HARLEY-DAVIDSON 883

883cc Petrol Class 2

#2515 of 5426 overall #370 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #427 of 465 cruiser bikes

84.9%

first-time pass rate

7.4%

failed outright

11,056

median miles at test

1,776

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2025

The 883's first-time pass rate has fallen 5.9 points since 2006, 87.5% to 81.6%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the 883's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage 883 passes first time 87.8% of the time; by 40k that's 87.9%.

First-time pass rate by odometer reading at test, 10,000-mile bands for this model. Mileage is the strongest reliability signal. See the full curve.

What fails on a 883

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	64	24.8	0.6×
lamps and reflectors	52	20.2	1.1×
brakes	41	15.9	0.4×
steering and suspension	21	8.1	0.3×
reg plates and vin	15	5.8	1.3×
Identification of the vehicle	14	5.4	3.4×
tyres	14	5.4	1.0×
tyres and wheels	13	5	0.3×
structure and attachments	12	4.7	0.8×
suspension	12	4.7	0.8×

Defects recorded against failed normal tests, 2005–2025, grouped by DVSA inspection section. One test can record multiple defects. "vs all bikes" is how often this model's tests record a defect in the group, as a multiple of the all-bike rate.

How rivals compare

same type, similar capacity, high test volume

On first-time pass rate the 883 beats 0 of its 4 closest rivals (TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE, TRIUMPH THUNDERBIRD, HARLEY-DAVIDSON XLH 883).

TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE 89.0% pass · 195k tests TRIUMPH THUNDERBIRD 87.8% pass · 56.3k tests HARLEY-DAVIDSON XLH 883 87.4% pass · 41.2k tests HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL 87.9% pass · 18.5k tests

Rivals share this bike's type and sit within ±30% of its engine capacity, ≥ 5,000 tests. Card colour = better/worse first-time pass rate than the 883.

Pass rate by registration year

how each model-year cohort fares · registration year from first use date

Best year to buy used: 2006 (96.8% pass). Weakest: 1992 (75.2%).

First-time pass rate by the year each bike was first registered (cohorts with ≥ 50 tests). Older cohorts are survivors: the worst examples have already left the road, which tends to lift the earliest years.

HARLEY-DAVIDSON 883 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HARLEY-DAVIDSON 883 reliable?

The HARLEY-DAVIDSON 883 is about average for its class: 84.9% of its 1,776 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2515 of 5426 models.

What does a 883 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 25% of all defects recorded against failed 883 tests.

What is the best year of 883 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2006-registered examples do best (96.8%) and 1992 worst (75.2%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a 883 last?

The median 883 shows 11,056 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 87.9% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.