HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXS

1340cc Petrol Class 2

#1478 of 5426 overall #247 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #295 of 465 cruiser bikes

88.4%

first-time pass rate

5.7%

failed outright

16,027

median miles at test

663

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2022

The FXS's first-time pass rate has risen 8.3 points since 2006, 83.8% to 92.1%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage FXS passes first time 90.1% of the time; by 40k that's 86.7%.

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 FXS

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	25	33.3	0.7×
brakes	18	24	0.5×
steering and suspension	7	9.3	0.4×
reg plates and vin	6	8	1.6×
drive system	5	6.7	0.8×
lamps and reflectors	4	5.3	0.2×
Identification of the vehicle	3	4	2.0×
body and structure	3	4	0.9×
fuel and exhaust	2	2.7	0.4×
structure and attachments	2	2.7	0.4×

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 FXS 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 FXS.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1980 (96.4% pass). Weakest: 2011 (80.5%).

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 FXS FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXS reliable?

The HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXS is more reliable than average for its class: 88.4% of its 663 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1478 of 5426 models.

What does a FXS fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 33% of all defects recorded against failed FXS tests.

What is the best year of FXS to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1980-registered examples do best (96.4%) and 2011 worst (80.5%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a FXS last?

The median FXS shows 16,027 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 86.7% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.