BIKERELIABILITY
MOT DATA · GREAT BRITAIN · 2005–2025
League table/ HARLEY-DAVIDSON/FXRS-SP
Model report · 2005–2025

HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXRS-SP

1340cc Petrol Class 2
#1575 of 5426 overall #267 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #317 of 465 cruiser bikes
88.1%
first-time pass rate
5.1%
failed outright
18,834
median miles at test
590
MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2017

The FXRS-SP's first-time pass rate has risen 4.8 points since 2006, 95.2% to 100.0%.

67%83%100%2006: 95.2% pass (42 tests)2007: 88.9% pass (36 tests)2008: 83.3% pass (36 tests)2009: 86.1% pass (36 tests)2010: 73.5% pass (34 tests)2011: 83.8% pass (37 tests)2013: 86.5% pass (37 tests)2014: 93.5% pass (31 tests)2016: 93.5% pass (31 tests)2017: 100.0% pass (32 tests)20062017

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage FXRS-SP passes first time 86.0% of the time; by 50k that's 85.7%.

84%90%97%0k: 86.0% pass (143 tests)10k: 89.6% pass (144 tests)20k: 86.5% pass (74 tests)30k: 93.2% pass (44 tests)40k: 95.2% pass (63 tests)50k: 85.7% pass (49 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 FXRS-SP

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded
Component group Share of defects Defects % of defects vs all bikes
brakes
24 36.9 0.6×
lighting and signalling
16 24.6 0.5×
steering and suspension
6 9.2 0.2×
reg plates and vin
6 9.2 1.2×
fuel and exhaust
5 7.7 0.9×
suspension
3 4.6 0.7×
tyres and wheels
2 3.1 0.2×
structure and attachments
1 1.5 0.2×
lamps and reflectors
1 1.5 0.1×
tyres
1 1.5 0.2×

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 FXRS-SP 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 FXRS-SP.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1988 (91.0% pass). Weakest: 1993 (86.4%).

85%89%92%1987: 86.5% pass (52 tests)1988: 91.0% pass (67 tests)1989: 90.0% pass (100 tests)1990: 89.3% pass (56 tests)1991: 90.7% pass (75 tests)1992: 89.2% pass (74 tests)1993: 86.4% pass (81 tests)198719901993

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 FXRS-SP FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXRS-SP reliable?

The HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXRS-SP is more reliable than average for its class: 88.1% of its 590 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1575 of 5426 models.

What does a FXRS-SP fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 37% of all defects recorded against failed FXRS-SP tests.

What is the best year of FXRS-SP to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1988-registered examples do best (91.0%) and 1993 worst (86.4%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a FXRS-SP last?

The median FXRS-SP shows 18,834 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 85.7% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.