UK vehicle statistics / Harley-Davidson

How many Harley-Davidson Forty Eight motorcycles are left?

At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 270 licensed and 268 SORN vehicles in the UK within the Harley-Davidson Forty Eight generic-model group.

Looking at a Forty Eight?

Population figures cannot tell you whether one particular car is taxed, MOT-valid or safe to buy.

Check its registration free for the official tax, MOT and mileage record. If the car is still worth pursuing, the optional £9.99 full history check adds outstanding-finance, stolen and insurance write-off checks.

Wondering whether one particular Forty Eight is off the road? A free SORN check shows whether it is currently SORN, taxed or untaxed.

Is the Forty Eight disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 591 in 2015 Q2 and stand at 270 in 2026 Q1, down 54%. That is down 22% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 268 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 538 still on the DVLA record is off the road, laid up, part-restored or waiting to be sold.

A falling population is worth knowing before you buy: it usually means fewer donor cars, fewer specialists and slower parts supply, and it is why a good example of a scarce model can hold its price while a neglected one is hard to sell at any price.

Fuel

DfT codes every vehicle in the Harley-Davidson Forty Eight generic-model group as petrol.

Before you buy

  • Ask why it was off the road — Of the 538 Forty Eight vehicles still on the DVLA record, 1 in 2 is SORN (268 at 2026 Q1). A car that has been laid up needs a closer look at brakes, tyres and the MOT history.
  • Budget for a shrinking fleet — Licensed numbers are down 54% from the 2015 Q2 peak of 591. Fewer cars on the road usually means fewer donor parts and fewer specialists.
  • Check the actual Forty Eight — These figures describe the model group. Enter the registration for that vehicle's free MOT, tax and mileage record before you pay a deposit.

Quarterly licensed and SORN counts

Every quarter DfT has published for this model group, newest first.

QuarterLicensedSORN
2026 Q1270268
2025 Q4282250
2025 Q3338196
2025 Q2338192
2025 Q1277255
2024 Q4294236
2024 Q3333201
2024 Q2332192
2024 Q1303220
2023 Q4300228
2023 Q3374162
2023 Q2383155
2023 Q1340173
2022 Q4340198
2022 Q3385155
2022 Q2378144
2022 Q1327179
2021 Q4334209
2021 Q3391147
2021 Q2396139
2021 Q1348165
2020 Q4359193
2020 Q3411143
2020 Q2411139
2020 Q1351193
2019 Q4368193
2019 Q3430135
2019 Q2418121
2019 Q1393148
2018 Q4399173
2018 Q3470103
2018 Q247699
2018 Q1411126
2017 Q4430153
2017 Q350392
2017 Q252674
2017 Q148791
2016 Q4494114
2016 Q352873
2016 Q253064
2016 Q152280
2015 Q452090
2015 Q357338
2015 Q259134
2015 Q156038
2014 Q455653
2014 Q358721

Other Harley-Davidson models

  • XL — 8,792 licensed
  • XLH — 1,234 licensed
  • Flstf — 1,320 licensed
  • Flstc — 1,213 licensed
  • Street — 1,373 licensed
  • Flht — 846 licensed

See how many of every Harley-Davidson model are left

Common questions

How many Harley-Davidson Forty Eight motorcycles are left in the UK?

270 were licensed and 268 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, according to DfT and DVLA statistics for this generic-model group.

How many Harley-Davidson Forty Eight motorcycles are SORN?

268 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 538 still on the DVLA record at the end of 2026 Q1.

Is the Forty Eight disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 591 in 2015 Q2 and stand at 270 in 2026 Q1, down 54%. That is down 22% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 268 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 538 still on the DVLA record is off the road, laid up, part-restored or waiting to be sold.

What fuel is the Forty Eight coded as?

DfT codes every vehicle in the Harley-Davidson Forty Eight generic-model group as petrol.

Does this say whether one Forty Eight is a good buy?

No. These are population figures for the model group. Enter that vehicle's registration for its own free MOT, tax and mileage record.

Source and limitations

Source: Department for Transport and DVLA, df_VEH0120_UK. Released 2026-07-15 under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

DVLA make and model fields are administrative data and can contain omissions or inconsistencies. These statistics describe model groups, not an individual registration.

Confidential cells marked [c] represent between 1 and 4 vehicles and are treated as zero in aggregates, so totals can be slightly understated.