Harley-Davidson FXDWG MOT pass rate and common failures

Harley-Davidson FXDWG motorcycles pass the MOT 90.7% of the time, measured across 645 tests in the DVSA record. A further 4.96% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

Better than average: 3.8 points above the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.
Pass rate 90.7% 585 of 645
Fixed at the station 4.96% passed after an on-the-spot repair
Average mileage at test 23,986 miles
Average age at test 22.45 years old
Engine 1,464cc MOT class 2
For sale now 0 Harley-Davidson FXDWG adverts

What to check before the MOT

Built from this model's own failure record, not general advice.

  • Start with not working - it accounts for 60.7% of failed tests on this model.
  • Then check does not conform to the specified requirements and missing, the next two most common reasons.
  • Age matters here: 98.04% of 6-10 year old examples pass, against 90.19% at 16+ years - a gap of 7.9 points.
  • The most common advisory is noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition (21.2% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
  • Average recorded mileage at test is 23,986 miles, which is the number to compare any advert against.

Pass rate by age

A single pass rate hides the most useful thing in this data: how the same model behaves at three years old and at fifteen.

Age at test Pass rate   Tests
6-10 years 98.04% 51
11-15 years 87.23% 47
16+ years 90.19% 520

Why the Harley-Davidson FXDWG fails

Share of failed tests on this model where the item was recorded. One test can fail on several items, so the column does not add up to 100%.

# Item Of failures   Tests
1 Not working 60.7% 17
2 Does not conform to the specified requirements 32.1% 9
3 Missing 25% 7
4 Remains on when the brakes are released 21.4% 6
5 Too high 14.3% 4
6 Incorrect 10.7% 3
7 Does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls 10.7% 3
8 Less than 1.0 mm thick 7.1% 2
9 Has a tear caused by separation or partial failure of its structure 7.1% 2
10 Insecure 7.1% 2

Most common advisories

Not a failure and not a legal requirement to fix - but an advisory that repeats year after year is money the next owner spends.

# Item Of all tests   Tests
1 Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition 21.2% 137
2 Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm 4.7% 30
3 Less than 1.0 mm thick 3.4% 22
4 Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort 2.8% 18
5 Has excessive play 2% 13
6 Tread not clearly visible 1.4% 9
7 Excessively corroded 0.9% 6
8 Has a serious fluid leak 0.8% 5
9 Excessively binding 0.8% 5
10 Significantly and obviously worn 0.6% 4

Harley-Davidson FXDWG for sale

No Harley-Davidson FXDWG in stock at the moment - 48 other Harley-Davidson bikes are advertised.

Similar bikes compared

Models of comparable capacity, so the comparison means something.

Model Tests Pass rate   Avg mileage
BMW R SERIES · 1,152cc 9,796 91.92% 40,594
BMW R1200 · 1,170cc 9,521 94.43% 28,830
BMW R1250 · 1,254cc 6,764 96.17% 17,373
BMW R 1200 · 1,170cc 6,170 95.28% 27,241
Triumph BONNEVILLE 1200cc · 1196-1200cc 5,527 91.62% 8,342
Triumph SPEED TRIPLE · 1,030cc 4,988 87.45% 18,123

Source: DVSA MOT testing data, 2025 · updated Aug 2026 · licence and method

Harley-Davidson FXDWG MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Harley-Davidson FXDWG?+
90.7% of Harley-Davidson FXDWG MOT tests end in a pass, based on 645 tests in the DVSA dataset.
What is the most common MOT failure on a Harley-Davidson FXDWG?+
Not working, which appears in 60.7% of failed tests on this model.
Does the Harley-Davidson FXDWG get harder to pass as it ages?+
At 16+ years old the pass rate is 90.19%, against 98.04% for examples 6-10 years old.
Where does this data come from?+
From the DVSA anonymised MOT testing dataset, which records every MOT carried out in England, Scotland and Wales. It is published under the Open Government Licence and covers 2025.
Does a high pass rate mean the bike is reliable?+
Not by itself. The MOT checks safety items - brakes, tyres, lights, structure - and says nothing about engines, gearboxes or electrics. Read it as a maintenance signal, not a reliability score.
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