Harley-Davidson Softail Deluxe
Real ownership data from 1,251 UK Softail Deluxe motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common Softail Deluxe problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Other | dangerous | 16% |
| Exhaust and emissions | major | 13.3% |
| Brake discs and pads | dangerous | 12.2% |
| Electrical | major | 6.6% |
| Lights and indicators | dangerous | 5% |
| Controls and cables | major | 5% |
| Suspension | dangerous | 2.8% |
| Wheels | major | 2.8% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is fluid leaks.
Softail Deluxe mileage and reliability by year
Use this to judge whether a specific bike is high or low mileage for its age.
| YearYear | MedianMedian mileage | Mi/yrMiles/year | MOT passFirst-time pass | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 48 | 5,664 mi | 746 | 92.36% |
| 2019 | 68 | 7,084 mi | 958 | 92.61% |
| 2018 | 82 | 9,423 mi | 1,050 | 97.73% |
| 2017 | 50 | 9,528 mi | 841 | 91.89% |
| 2016 | 36 | 7,988 mi | 770 | 92.27% |
| 2015 | 69 | 11,399 mi | 919 | 92.33% |
| 2014 | 49 | 13,493 mi | 977 | 92.73% |
| 2013 | 56 | 13,927 mi | 1,131 | 91.91% |
| 2012 | 64 | 13,514 mi | 878 | 91.86% |
| 2011 | 101 | 15,144 mi | 994 | 89% |
| 2010 | 35 | 14,692 mi | 952 | 86.82% |
| 2009 | 15 | 10,764 mi | 801 | 82.69% |
| 2008 | 72 | 14,499 mi | 1,050 | 91.89% |
| 2007 | 129 | 12,657 mi | 640 | 88.81% |
| 2006 | 105 | 13,088 mi | 683 | 88.26% |
| 2005 | 114 | 14,073 mi | 710 | 88.2% |
| 2004 | 17 | 11,331 mi | 422 | 88.89% |
| 2002 | 5 | 10,038 mi | 433 | 98.15% |
| 1996 | 35 | 20,811 mi | 352 | 90.6% |
| 1995 | 39 | 17,171 mi | 294 | 91.1% |
Softail Deluxe questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Harley-Davidson Softail Deluxe?
Across 1,251 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are other (16% of all recorded faults), exhaust and emissions (13.3% of all recorded faults), brake discs and pads (12.2% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Harley-Davidson Softail Deluxe?
The median Harley-Davidson Softail Deluxe in the UK has covered 12,065 miles, and typically rides about 791 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 5,626 and 20,674 miles.
Is the Harley-Davidson Softail Deluxe reliable?
90.41% of Harley-Davidson Softail Deluxe MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 0.02 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 1,251 Harley-Davidson Softail Deluxe motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.