5 Most Reliable Harley-Davidson Engines Ever Built

Long Lasting Powerplants

While many Harley owners don't mind wrenching on their rides every weekend, there are plenty of folks that would rather spend their time out on the road, wind in their hair, as much as possible. For them, there are several Harley models out there packing reliable powerplants designed to go the distance - and these five are among the very best in that regard, based on actual owner data gathered by Motorcycle.com.

Photos: Harley-Davidson

Twin Cam 103

First up, we have the Twin Cam 103, which came along a few years after the Twin Cam 88 debuted in 1999. It quickly earned a reputation not only for providing copious amounts of torque, but also, for being incredibly reliable, not just in terms of Harley powerplants, but motorcycles in general. Thus, it's no surprise that many owners have racked up 100k miles or more on their Twin Cam 103 over the years.

Photos: Harley-Davidson

Revolution X

The Revolution has been around since 2001, and has appeared in a number of H-D models ever since. It's also proven to be a solid powerplant in terms of output and performance, but also, it has held up remarkably well for those that like to pile on the miles - making it a desirable target in the used motorcycle market. 

Photos: Harley-Davidson

Milwaukee-Eight 114

The relatively new Milwaukee-Eight 114 is another torque monster present in many modern Harley models, which means that we haven't exactly had the chance to see a ton of evidence that it's equipped to last a long time. However, roughly six years since its debut, there some M8 114s out there with loads of miles on the clock, most of them problem-free thus far, which isn't a surprise given the lower stress stemming from its large displacement and simpler design. 

Photos: Harley-Davidson

Revolution Max 1250

The Revolution Max 1250 is also a pretty new powerplant after launching in 2021 in the Pan America, but it was designed from the start to be reliable and efficient - a must given the fact that the Pan America is intended to be ridden long distances and across all kinds of terrain. Thus far, it has proven to be a strong choice, with most owners experiencing little to no problems with their shiny new engine. 

Photos: Harley-Davidson

Evolution 883

Finally, we have the Evolution 883, which has appeared in some of the more popular, top-selling Harley models including the Sportster and Softail over the years. Owners have long praised the Evo 883 as being a solid, reliable engine, one that's proven to go the distance with very few troubles along the way. 

Photos: Harley-Davidson

>>Join in on the conversation about these engines right here in Harley-Davidson Forums.

For help with your do-it-yourself maintenance and repair projects, please visit our how-to section in the forum.