HONDA CB400N

395cc Petrol Class 2

#3975 of 5426 overall #753 of 921 HONDAs #179 of 205 naked bikes

77.5%

first-time pass rate

12.7%

failed outright

30,448

median miles at test

5,366

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2024

The CB400N's first-time pass rate has risen 15.9 points since 2005, 70.1% to 86.0%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the CB400N's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage CB400N passes first time 78.4% of the time; by 50k that's 73.6%.

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 CB400N

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	429	25.4	1.3×
steering and suspension	406	24	1.7×
brakes	329	19.5	1.0×
drive system	163	9.6	3.1×
tyres and wheels	141	8.3	1.2×
fuel and exhaust	61	3.6	1.3×
lamps and reflectors	55	3.3	0.4×
body and structure	47	2.8	1.4×
driving controls	34	2	2.6×
suspension	25	1.5	0.4×

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 CB400N beats 0 of its 2 closest rivals (HONDA CB500, HONDA CB400).

HONDA CB500 83.3% pass · 105k tests HONDA CB400 80.9% pass · 9,072 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 CB400N.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1977 (83.9% pass). Weakest: 1995 (72.7%).

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 CB400N FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA CB400N reliable?

The HONDA CB400N is less reliable than average for its class: 77.5% of its 5,366 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3975 of 5426 models.

What does a CB400N fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 25% of all defects recorded against failed CB400N tests.

What is the best year of CB400N to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1977-registered examples do best (83.9%) and 1995 worst (72.7%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a CB400N last?

The median CB400N shows 30,448 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 73.6% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.