HONDA 400/4

408cc Petrol Class 2

#2491 of 5426 overall #367 of 921 HONDAs #1561 of 2787 other bikes

85.0%

first-time pass rate

8.1%

failed outright

30,269

median miles at test

988

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2018

The 400/4's first-time pass rate has risen 10.5 points since 2006, 86.3% to 96.8%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the 400/4's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage 400/4 passes first time 83.8% of the time; by 50k that's 83.3%.

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 400/4

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	39	25.5	0.7×
steering and suspension	35	22.9	0.8×
brakes	33	21.6	0.7×
tyres and wheels	21	13.7	0.9×
fuel and exhaust	9	5.9	1.2×
drive system	6	3.9	0.7×
reg plates and vin	3	2	0.4×
body and structure	3	2	0.4×
driving controls	2	1.3	0.9×
structure and attachments	2	1.3	0.1×

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 400/4 beats 3 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 400/4.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1977 (89.7% pass). Weakest: 1976 (79.9%).

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 400/4 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA 400/4 reliable?

The HONDA 400/4 is about average for its class: 85.0% of its 988 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2491 of 5426 models.

What does a 400/4 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 25% of all defects recorded against failed 400/4 tests.

What is the best year of 400/4 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1977-registered examples do best (89.7%) and 1976 worst (79.9%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a 400/4 last?

The median 400/4 shows 30,269 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 83.3% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.