Harley-Davidson FXS
Real ownership data from 144 UK FXS motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common FXS problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Brakes | major | 15.6% |
| Lights and indicators | major | 15% |
| Other | major | 12.4% |
| Tyres | dangerous | 3.6% |
| Steering and head bearings | fail | 2.6% |
| Suspension | fail | 2.1% |
| Chain and sprockets | fail | 2.1% |
| Fluid leaks | user entered | 2.1% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is suspension.
FXS 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 8 | 3,352 mi | 236 | 100% |
| 2013 | 5 | 17,918 mi | 1,154 | 100% |
| 2011 | 16 | 17,727 mi | 1,096 | 82.18% |
| 1981 | 18 | 22,434 mi | 275 | 89.16% |
| 1980 | 11 | 12,009 mi | 542 | 95.52% |
| 1979 | 13 | 5,243 mi | 216 | 86.76% |
| 1978 | 8 | 18,281 mi | 1,013 | 89.29% |
| 1977 | 5 | 178 mi | — | 83.33% |
FXS questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Harley-Davidson FXS?
Across 144 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are brakes (15.6% of all recorded faults), lights and indicators (15% of all recorded faults), other (12.4% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Harley-Davidson FXS?
The median Harley-Davidson FXS in the UK has covered 15,803 miles, and typically rides about 318 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 5,242 and 27,437 miles.
Is the Harley-Davidson FXS reliable?
88.83% of Harley-Davidson FXS MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 0.25 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 144 Harley-Davidson FXS motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.