Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200
Real ownership data from 14,758 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 | major | 11.8% |
| Fluid leaks | dangerous | 11.6% |
| Wheels | major | 10.7% |
| Chain and sprockets | dangerous | 7.3% |
| Corrosion | fail | 4.8% |
| Fuel system | fail | 4.8% |
| Steering and head bearings | user entered | 4.7% |
| Lights and indicators | major | 4.2% |
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.
| Year | Examples | Median mileage | Miles/year | First-time pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 95 | 4,145 mi | 670 | 89.5% |
| 2020 | 493 | 4,174 mi | 568 | 90.44% |
| 2019 | 837 | 5,586 mi | 619 | 90.66% |
| 2018 | 902 | 6,278 mi | 643 | 89.48% |
| 2017 | 817 | 7,442 mi | 628 | 90.17% |
| 2016 | 811 | 7,620 mi | 652 | 88.31% |
| 2015 | 641 | 7,167 mi | 565 | 89.45% |
| 2014 | 270 | 8,926 mi | 631 | 90.71% |
| 2013 | 460 | 7,754 mi | 518 | 89.42% |
| 2012 | 535 | 8,632 mi | 571 | 89.99% |
| 2011 | 692 | 9,040 mi | 557 | 90.41% |
| 2010 | 557 | 9,104 mi | 594 | 87.98% |
| 2009 | 558 | 11,819 mi | 682 | 89.79% |
| 2008 | 738 | 11,342 mi | 556 | 87.5% |
| 2007 | 724 | 12,224 mi | 658 | 89.83% |
| 2006 | 672 | 13,337 mi | 669 | 90.03% |
| 2005 | 587 | 13,267 mi | 700 | 89.44% |
| 2004 | 728 | 14,056 mi | 649 | 88.85% |
| 2003 | 469 | 11,696 mi | 528 | 87.74% |
| 2002 | 307 | 12,166 mi | 581 | 87.37% |
Sportster 1200 questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200?
Across 14,758 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are electrical (11.8% of all recorded faults), fluid leaks (11.6% of all recorded faults), wheels (10.7% 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 9,628 miles, and typically rides about 572 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 4,891 and 17,103 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 14,758 Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200 motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.