HONDA CB400SF

399cc Petrol Class 2

#3270 of 5426 overall #556 of 921 HONDAs #153 of 205 naked bikes

81.5%

first-time pass rate

10.7%

failed outright

28,624

median miles at test

504

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2012

The CB400SF's first-time pass rate has risen 24.1 points since 2006, 65.9% to 90.0%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the CB400SF's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage CB400SF passes first time 85.5% of the time; by 40k 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 CB400SF

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
steering and suspension	34	25.6	1.5×
brakes	32	24.1	1.0×
lighting and signalling	25	18.8	1.0×
tyres and wheels	11	8.3	1.0×
suspension	8	6	1.9×
driving controls	7	5.3	5.9×
lamps and reflectors	6	4.5	0.4×
drive system	5	3.8	1.4×
Items Not Tested	3	2.3	4.3×
tyres	2	1.5	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 CB400SF 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 CB400SF.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1994 (87.1% pass). Weakest: 1992 (74.5%).

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 CB400SF FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA CB400SF reliable?

The HONDA CB400SF is less reliable than average for its class: 81.5% of its 504 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3270 of 5426 models.

What does a CB400SF fail its MOT on most?

steering and suspension — 26% of all defects recorded against failed CB400SF tests.

What is the best year of CB400SF to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1994-registered examples do best (87.1%) and 1992 worst (74.5%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a CB400SF last?

The median CB400SF shows 28,624 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 75.0% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.