Harley-Davidson XL53 C
Real ownership data from 1,210 UK XL53 C motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common XL53 C problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Steering and head bearings | dangerous | 12.9% |
| Lights and indicators | fail | 9.6% |
| Suspension | dangerous | 8.7% |
| Fluid leaks | major | 7.8% |
| Exhaust and emissions | user entered | 7.2% |
| Electrical | major | 6.4% |
| Wheels | fail | 6.2% |
| Chain and sprockets | fail | 3.2% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is fluid leaks.
XL53 C 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 326 | 13,565 mi | 780 | 88.85% |
| 2003 | 183 | 10,181 mi | 608 | 89.37% |
| 2002 | 131 | 11,700 mi | 478 | 86.9% |
| 2001 | 150 | 12,431 mi | 534 | 86.49% |
| 2000 | 141 | 14,268 mi | 529 | 85.48% |
| 1999 | 148 | 14,330 mi | 517 | 87.96% |
| 1998 | 127 | 14,165 mi | 561 | 86.12% |
XL53 C questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Harley-Davidson XL53 C?
Across 1,210 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are steering and head bearings (12.9% of all recorded faults), lights and indicators (9.6% of all recorded faults), suspension (8.7% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Harley-Davidson XL53 C?
The median Harley-Davidson XL53 C in the UK has covered 12,945 miles, and typically rides about 607 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 7,066 and 21,336 miles.
Is the Harley-Davidson XL53 C reliable?
87.59% of Harley-Davidson XL53 C MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 0.03 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 1,210 Harley-Davidson XL53 C motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.