Harley-Davidson V-Rod
Real ownership data from 5,409 UK V-Rod motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common V-Rod problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Lights and indicators | major | 26.8% |
| Electrical | major | 15.2% |
| Steering and head bearings | dangerous | 6.4% |
| Wheels | major | 3.7% |
| Suspension | user entered | 3.4% |
| Other | dangerous | 3.4% |
| Frame and structure | dangerous | 2.4% |
| Brakes | dangerous | 2.4% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is fuel system.
V-Rod 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 13 | 3,903 mi | 436 | 88.37% |
| 2017 | 86 | 5,057 mi | 356 | 89.91% |
| 2016 | 221 | 5,712 mi | 418 | 89.57% |
| 2015 | 199 | 6,640 mi | 557 | 88.33% |
| 2014 | 238 | 7,696 mi | 626 | 88.01% |
| 2013 | 179 | 8,381 mi | 642 | 87.65% |
| 2012 | 125 | 8,055 mi | 610 | 87.62% |
| 2011 | 182 | 9,971 mi | 733 | 90.41% |
| 2010 | 259 | 9,341 mi | 667 | 90.18% |
| 2009 | 364 | 9,348 mi | 609 | 87.47% |
| 2008 | 382 | 9,431 mi | 561 | 88.94% |
| 2007 | 664 | 8,515 mi | 617 | 87.26% |
| 2006 | 522 | 9,596 mi | 544 | 88.09% |
| 2005 | 483 | 8,471 mi | 558 | 87.59% |
| 2004 | 370 | 8,677 mi | 504 | 87.97% |
| 2003 | 612 | 8,058 mi | 378 | 89.36% |
| 2002 | 496 | 9,262 mi | 411 | 89.31% |
| 2001 | 5 | 14,645 mi | 672 | 88.24% |
V-Rod questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Harley-Davidson V-Rod?
Across 5,409 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are lights and indicators (26.8% of all recorded faults), electrical (15.2% of all recorded faults), steering and head bearings (6.4% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Harley-Davidson V-Rod?
The median Harley-Davidson V-Rod in the UK has covered 8,415 miles, and typically rides about 512 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 4,129 and 15,134 miles.
Is the Harley-Davidson V-Rod reliable?
88.52% of Harley-Davidson V-Rod MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 0.01 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 5,409 Harley-Davidson V-Rod motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.