Harley-Davidson 883
Real ownership data from 279 UK 883 motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common 883 problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | fail | 10.5% |
| Other | fail | 9.1% |
| Brakes | major | 8.2% |
| Brake discs and pads | major | 6.4% |
| Lights and indicators | dangerous | 6.4% |
| Controls and cables | dangerous | 5.5% |
| Exhaust and emissions | major | 5% |
| Steering and head bearings | dangerous | 5% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is corrosion.
883 mileage and reliability by year
Use this to judge whether a specific bike is high or low mileage for its age.
| YearYear | MedianMedian mileage | Mi/yrMiles/year | MOT passFirst-time pass | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 5 | 6,376 mi | 1,548 | 77.78% |
| 2015 | 5 | 8,952 mi | 776 | 86.36% |
| 2014 | 9 | 8,161 mi | 502 | 90.2% |
| 2013 | 7 | 7,590 mi | 441 | 86.96% |
| 2011 | 6 | 9,277 mi | 306 | 88.89% |
| 2010 | 8 | 14,058 mi | 756 | 77.61% |
| 2009 | 7 | 12,772 mi | 704 | 86.84% |
| 2008 | 13 | 12,018 mi | 514 | 82.35% |
| 2007 | 8 | 12,460 mi | 636 | 95.56% |
| 2006 | 12 | 12,298 mi | 255 | 96.3% |
| 2005 | 10 | 7,772 mi | 306 | 87.5% |
| 2004 | 5 | 11,357 mi | 183 | 84.62% |
| 2003 | 11 | 19,248 mi | 1,195 | 81.82% |
| 2002 | 10 | 11,860 mi | 425 | 93.75% |
| 1997 | 7 | 8,524 mi | 178 | 91.89% |
| 1996 | 15 | 15,577 mi | 222 | 86.05% |
| 1995 | 15 | 12,569 mi | 394 | 83.1% |
| 1994 | 10 | 8,020 mi | 356 | 82.18% |
| 1993 | 8 | 12,249 mi | 262 | 82.8% |
| 1992 | 12 | 11,772 mi | 371 | 77.69% |
883 questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Harley-Davidson 883?
Across 279 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are suspension (10.5% of all recorded faults), other (9.1% of all recorded faults), brakes (8.2% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Harley-Davidson 883?
The median Harley-Davidson 883 in the UK has covered 12,272 miles, and typically rides about 386 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 5,991 and 20,145 miles.
Is the Harley-Davidson 883 reliable?
85.01% of Harley-Davidson 883 MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 0.09 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 279 Harley-Davidson 883 motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.