the Harley-davidson XL53 C (88.6% pass rate), the Harley-davidson XL 1200 C Custom Sport outperforms both on MOT reliability.

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Should you buy a used Harley-davidson XL 1200 C Custom Sport?

The Harley-davidson XL 1200 C Custom Sport has an overall MOT pass rate of 89.4% across 16,429 real MOT tests — comfortably above the UK average, which puts it among the more reliable models on UK roads.

The most common problems on the Harley-davidson XL 1200 C Custom Sport are tyre tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm (71 recorded failures), stop lamp does not illuminate immediately a brake applies (54), and exhaust markings indicating not for road use or similar wording (50). These are the faults most likely to cause an MOT failure on this model, so check for them carefully on any test drive or pre-purchase inspection. Many are wear-and-tear items that can be budgeted for, but a car that's already failing on multiple fronts may signal neglected maintenance.

A typical Harley-davidson XL 1200 C Custom Sport owner drives around 482 miles per year. If the car you're looking at is significantly above this, expect more wear on suspension, brakes and tyres. If it's well below, the vehicle may have been sitting unused — check for perished rubber, corroded discs and stale fluids.

In terms of longevity, most Harley-davidson XL 1200 C Custom Sport models stay on UK roads for around 29 years — a strong showing that suggests solid build quality and readily available parts. If you're buying one that's already approaching that window, the data suggests it has plenty of life left provided it's been maintained.

Before committing to a purchase, we recommend running a full vehicle history check on the specific car. This will reveal any outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies that the seller may not disclose — and that the MOT data alone can't tell you.

Harley-davidson XL 1200 C Custom Sport — Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Harley-davidson XL 1200 C Custom Sport reliable?
Based on 16,429 MOT tests, the Harley-davidson XL 1200 C Custom Sport has a 89.4% pass rate — above the UK average, suggesting good reliability.
What are the common problems on a Harley-davidson XL 1200 C Custom Sport?
The most common MOT failures are tyre tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm, stop lamp does not illuminate immediately a brake applies, and exhaust markings indicating not for road use or similar wording. Check these on any test drive.
How many miles does a Harley-davidson XL 1200 C Custom Sport do per year?
The typical Harley-davidson XL 1200 C Custom Sport does around 482 miles per year. Anything significantly above or below this is worth investigating.
How long does a Harley-davidson XL 1200 C Custom Sport last?
Most Harley-davidson XL 1200 C Custom Sport models stay on UK roads for around 29 years based on our analysis of 1,340 vehicles.
Should I get a vehicle check before buying a Harley-davidson XL 1200 C Custom Sport?
Yes. An MOT pass rate tells you about the model in general, but a vehicle history check reveals the specific car's finance, stolen, write-off and mileage history — things the seller may not disclose.
What is the best year to buy a Harley-davidson XL 1200 C Custom Sport?
Based on MOT pass rates, the best year to buy a used Harley-davidson XL 1200 C Custom Sport is 2010 with a 91.2% pass rate across 499 tests.