HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL 883 R SPORTSTER 11

883cc Petrol Class 2

#1506 of 5426 overall #253 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #302 of 465 cruiser bikes

88.3%

first-time pass rate

5.4%

failed outright

7,940

median miles at test

240

MOT tests, 2005–2025

What fails on a XL 883 R SPORTSTER 11

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects
brakes	12	32.4
lamps and reflectors	7	18.9
Identification of the vehicle	5	13.5
tyres	3	8.1
tyres and wheels	2	5.4
lighting and signalling	2	5.4
steering	2	5.4
suspension	2	5.4
fuel and exhaust	1	2.7
reg plates and vin	1	2.7

Defects recorded against failed normal tests, 2005–2025, grouped by DVSA inspection section. One test can record multiple defects.

How rivals compare

same type, similar capacity, high test volume

On first-time pass rate the XL 883 R SPORTSTER 11 beats 3 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 XL 87.9% pass · 18.5k 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 XL 883 R SPORTSTER 11.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2011 (87.4% pass). Weakest: 2011 (87.4%).

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.