Should I check the MOT history before buying a 2016 Harley Davidson Fxsb?

Yes. Look for recurring advisories — slow-building issues like corrosion or brake wear patterns show up years before they become failures. A full MOT history analysis will highlight patterns that a single test result won't reveal.

What corrosion should I look for when inspecting a 2016 Harley Davidson Fxsb?

Check brake pipes, sills, subframes, and chassis legs. Surface rust is normal at this age; structural rust is a serious problem that is expensive to fix and can fail an MOT.

How are tyres and brakes typically on a 2016 Harley Davidson Fxsb?

Tyres and brakes are the most common advisory items on vehicles of this age. Budget for replacement if they are near the limit, and factor this into your offer price.

Is the 2016 Harley Davidson Fxsb reliable?

Based on MOT data from 314 vehicles, the 2016 Harley Davidson Fxsb has a first-time MOT pass rate of 91.9%, indicating generally reliable for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

What are common problems with the 2016 Harley Davidson Fxsb?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 2016 Harley Davidson Fxsb are: Exhaust noisy (195.6% of vehicles), Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (31.5% of vehicles), Rear Brake pad(s) close to minimum limit (20.4% of vehicles). These figures are based on actual MOT test records — search a specific registration on CarHunch to see its individual history.

Do I need an HPI check when buying a 2016 Harley Davidson Fxsb?

Yes. The MOT history will not show outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen status. An HPI check covers these areas and should be part of any used car purchase.

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Harley Davidson Fxsb (2016)

314 real MOT outcomes analysed • 91.9% first-time pass rate

2016 Harley Davidson Fxsb

CarHunch analysed 314 real MOT records for the 2016 Harley Davidson Fxsb. Real test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — from verified DVLA records. Updated as new MOTs are recorded.
Which year to buy? →

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AI Analysis Reliability Overview Common Issues Check a Specific Reg Buyer's Checklist Mileage Distribution Still on the Road MOT Averages Colour Breakdown Compare Models

Moderate sample. 314 vehicles on record. Figures are indicative — the specific vehicle's history matters more than these averages.

The 2016 Harley-Davidson FXSB is a genuinely reliable performer, with a 91.9% first-time pass rate that beats the UK average by nearly 12 percentage points—and dangerous defects affect fewer than 1 in 10 examples, so safety isn't a concern here. At just 5,740 miles median (7,205 average), these bikes are typically low-mileage leisure machines, which tracks with Harley ownership patterns and suggests most will have been well-maintained weekend runners.

You'll see about 3 advisories per bike on test—mostly wear items like brake pads and cables—but only 0.59 failures per vehicle, meaning serious issues are genuinely rare. Before buying, get a pre-purchase inspection focused on the cooling system and fuel lines (common wear points on air-cooled Harleys of this age), and check service history; if the mileage is suspiciously low, verify it hasn't been idle for extended periods, as that brings its own problems.

The 2016 Harley Davidson Fxsb passes its MOT first time more often than most UK vehicles (91.9% vs ~80% average) — and when it does fail, it's usually something minor and cheap to fix.

⚠️ About 1 in 12 of these vehicles have had a dangerous MOT failure at some point — usually tyres or brakes, and often a one-off issue rather than a persistent problem. The group stats won't tell you which one you're looking at.

First-time pass

91.9%

UK average ~80%

Better than average

Dangerous (ever)

9.9%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

0.59

Over 6.1 tests on record

Moderate

Typical mileage

Middle half: 3k–9k

For context

✅ Good baseline reliability. A 91.9% first-time pass rate puts this well above the UK average — it's a well-sorted vehicle in this age bracket.

🔧 Expect consumable spend. An average of 3.1 advisories per vehicle tells you wear items (tyres, brakes) get flagged regularly. Budget for them — they're not surprises.

🔍 The dangerous defect figure is real. Most are one-off tyre failures or brake issues — not structural problems. But it's exactly why checking the individual vehicle's history is essential, not optional.

These stats describe 314 vehicles as a group. The specific vehicle you're looking at could be the one good example or the one outlier. Run its registration to find out.

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What tends to go wrong

Across 314 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Exhaust & emissions 195.6%

Exhaust noisy · Rear Exhaust noisy · Offside Rear Exhaust noisy · …

Tyre wear 31.5%

Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit · Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit

Budget for a full set — on a vehicle this age, tyres are expected consumables. An inspection will confirm how much is left.

Brake wear 20.4%

Rear Brake pad(s) close to minimum limit · Front Brake pad(s) close to minimum limit · Front Brake indicates slight fluctuation of brake effort

Ask the seller when brakes were last serviced. If they don't know, factor in the cost.

Lighting 17.4%

Rear reflector missing · Headlamp aim too high · Rear Rear reflector missing · …

Usually cheap to fix. Worth confirming all lights work before collecting.

Other issues 15.2%

Registration plate does not conform to the specified requirements · Rear Registration plate does not conform to the specified requirements

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 2016.

See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 314 Harley Davidson Fxsb cars.

Before you buy a 2016 Harley Davidson Fxsb

Based on MOT data from 314 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 9.9% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded - recurring advisories often signal problems years before they become failures.
Search the reg on CarHunch for the full MOT history, reliability stats and a free AI-powered analysis of that exact vehicle.
🔍 Brake pipes, sills and subframes are the key areas on a vehicle this age — structural rust is hard to spot without getting underneath. A mechanic will check all of this before you commit, and give you a concrete basis to negotiate on price. Inspection →
📄 Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and clocking won't appear in the MOT records — a dedicated history check covers all of this. Our link gets you 20% off automatically. History Get 20% off via CarHunch

Colour Breakdown

Based on 1,269 Harley Davidson Fxsb vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

Black 56.4%

716

Grey 12.5%

158

Maroon 4.9%

Red 4.1%

Orange 3.9%

Multi-colour 3.9%

Blue 3.6%

White 2.8%

Cream 2.7%

Green 2.7%

Silver 2.5%

Mileage Distribution

Most 2016 Harley Davidson Fxsb vehicles sit in the blue band. If the vehicle you're looking at is outside it, it's either unusually low or high mileage for its age.

5,740

typical

3,283

low mileage

9,242

high mileage

Half of all 2016 Harley Davidson Fxsb vehicles fall between 3,283 and 9,242 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 3,283 miles — lower than most. Could be great, or could be a vehicle that rarely moved. Check test frequency and mileage progression in the MOT history.

✓ 3,283–9,242 miles — normal for age. This is where most 2016 Harley Davidson Fxsbs sit.

⚠ Over 12,476 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

2016 Harley Davidson Fxsb — Still on the Road

Most 2016 Harley Davidson Fxsbs are still being driven.

Strong survival — 234 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025, 87% of the peak.

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2019–2025.
* The 2020 dip reflects the government's COVID-19 MOT exemption, which allowed certificates to be extended by six months — fewer tests were conducted that year.

MOT History Averages

6.1

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

0.59

Avg failures per vehicle

3.1

Avg advisories per vehicle

Other model years — Harley Davidson Fxsb: All Fxsb years → Which year to buy? →

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