HONDA CB400F2

408cc Petrol Class 2

#2593 of 5426 overall #390 of 921 HONDAs #120 of 205 naked bikes

84.6%

first-time pass rate

9.9%

failed outright

25,548

median miles at test

680

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The CB400F2's first-time pass rate has risen 3.1 points since 2006, 86.0% to 89.1%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the CB400F2's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage CB400F2 passes first time 90.0% of the time; by 50k that's 83.9%.

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 CB400F2

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	50	31.6	0.9×
brakes	32	20.3	0.9×
steering and suspension	29	18.4	1.0×
tyres and wheels	14	8.9	0.9×
fuel and exhaust	8	5.1	1.4×
drive system	8	5.1	1.2×
lamps and reflectors	6	3.8	0.2×
body and structure	4	2.5	1.2×
driving controls	4	2.5	2.5×
tyres	3	1.9	0.6×

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 CB400F2 beats 3 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 CB400F2.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1978 (86.4% pass). Weakest: 1992 (80.4%).

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 CB400F2 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA CB400F2 reliable?

The HONDA CB400F2 is about average for its class: 84.6% of its 680 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2593 of 5426 models.

What does a CB400F2 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 32% of all defects recorded against failed CB400F2 tests.

What is the best year of CB400F2 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1978-registered examples do best (86.4%) and 1992 worst (80.4%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a CB400F2 last?

The median CB400F2 shows 25,548 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 83.9% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.