Harley-Davidson Sportster S
Harley-Davidson's modern cruiser — the 2021+ Sportster S abandoned the air-cooled Evolution engine for a Revolution Max 1250T liquid-cooled 60° V-twin (122 PS, 125 Nm). UK buyers get a low (753mm) seat, 122 PS that's competitive with European cruisers, and the unmistakable Harley sound and presence. The trade-off is the engine has limited service history in the UK (newer platform), small 11.7-litre tank gives ~110 miles touring range, and cooling fan controller failures are a documented early-unit issue.
- Engine
- 1252 cc
- Power
- 122 PS
- Weight
- 228 kg
- Seat height
- 753 mm
- A2 licence
- —
60° V-twin Revolution Max 1250T, liquid-cooled DOHC
wet
The short version
Forecourt score
Value 64 · Insurance 25 · Theft 65
The Harley-Davidson Sportster S holds its value about as well as most bikes (around 25% lost over three years, against the 25-32% bike norm) and is expensive to insure (group 13). Theft risk is moderate.
A bike-specific blend of value retention, insurance and theft risk (weighted 40/35/25). Bikes carry no MOT reliability data, so reliability isn't scored. Higher is better.
Variant: Sportster S
Engine
Petrol · 1252cc
Power
122 ps
Torque
125 Nm
Weight
228 kg
Seat
753 mm
Transmission
6-speed manual
Economy
50 mpg
Tell us about the one you're looking at
Tidy and well looked-after for its age — the typical clean bike.
Estimated market value
£10,024
Range £9,022 – £11,026
HIGH CONFIDENCE
Holding value
Bikes hold value far better than cars — typical motorcycle 3-year depreciation is 25–32%, against cars' 40–50%. Some bikes (Hayabusa, Gold Wing, classic Z1000) actually appreciate in the 7–15 year zone as cult demand outstrips supply.
New
£14,200
At 5 years
—
At 10 years
—
Value loss by phase
Each band shows the share of original value lost during that window — not cumulative. Appreciation (green, marked +X% gained) is real for bikes that develop cult status.
UK new price by year
How we estimate this
Phase depreciation derived from observed UK used-bike pricing — classified ads, dealer asking prices, and end-of-auction figures. Bike residuals depend heavily on theft history, service-stamp count, and crash-damage signatures. The figures here are indicative for clean, fully-stamped examples.
What it costs to own
Indicative running costs at 8,000 miles a year — the UK rider average. Belt or shaft drive eliminates the chain/sprocket consumable; tax (typically £25–£100/yr) and depreciation are excluded — see the section above for value retention.
3-year total
£4,123
Per year
£1,374
Per mile
£0.17
Service costs assume independent specialist labour and OE parts. Tyre intervals reflect typical UK road riding — track-day usage burns through rear tyres in <2,000 miles. Fuel uses the variant MPG at £1.45/L. Lower-mileage riders see proportionally lower totals; higher-mileage commuters pay roughly linearly more.
Estimated insurance
Group 13 of 17 (high — performance) · Comprehensive · 5 yr NCB
Indicative annual comprehensive premiums for this bike. Bike insurance is far more sensitive to licence tier and rider age than cars — pick the combination closest to your circumstances.
Licence
Age
No-claims bonus
5 yearsRisk profile
Estimated annual premium · typical, age 30-39
£1,200/ year
Roughly £100 per month
Typical
Suburban postcode, 3+ years NCB, standard security (Thatcham chain + disc lock), no recent claims.| Age band | Lower risk | Typical | Higher risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age 17-21 | £1,980 | £2,640 | £3,696 |
| Age 22-29 | £1,215 | £1,620 | £2,268 |
| Age 30-39Selected | £900 | £1,200 | £1,680 |
| Age 40-49 | £792 | £1,056 | £1,478 |
| Age 50+ | £720 | £960 | £1,344 |
How we estimate this
Premiums combine licence tier, rider age, no-claims bonus and a risk-profile multiplier on top of a bike-specific baseline. Bike insurance is materially more sensitive to licence tier (CBT / A1 / A2 / A) than car insurance, and young riders pay considerably more than older riders even on the same machine. Always get individual quotes before buying.
Theft risk
Bike-specific · Met Police + insurance reporting
UK bike theft rates are an order of magnitude higher than car theft. Nakeds and supersports lose more to professional gangs; large adventure bikes and tourers are statistically much safer.
Theft risk score · 1 to 4
2/4Medium risk
Medium risk
Some theft pattern, particularly in urban postcodes. Thatcham-approved chain plus disc lock recommended; secure overnight parking helps premiums.Theft hotspot postcodes
Postcode prefixes only; full London hot zone runs across E, N, NW, SE, SW, W boroughs depending on the model.
How we set this band
Bands derived from Met Police bike-theft reporting (most-stolen lists) cross-referenced with insurance industry underwriting data. Model + postcode are the two biggest factors in motorcycle theft risk in the UK, materially more than vehicle value.
What goes wrong
5 known issues · sorted by severity
Documented failure modes from UK owner forums, dealer service bulletins, and aggregated mechanic feedback. Mileages are approximate — different riders see different intervals depending on use and maintenance. Always address "high"-severity items before resale.
High severity
0
Medium
3
Low / cosmetic
2
| Severity | Part / issue | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| medium | Cooling fan controller 10k-20k mi (early units) | £250 |
| medium | Belt wear / tension 25k-30k mi | £300 |
| medium | Stator 30k-40k mi | £350 |
| low | Throttle position sensor 15k-25k mi | £140 |
| low | Brake fluid darkening Every service | Service item |
How we score severity
High — strands the bike or causes consequential damage if left. Medium — service item that affects ride quality or risks failure. Low — cosmetic or minor inconvenience. Costs are independent-specialist UK rates for parts and labour together; main dealer prices typically run 30–50% higher.
Safety recalls
Manufacturers occasionally issue safety recalls to fix a fault free of charge. You can check whether the Harley-Davidson Sportster S, or your exact vehicle, has any outstanding recalls on the official DVSA service.
Check on GOV.UKOpens the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency recall checker. Choose the make, model and year of manufacture — no registration needed.
Variant comparison
Default standard model — the only Sportster S trim in UK. Custom variant available with different bars and paint but mechanically identical.
Known issues
- Cooling fan controller failure on early units (£250)
- Belt wear / tension drift at 25-30k mi (£300 + adjustment)
- Throttle position sensor occasional faults
Strengths
- +Lowest seat in litre-cruiser class at 753mm
- +Revolution Max 1250T — most powerful Sportster ever (122 PS)
- +Belt drive — quiet, low maintenance, ~30k mi service interval
- +Harley styling and dealer network
- +Strong residuals — Harleys hold value well
Watch-outs
- −Cooling fan controller failures on early units (£250)
- −Small 11.7L tank limits touring range to ~110 miles
- −Heavy at parking speed (228 kg wet)
- −Newer Revolution Max engine = less long-term service history
- −Premium pricing — service rates higher than Japanese rivals