BIKERELIABILITY Reg check
League table/ HARLEY-DAVIDSON/FXDWG
Model report · 2005–2025

HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXDWG

1450cc Petrol Class 2
#1370 of 5428 overall #221 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #268 of 465 cruiser bikes
88.7%
first-time pass rate
5.0%
failed outright
16,028
median miles at test
14.6k
MOT tests, 2005–2025
+4.2pp
vs expected · age & mileage

The pass rate is the MOT first-time pass: a roadworthiness check of the items an MOT covers (brakes, lights, tyres, steering, structure, emissions), not a full mechanical inspection of engine or gearbox internals. It is a reliability signal, not a complete measure of mechanical reliability. What this measures.

“vs expected” adjusts for age, mileage and test class, so a cherished classic and a hard-used commuter are compared fairly. How this works.

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2025

The FXDWG's first-time pass rate has fallen 1.3 points since 2005, 92.0% to 90.7%.

83%89%94%2005: 92.0% pass (100 tests)2006: 91.0% pass (800 tests)2007: 92.2% pass (804 tests)2008: 87.7% pass (803 tests)2009: 86.8% pass (793 tests)2010: 88.9% pass (791 tests)2011: 87.5% pass (745 tests)2012: 86.7% pass (715 tests)2013: 85.0% pass (768 tests)2014: 89.1% pass (779 tests)2015: 88.1% pass (771 tests)2016: 89.3% pass (765 tests)2017: 88.1% pass (780 tests)2018: 87.6% pass (639 tests)2019: 89.5% pass (676 tests)2020: 90.7% pass (572 tests)2021: 89.2% pass (733 tests)2022: 87.2% pass (724 tests)2023: 91.6% pass (716 tests)2024: 88.4% pass (552 tests)2025: 90.7% pass (559 tests)20052025

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage FXDWG passes first time 90.6% of the time; by 50k that's 88.1%.

83%88%92%0k: 90.6% pass (4,220 tests)10k: 88.4% pass (4,551 tests)20k: 88.6% pass (2,815 tests)30k: 88.1% pass (1,386 tests)40k: 84.5% pass (709 tests)50k: 88.1% pass (328 tests)0k30k50k

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 FXDWG

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded
Component group Share of defects Defects % of defects vs all bikes
lighting and signalling
344 26.3 0.4×
brakes
216 16.5 0.3×
lamps and reflectors
178 13.6 0.5×
reg plates and vin
146 11.2 1.3×
tyres and wheels
122 9.3 0.4×
steering and suspension
91 7 0.2×
fuel and exhaust
89 6.8 0.8×
tyres
51 3.9 0.5×
structure and attachments
39 3 0.3×
Identification of the vehicle
32 2.4 0.9×

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 FXDWG beats 2 of its 4 closest rivals (HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTF, HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTC, HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL1200C).

HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTF 89.0% pass · 30.1k tests Compare head-to-head →
HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTC 89.4% pass · 23.8k tests Compare head-to-head →
HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL1200C 88.4% pass · 15.7k tests Compare head-to-head →
HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL 1200 C CUSTOM SPORT 88.1% pass · 13.9k tests Compare head-to-head →

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 FXDWG.

Compare with any bike

rival not listed above? pick any model to see it head-to-head with the Fxdwg

More HARLEY-DAVIDSON models

other HARLEY-DAVIDSON bikes ranked by MOT pass rate
HARLEY-DAVIDSON XLH 883 87.4% pass · 41.3k tests
HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTF 89.0% pass · 30.1k tests
HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTC 89.4% pass · 23.8k tests
HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL 87.9% pass · 18.5k tests
HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL1200C 88.4% pass · 15.7k tests
HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL883 87.2% pass · 14.9k tests

See all HARLEY-DAVIDSON models →

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2010 (92.3% pass). Weakest: 2009 (80.3%).

78%86%95%1993: 90.6% pass (417 tests)1994: 84.4% pass (422 tests)1995: 85.4% pass (639 tests)1996: 86.1% pass (562 tests)1997: 90.5% pass (898 tests)1998: 89.1% pass (1,182 tests)1999: 88.4% pass (1,590 tests)2000: 88.0% pass (1,358 tests)2001: 89.0% pass (1,586 tests)2002: 90.4% pass (1,454 tests)2003: 89.5% pass (2,129 tests)2004: 88.2% pass (229 tests)2005: 88.9% pass (81 tests)2006: 90.9% pass (77 tests)2007: 88.8% pass (330 tests)2009: 80.3% pass (142 tests)2010: 92.3% pass (430 tests)2011: 88.8% pass (250 tests)2012: 91.1% pass (90 tests)2014: 89.8% pass (128 tests)2015: 89.1% pass (220 tests)2016: 89.2% pass (111 tests)199320042016

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 FXDWG FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXDWG reliable?

The HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXDWG is more reliable than average for its class: 88.7% of its 14,585 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1370 of 5428 models.

What does a FXDWG fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 26% of all defects recorded against failed FXDWG tests.

What is the best year of FXDWG to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2010-registered examples do best (92.3%) and 2009 worst (80.3%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a FXDWG last?

The median FXDWG shows 16,028 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 88.1% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.

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