HONDA CB400

400cc Petrol Class 2

#3399 of 5426 overall #590 of 921 HONDAs #161 of 205 naked bikes

80.9%

first-time pass rate

11.0%

failed outright

30,796

median miles at test

9,072

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2025

The CB400's first-time pass rate has risen 3.3 points since 2005, 83.1% to 86.4%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the CB400's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage CB400 passes first time 80.9% of the time; by 50k that's 75.0%.

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 CB400

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
steering and suspension	626	27.2	1.6×
lighting and signalling	582	25.2	1.0×
brakes	484	21	1.0×
tyres and wheels	224	9.7	1.0×
drive system	120	5.2	1.5×
lamps and reflectors	72	3.1	0.3×
fuel and exhaust	57	2.5	0.8×
body and structure	49	2.1	0.8×
reg plates and vin	48	2.1	0.9×
driving controls	43	1.9	1.9×

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 CB400 beats 1 of its 2 closest rivals (HONDA CB500, HONDA CB400N).

HONDA CB500 83.3% pass · 105k tests HONDA CB400N 77.5% pass · 5,366 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 CB400.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1997 (86.8% pass). Weakest: 1990 (63.2%).

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 CB400 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA CB400 reliable?

The HONDA CB400 is less reliable than average for its class: 80.9% of its 9,072 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3399 of 5426 models.

What does a CB400 fail its MOT on most?

steering and suspension — 27% of all defects recorded against failed CB400 tests.

What is the best year of CB400 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1997-registered examples do best (86.8%) and 1990 worst (63.2%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a CB400 last?

The median CB400 shows 30,796 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 75.0% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.