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2005 HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL883

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

About this comparison →
1Owner complaints

Model-year median: 1

0Recall campaigns

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0Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
2
20021
20033
20041
20051
20062
20071
2008
Compare all XL883 years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Electrical System
1Exterior Lighting
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 1 of 1 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Exterior Lighting. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

What owners actually said

1 reports
600 miles · Jul 25, 2006
Electrical SystemExterior Lighting

PURCHASED HARLEY IN APRIL, BIKE INOPERATIVE, THEY REPLACED BATTERY & IT DIED AGAIN, THEY REPLACED VOLTAGE REGULATOR AND ON 7/19/06 AT APPROXIMATELY 10:00 PM IN CONSTRUCTION AREA OF RT I-287, BIKE LOST ALL POWER, LIGHTS HORN, THEN ENGINE. I HAD THE STATE POLICE ARRIVE & SET UP FLARES BECAUSE IT WAS VERY DARK & THERE WAS HEAVY TRA…

Read full complaint

PURCHASED HARLEY IN APRIL, BIKE INOPERATIVE, THEY REPLACED BATTERY & IT DIED AGAIN, THEY REPLACED VOLTAGE REGULATOR AND ON 7/19/06 AT APPROXIMATELY 10:00 PM IN CONSTRUCTION AREA OF RT I-287, BIKE LOST ALL POWER, LIGHTS HORN, THEN ENGINE. I HAD THE STATE POLICE ARRIVE & SET UP FLARES BECAUSE IT WAS VERY DARK & THERE WAS HEAVY TRACTOR TRAILER AND CONSTRUCTION TRAFFIC. STATE POLICE WANTED ME TO PUSH NEW BIKE OFF HIGHWAY. AAA CAME & TOWED BACK TO MY HOME, THEN DEALER PICKED UP FOR THE THIRD TIME AND I AM NOT IN POSSESSION OF THE VEHICLE. I AM A CLAIM REP FOR AN INSURANCE CO & IT IS HAZARDOUS TO LOSE ALL POWER ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY AT NIGHT ON A MOTORCYCLE. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10163425

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.