HARLEY-DAVIDSON SPORTSTER

1200cc Petrol Class 2

#2593 of 5426 overall #374 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #432 of 465 cruiser bikes

84.6%

first-time pass rate

7.8%

failed outright

12,867

median miles at test

10.2k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The SPORTSTER's first-time pass rate has risen 1.7 points since 2005, 84.6% to 86.3%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage SPORTSTER passes first time 85.4% of the time; by 50k that's 77.2%.

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 SPORTSTER

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	567	34.1	0.8×
brakes	252	15.2	0.4×
lamps and reflectors	179	10.8	0.7×
reg plates and vin	171	10.3	2.1×
steering and suspension	169	10.2	0.4×
tyres and wheels	110	6.6	0.5×
fuel and exhaust	84	5.1	1.0×
suspension	52	3.1	0.5×
tyres	40	2.4	0.6×
Identification of the vehicle	37	2.2	1.5×

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 SPORTSTER beats 0 of its 4 closest rivals (TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE, TRIUMPH THUNDERBIRD, HARLEY-DAVIDSON XLH 883).

TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE 89.0% pass · 195k tests TRIUMPH THUNDERBIRD 87.8% pass · 56.3k tests HARLEY-DAVIDSON XLH 883 87.4% pass · 41.2k tests HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTF 88.9% pass · 30.1k 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 SPORTSTER.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2001 (90.3% pass). Weakest: 1986 (71.7%).

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 SPORTSTER FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HARLEY-DAVIDSON SPORTSTER reliable?

The HARLEY-DAVIDSON SPORTSTER is about average for its class: 84.6% of its 10,171 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2593 of 5426 models.

What does a SPORTSTER fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 34% of all defects recorded against failed SPORTSTER tests.

What is the best year of SPORTSTER to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2001-registered examples do best (90.3%) and 1986 worst (71.7%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a SPORTSTER last?

The median SPORTSTER shows 12,867 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 77.2% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.