HONDA 400

400cc Petrol Class 2

#4012 of 5426 overall #765 of 921 HONDAs #2539 of 2787 other bikes

77.3%

first-time pass rate

13.2%

failed outright

29,187

median miles at test

1,244

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2019

The 400's first-time pass rate has risen 8.3 points since 2006, 79.6% to 87.9%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the 400's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage 400 passes first time 68.0% of the time; by 50k that's 80.0%.

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 400

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	132	29.1	1.5×
steering and suspension	87	19.2	1.9×
brakes	77	17	1.1×
tyres and wheels	51	11.3	1.7×
drive system	26	5.7	2.1×
lamps and reflectors	25	5.5	0.8×
fuel and exhaust	17	3.8	1.7×
structure and attachments	16	3.5	1.3×
driving controls	12	2.6	4.1×
body and structure	10	2.2	1.5×

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 400 beats 1 of its 4 closest rivals (KAWASAKI ER5, SUZUKI GS500, SUZUKI AN400).

KAWASAKI ER5 77.4% pass · 53.1k tests SUZUKI GS500 76.4% pass · 44.9k tests SUZUKI AN400 86.2% pass · 27.1k tests SUZUKI DR-Z400S 80.4% pass · 26.8k 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 400.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1994 (86.0% pass). Weakest: 1988 (68.9%).

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.

HONDA 400 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA 400 reliable?

The HONDA 400 is less reliable than average for its class: 77.3% of its 1,244 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #4012 of 5426 models.

What does a 400 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 29% of all defects recorded against failed 400 tests.

What is the best year of 400 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1999-registered examples do best (86.0%) and 1988 worst (68.9%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a 400 last?

The median 400 shows 29,187 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 80.0% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.