Harley-Davidson Sportster
Real ownership data from 402 UK Sportster motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common Sportster problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Brakes | dangerous | 16.7% |
| Lights and indicators | dangerous | 15.4% |
| Other | fail | 9.1% |
| Suspension | major | 6.5% |
| Tyres | fail | 4.6% |
| Steering and head bearings | dangerous | 3.5% |
| Electrical | major | 3.4% |
| Chain and sprockets | fail | 3.1% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is other.
Sportster 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 10 | 21,169 mi | 283 | 90.91% |
| 2016 | 8 | 11,523 mi | — | 83.33% |
| 2015 | 15 | 7,120 mi | 410 | 92.31% |
| 2014 | 14 | 2,038 mi | — | 100% |
| 2013 | 18 | 6,386 mi | — | 100% |
| 2012 | 10 | 4,388 mi | 748 | 63.64% |
| 2011 | 13 | 5,960 mi | 922 | 95.24% |
| 2010 | 19 | 10,903 mi | 1,248 | 80.95% |
| 2009 | 11 | 7,010 mi | 302 | 90.91% |
| 1997 | 5 | 6,996 mi | 173 | 91.04% |
| 1994 | 6 | 11,979 mi | 50 | 90% |
| 1992 | 11 | 14,644 mi | 52 | 83.87% |
| 1991 | 11 | 4,454 mi | 195 | 79.49% |
| 1990 | 10 | 8,788 mi | 232 | 85.71% |
| 1989 | 12 | 7,912 mi | 145 | 95.31% |
| 1988 | 8 | 8,335 mi | 266 | 84.85% |
| 1987 | 14 | 13,750 mi | 395 | 86.76% |
| 1985 | 14 | 15,509 mi | 137 | 88.75% |
| 1984 | 17 | 10,010 mi | 314 | 75.68% |
| 1983 | 12 | 7,800 mi | 90 | 83.33% |
Sportster questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Harley-Davidson Sportster?
Across 402 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are brakes (16.7% of all recorded faults), lights and indicators (15.4% of all recorded faults), other (9.1% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Harley-Davidson Sportster?
The median Harley-Davidson Sportster in the UK has covered 9,086 miles, and typically rides about 213 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 3,086 and 20,936 miles.
Is the Harley-Davidson Sportster reliable?
85.16% of Harley-Davidson Sportster MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 0.41 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 402 Harley-Davidson Sportster motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.