HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXWG

1340cc Petrol Class 2

#1639 of 5426 overall #276 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #327 of 465 cruiser bikes

87.9%

first-time pass rate

5.1%

failed outright

15,009

median miles at test

593

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2021

The FXWG's first-time pass rate has fallen 11.3 points since 2006, 94.6% to 83.3%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage FXWG passes first time 86.8% of the time; by 30k that's 82.2%.

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 FXWG

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	22	31.4	0.4×
lighting and signalling	13	18.6	0.4×
reg plates and vin	7	10	1.2×
lamps and reflectors	6	8.6	0.5×
steering and suspension	5	7.1	0.2×
fuel and exhaust	5	7.1	0.9×
tyres and wheels	4	5.7	0.3×
structure and attachments	3	4.3	0.7×
tyres	3	4.3	0.5×
drive system	2	2.9	0.5×

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 FXWG 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 FXWG.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1981 (94.4% pass). Weakest: 1985 (81.7%).

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 FXWG FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXWG reliable?

The HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXWG is more reliable than average for its class: 87.9% of its 593 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1639 of 5426 models.

What does a FXWG fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 31% of all defects recorded against failed FXWG tests.

What is the best year of FXWG to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1981-registered examples do best (94.4%) and 1985 worst (81.7%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a FXWG last?

The median FXWG shows 15,009 miles at test, and examples around 30k miles still pass 82.2% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.