Tech & Auto
The Most Reliable American Motorcycles Ever Made
By CODY D. CAMPBELL
Scout
While the first version came out in 1919, the Indian Scout underwent a contemporary re-interpretation in 2014, garnering new fans with its retro style and modern performance.
According to MCN, the post-2014 Indian Scout has an owner’s reliability rating of 4.4 out of 5. However, some fans have pointed out they have experienced minor issues.
Softail
First introduced in 1984, the Harley-Davidson Softail has a long history of reliability and was designed for customization, with parts being easy to swap.
MCN reported that the '88-'90 Softail has an owner’s reliability rating of 4.7 out of 5, though the bike wouldn’t get this high of a score again until 2012’s Slim sub-models.
Fat Boy
The Harley-Davidson Fat Boy, a low, heavy cruiser designed for smooth riding, debuted in 1989 and received only minor modifications yearly until its remodel in 2018.
While early editions of the Fat Boy received 4.7 out of 5 for reliability from MCN, entries after the 2018 remodel scored significantly lower, with a 3.8 out of 5.