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Harley-davidson XL 1200 X Forty Eight Reliability, MOT Pass Rate & Common Faults

Free Harley-davidson XL 1200 X Forty Eight car check

Is the Harley-davidson XL 1200 X Forty Eight reliable? We analysed 2,422 real MOT tests across 297 vehicles to find out.

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Data last updated: · Based on 2,422 real MOT tests
MOT Pass Rate
89.1%
Typical Mileage
6,178mi
Annual Mileage
395mi/yr
Est. Lifespan
16yrs

The Harley-davidson XL 1200 X Forty Eight is above average for reliability based on real UK MOT data. Common problems include reflector on motorcycle missing, registration plate with character(s) which are not the correct height and registration plate does not have black characters on a yellow background. Here's everything you need to know before buying a used Harley-davidson XL 1200 X Forty Eight.

Harley-davidson XL 1200 X Forty Eight Number Plates

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

Harley-davidson XL 1200 X Forty Eight MOT Pass Rate by Year

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

89.5%
2011
88.7%
2010

Harley-davidson XL 1200 X Forty Eight Problems — What Goes Wrong?

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

reflector on motorcycle missing 14
Registration plate with character(s) which are not the correct height 9
Registration plate does not have black characters on a yellow background 6
Registration plate with character(s) which are not the correct width 5
Tyre tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm 5
Exhaust noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motor bicycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition 4
Registration plate characters laid out in an incorrect format 4

Harley-davidson XL 1200 X Forty Eight Mileage — What's Normal?

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

Low usage
139 mi/yr
Typical
395 mi/yr
Average
726 mi/yr
Heavy usage
909 mi/yr

Harley-davidson XL 1200 X Forty Eight MOT Data by Registration Year

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

Year Tests Pass Rate Low Mi. Typical Mi. High Mi.
2011 1,127 89.5% 3,290 5,771 9,948
2010 1,222 88.7% 3,472 6,538 11,185

How Long Does a Harley-davidson XL 1200 X Forty Eight Last?

Based on 297 Harley-davidson XL 1200 X Forty Eight vehicles on UK roads.

Average
10.8 years
Median
13.0 years
Estimated max lifespan
16 years

Harley-davidson XL 1200 X Forty Eight Mileage Distribution

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

Median
6,178 mi
75th Percentile
10,550 mi
95th Percentile
18,885 mi
Max Recorded
38,510 mi

Best Year to Buy a Used Harley-davidson XL 1200 X Forty Eight

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

Best year
2011

89.5% MOT pass rate from 1,127 tests

Year to avoid
2010

88.7% MOT pass rate from 1,222 tests

The best year to buy a used Harley-davidson XL 1200 X Forty Eight is 2011, which has the highest MOT pass rate at 89.5% across 1,127 tests. The 2010 model year has the lowest pass rate at 88.7% — 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 X Forty Eight 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 X Forty Eight THIS CAR 89.1% 2,422 6,178 mi 16 yrs
Harley-davidson Xlh 883 88.8% 47,203 10,536 mi 38 yrs
Harley-davidson XL 1200 C Custom Sport 89.4% 16,429 10,286 mi 29 yrs
Harley-davidson XL53 C 88.6% 15,043 11,058 mi 28 yrs
Jeep Cherokee 3.7 Sport Auto 73.2% 1,608 68,200 mi 25 yrs

Compared to the Harley-davidson Xlh 883 (88.8% pass rate) and the Harley-davidson XL 1200 C Custom Sport (89.4% pass rate), the Harley-davidson XL 1200 X Forty Eight sits in the middle of the pack on MOT reliability.

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Should you buy a used Harley-davidson XL 1200 X Forty Eight?

The Harley-davidson XL 1200 X Forty Eight has an overall MOT pass rate of 89.1% across 2,422 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 X Forty Eight are reflector on motorcycle missing (14 recorded failures), registration plate with character(s) which are not the correct height (9), and registration plate does not have black characters on a yellow background (6). 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 X Forty Eight owner drives around 395 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 X Forty Eight models stay on UK roads for around 16 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 X Forty Eight — Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Harley-davidson XL 1200 X Forty Eight reliable?
Based on 2,422 MOT tests, the Harley-davidson XL 1200 X Forty Eight has a 89.1% pass rate — above the UK average, suggesting good reliability.
What are the common problems on a Harley-davidson XL 1200 X Forty Eight?
The most common MOT failures are reflector on motorcycle missing, registration plate with character(s) which are not the correct height, and registration plate does not have black characters on a yellow background. Check these on any test drive.
How many miles does a Harley-davidson XL 1200 X Forty Eight do per year?
The typical Harley-davidson XL 1200 X Forty Eight does around 395 miles per year. Anything significantly above or below this is worth investigating.
How long does a Harley-davidson XL 1200 X Forty Eight last?
Most Harley-davidson XL 1200 X Forty Eight models stay on UK roads for around 16 years based on our analysis of 297 vehicles.
Should I get a vehicle check before buying a Harley-davidson XL 1200 X Forty Eight?
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 X Forty Eight?
Based on MOT pass rates, the best year to buy a used Harley-davidson XL 1200 X Forty Eight is 2011 with a 89.5% pass rate across 1,127 tests.