HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXR

1340cc Petrol Class 2

#1854 of 5426 overall #318 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #372 of 465 cruiser bikes

87.2%

first-time pass rate

6.0%

failed outright

17,779

median miles at test

4,857

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The FXR's first-time pass rate has fallen 2.9 points since 2005, 92.2% to 89.3%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage FXR passes first time 87.0% of the time; by 50k that's 93.0%.

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 FXR

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	268	37	0.8×
brakes	138	19	0.5×
steering and suspension	88	12.1	0.5×
lamps and reflectors	79	10.9	0.6×
reg plates and vin	52	7.2	1.4×
tyres and wheels	35	4.8	0.3×
fuel and exhaust	25	3.4	0.7×
body and structure	19	2.6	0.6×
structure and attachments	11	1.5	0.3×
audible warning (Horn)	10	1.4	1.1×

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 FXR beats 0 of its 4 closest rivals (HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTF, HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTC, HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL1200C).

HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTF 88.9% pass · 30.1k tests HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTC 89.4% pass · 23.7k tests HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL1200C 88.4% pass · 15.7k tests HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXDWG 88.7% pass · 14.6k 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 FXR.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1971 (92.9% pass). Weakest: 1989 (83.5%).

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 FXR FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXR reliable?

The HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXR is more reliable than average for its class: 87.2% of its 4,857 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1854 of 5426 models.

What does a FXR fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 37% of all defects recorded against failed FXR tests.

What is the best year of FXR to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1971-registered examples do best (92.9%) and 1989 worst (83.5%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a FXR last?

The median FXR shows 17,779 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 93.0% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.