Harley-Davidson Street Bob
Harley-Davidson's stripped-down Softail cruiser — Milwaukee-Eight 114 V-twin (1868cc), 94bhp, 162Nm torque. Drag bars, mini-tank, solo seat. The most traditional Bob-job factory custom in HD's lineup. UK from £15,795. Full A license required — not A2 restrictable. Classic American V-twin character with modern Softail chassis (hidden monoshock under the seat).
Harley-Davidson Street Bob
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- Engine
- 1868 cc
- Power
- 94 PS
- Weight
- 297 kg
- Seat height
- 680 mm
- A2 licence
- —
Air-cooled Milwaukee-Eight 114 V-twin
wet
The short version
Forecourt score
Value 61 · Insurance 52 · Theft 65
The Harley-Davidson Street Bob holds its value about as well as most bikes (around 26% lost over three years, against the 25-32% bike norm) and costs about average to insure (around £580/yr typical). Theft risk is moderate. The main thing to check on a used one is the cam chain tensioner (early milwaukee-eight).
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: Street Bob 114
Engine
Petrol · 1868cc
Power
94 ps
Torque
162 Nm
Weight
297 kg
Seat
680 mm
Transmission
6-speed manual
Economy
48 mpg
Street Bob 114 — 1868cc V-twin, 94bhp, 6-speed. Belt drive, Softail chassis with hidden monoshock. 680mm low seat. Full A license required.
Tell us about the one you're looking at
Tidy and well looked-after for its age — the typical clean bike.
Estimated market value
£11,466
Range £10,319 – £12,613
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
£16,595
At 5 years
£10,621
At 10 years
£7,634
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
£2,213
Per year
£738
Per mile
£0.09
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
ABI motorcycle scheme · 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
£580/ year
Roughly £48 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 | £957 | £1,276 | £1,786 |
| Age 22-29 | £587 | £783 | £1,096 |
| Age 30-39Selected | £435 | £580 | £812 |
| Age 40-49 | £383 | £510 | £715 |
| Age 50+ | £348 | £464 | £650 |
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.
What this means for you
Premium Harley with strong used demand — chain + disc lock + ground anchor + cover essential overnight. Often garaged.
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
1
Medium
2
Low / cosmetic
2
| Severity | Part / issue | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| high | Cam chain tensioner (early Milwaukee-Eight) HD-known issue on older M8 engines 30k+ mi | £800 |
| medium | Annual service HD short service intervals add up over time 5000 mi | £400 |
| medium | Belt drive replacement 60k+ mi | £500 |
| low | Battery every 3 years | £180 |
| low | Front brake pads 10-14k mi | £150 |
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 Street Bob, 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.
Strengths
- +Classic American V-twin character + sound
- +Hidden monoshock Softail chassis — modern handling
- +680mm low seat — friendly for shorter riders
- +Belt drive — long service intervals on the drivetrain
- +Strong residuals + HD brand loyalty
Watch-outs
- −5,000-mile service intervals very short
- −Annual servicing £400+ adds up
- −Heavy (297kg) — feels it at parking-lot speeds
- −Cam chain tensioner issues on early M8 engines