Harley-Davidson Sportster 883
Real ownership data from 17,354 UK Sportster 883 motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common Sportster 883 problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Fluid leaks | dangerous | 16.8% |
| Chain and sprockets | major | 12.4% |
| Frame and structure | major | 8.9% |
| Lights and indicators | minor | 5.5% |
| Exhaust and emissions | dangerous | 3.8% |
| Wheels | dangerous | 3.1% |
| Fork seals | user entered | 2.1% |
| Other | fail | 1.4% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is exhaust and emissions.
Sportster 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 106 | 3,842 mi | 539 | 92.71% |
| 2020 | 224 | 4,384 mi | 512 | 91.53% |
| 2019 | 407 | 5,082 mi | 589 | 90.13% |
| 2018 | 578 | 6,286 mi | 551 | 89.92% |
| 2017 | 828 | 6,602 mi | 606 | 89.53% |
| 2016 | 935 | 7,646 mi | 596 | 88.73% |
| 2015 | 818 | 8,231 mi | 606 | 87.98% |
| 2014 | 609 | 9,058 mi | 682 | 86.49% |
| 2013 | 254 | 8,572 mi | 559 | 88.34% |
| 2012 | 427 | 8,777 mi | 604 | 88.02% |
| 2011 | 652 | 9,740 mi | 644 | 88.68% |
| 2010 | 758 | 9,983 mi | 678 | 88.57% |
| 2009 | 888 | 10,307 mi | 638 | 87.59% |
| 2008 | 745 | 11,004 mi | 600 | 88.54% |
| 2007 | 834 | 11,554 mi | 638 | 87.69% |
| 2006 | 1,111 | 11,234 mi | 648 | 88.36% |
| 2005 | 1,252 | 11,537 mi | 632 | 88.59% |
| 2004 | 617 | 12,331 mi | 639 | 88.12% |
| 2003 | 895 | 10,594 mi | 524 | 88.87% |
| 2002 | 810 | 10,970 mi | 529 | 88.75% |
Sportster 883 questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Harley-Davidson Sportster 883?
Across 17,354 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are fluid leaks (16.8% of all recorded faults), chain and sprockets (12.4% of all recorded faults), frame and structure (8.9% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Harley-Davidson Sportster 883?
The median Harley-Davidson Sportster 883 in the UK has covered 9,968 miles, and typically rides about 575 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 5,012 and 17,380 miles.
Is the Harley-Davidson Sportster 883 reliable?
87.79% of Harley-Davidson Sportster 883 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 17,354 Harley-Davidson Sportster 883 motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.