Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200
Real ownership data from 14,778 UK Sportster 1200 motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common Sportster 1200 problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical | minor | 16.1% |
| Chain and sprockets | dangerous | 10.3% |
| Fluid leaks | dangerous | 8.6% |
| Steering and head bearings | user entered | 6.6% |
| Frame and structure | dangerous | 4.9% |
| Lights and indicators | major | 4.4% |
| Fuel system | fail | 2.5% |
| Corrosion | fail | 2.5% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is exhaust and emissions.
Sportster 1200 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 96 | 4,218 mi | 643 | 89.64% |
| 2020 | 494 | 4,184 mi | 568 | 90.54% |
| 2019 | 842 | 5,591 mi | 616 | 90.62% |
| 2018 | 902 | 6,312 mi | 643 | 89.47% |
| 2017 | 818 | 7,422 mi | 629 | 90.17% |
| 2016 | 813 | 7,620 mi | 653 | 88.34% |
| 2015 | 642 | 7,221 mi | 570 | 89.46% |
| 2014 | 270 | 8,926 mi | 631 | 90.74% |
| 2013 | 462 | 7,724 mi | 516 | 89.5% |
| 2012 | 535 | 8,632 mi | 570 | 90.01% |
| 2011 | 693 | 9,046 mi | 558 | 90.44% |
| 2010 | 558 | 9,127 mi | 594 | 87.95% |
| 2009 | 559 | 11,809 mi | 682 | 89.79% |
| 2008 | 738 | 11,342 mi | 556 | 87.51% |
| 2007 | 724 | 12,253 mi | 658 | 89.83% |
| 2006 | 674 | 13,364 mi | 669 | 90% |
| 2005 | 587 | 13,267 mi | 700 | 89.43% |
| 2004 | 729 | 14,072 mi | 650 | 88.87% |
| 2003 | 469 | 11,696 mi | 528 | 87.75% |
| 2002 | 308 | 12,186 mi | 581 | 87.36% |
Sportster 1200 questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200?
Across 14,778 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are electrical (16.1% of all recorded faults), chain and sprockets (10.3% of all recorded faults), fluid leaks (8.6% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200?
The median Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200 in the UK has covered 9,643 miles, and typically rides about 572 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 4,900 and 17,114 miles.
Is the Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200 reliable?
88.2% of Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200 MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 0 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 14,778 Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200 motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.