HONDA 400 FOUR

408cc Petrol Class 2

#2146 of 5426 overall #299 of 921 HONDAs #1324 of 2787 other bikes

86.2%

first-time pass rate

8.5%

failed outright

34,352

median miles at test

1,030

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2017

The 400 FOUR's first-time pass rate has risen 6.7 points since 2006, 82.3% to 89.0%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage 400 FOUR passes first time 86.2% of the time; by 50k that's 86.7%.

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 FOUR

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	52	26.1	0.9×
steering and suspension	51	25.6	1.2×
brakes	33	16.6	0.6×
tyres and wheels	27	13.6	1.1×
drive system	15	7.5	1.7×
body and structure	6	3	1.0×
lamps and reflectors	5	2.5	0.1×
fuel and exhaust	4	2	0.4×
structure and attachments	4	2	0.3×
reg plates and vin	2	1	0.3×

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 FOUR 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 FOUR.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1977 (88.8% pass). Weakest: 1975 (83.3%).

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.

HONDA 400 FOUR FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA 400 FOUR reliable?

The HONDA 400 FOUR is about average for its class: 86.2% of its 1,030 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2146 of 5426 models.

What does a 400 FOUR fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 26% of all defects recorded against failed 400 FOUR tests.

What is the best year of 400 FOUR to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1977-registered examples do best (88.8%) and 1979 worst (83.3%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a 400 FOUR last?

The median 400 FOUR shows 34,352 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 86.7% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.