Harley Davidson
Xlh 883
2,567 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where Xlh 883s pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 8.9 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
86.4%
Pass-after-fix
4.9%
Fail
7.8%
Avg miles
16,217
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
This model's production run straddles the January 2006 Euro 4 cutoff. Individual cars vary — check your registration plate on the government's ULEZ checker. Daily charges if driven in the zone: London £12.50 · Birmingham £8.00 .
The picture
Xlh 883: a strong MOT record by UK norms
Across 1,624 MOT tests, the Xlh 883 returns 87.3% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a missing rear reflector. A non-conforming number plate and direction indicator lamp missing round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 16,658, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.
Top ten reasons for rejection.
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- 01
Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements
29 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
- 02
Reflector missing or reflecting white to the rear
20 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
- 03
A headlamp missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED
19 occurrences · 0.7% of tests
- 04
Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
16 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
- 05
A shock absorber not functioning or leaking severely
15 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
- 06
A headlamp missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED
13 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
- 07
A direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
11 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
- 08
A stop lamp(s) remains on when the brakes are released
10 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
- 09
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
10 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
- 10
Audible warning not working
10 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 3 failures
£33–£150
If every one of this Xlh 883's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
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Tools that pre-empt a retest.
Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
Item 01 · Amazon UK
MOT-spec replacement number plate
Faded or non-standard plates fail outright. Replacements take ten minutes online with V5C details.
Search Amazon UK
Item 02 · Amazon UK
Headlight restoration kit
Yellowed lenses fail the light-output test. A restoration kit lifts the haze in an afternoon for £20.
Search Amazon UK
Item 03 · Amazon UK
H7 / W21W bulb pack
A spare-bulb kit lives in the boot. Test morning is not the time to find your stop-lamp's gone.
Search Amazon UK
My Motor World · affiliate
Parts & supplies for this fix
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Click Mechanic · affiliate
Book a mobile mechanic
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Mobile mechanic · UK-wide
Book a mechanic at your door.
Fixed-price quotes upfront. No garage needed. Click Mechanic sends a vetted local mechanic to you — home, work, or roadside.
Buying or keeping a Xlh 883?
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own a Xlh 883 and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.