BMW C400

350cc Petrol Class 2

#67 of 5426 overall #12 of 109 BMWs #43 of 2787 other bikes

95.1%

first-time pass rate

3.1%

failed outright

4,877

median miles at test

1,126

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2022–2025

The C400's first-time pass rate has fallen 2.3 points since 2022, 96.2% to 93.9%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the C400's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage C400 passes first time 96.4% of the time; by 20k that's 81.3%.

First-time pass rate by odometer reading at test, 10,000-mile bands for this model. Mileage is the strongest reliability signal. See the full curve.

What fails on a C400

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
tyres	15	28.8	1.6×
lamps and reflectors	11	21.2	0.5×
brakes	11	21.2	0.2×
suspension	10	19.2	0.7×
wheels	3	5.8	3.0×
structure and attachments	1	1.9	0.1×
Identification of the vehicle	1	1.9	0.4×

Defects recorded against failed normal tests, 2005–2025, grouped by DVSA inspection section. One test can record multiple defects. "vs all bikes" is how often this model's tests record a defect in the group, as a multiple of the all-bike rate.

How rivals compare

same type, similar capacity, high test volume

On first-time pass rate the C400 beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (SUZUKI AN400, SUZUKI DR-Z400S, YAMAHA RD350).

SUZUKI AN400 86.2% pass · 27.1k tests SUZUKI DR-Z400S 80.4% pass · 26.8k tests YAMAHA RD350 86.3% pass · 19.6k tests KAWASAKI ZXR400 73.1% pass · 14.2k tests

Rivals share this bike's type and sit within ±30% of its engine capacity, ≥ 5,000 tests. Card colour = better/worse first-time pass rate than the C400.

Pass rate by registration year

how each model-year cohort fares · registration year from first use date

Best year to buy used: 2021 (96.2% pass). Weakest: 2018 (93.3%).

First-time pass rate by the year each bike was first registered (cohorts with ≥ 50 tests). Older cohorts are survivors: the worst examples have already left the road, which tends to lift the earliest years.

BMW C400 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the BMW C400 reliable?

The BMW C400 is more reliable than average for its class: 95.1% of its 1,126 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #67 of 5426 models.

What does a C400 fail its MOT on most?

tyres — 29% of all defects recorded against failed C400 tests.

What is the best year of C400 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2021-registered examples do best (96.2%) and 2018 worst (93.3%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a C400 last?

The median C400 shows 4,877 miles at test, and examples around 20k miles still pass 81.3% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.