HONDA CB400F

408cc Petrol Class 2

#2909 of 5426 overall #464 of 921 HONDAs #135 of 205 naked bikes

83.2%

first-time pass rate

8.8%

failed outright

30,748

median miles at test

4,640

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2022

The CB400F's first-time pass rate has risen 17.3 points since 2005, 82.7% to 100.0%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the CB400F's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage CB400F passes first time 85.1% of the time; by 50k that's 81.5%.

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 CB400F

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	298	31.1	1.0×
brakes	215	22.4	0.8×
steering and suspension	191	19.9	1.1×
tyres and wheels	87	9.1	0.8×
fuel and exhaust	42	4.4	1.2×
body and structure	39	4.1	1.4×
drive system	38	4	1.0×
reg plates and vin	20	2.1	0.6×
driving controls	15	1.6	1.4×
lamps and reflectors	13	1.4	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 CB400F beats 2 of its 3 closest rivals (HONDA CB500, HONDA CB400, HONDA CB400N).

HONDA CB500 83.3% pass · 105k tests HONDA CB400 80.9% pass · 9,072 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 CB400F.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1978 (85.5% pass). Weakest: 1993 (78.7%).

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 CB400F FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA CB400F reliable?

The HONDA CB400F is about average for its class: 83.2% of its 4,640 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2909 of 5426 models.

What does a CB400F fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 31% of all defects recorded against failed CB400F tests.

What is the best year of CB400F to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1978-registered examples do best (85.5%) and 1993 worst (78.7%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a CB400F last?

The median CB400F shows 30,748 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 81.5% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.