HONDA CBR400

399cc Petrol Class 2

#4396 of 5426 overall #840 of 921 HONDAs #202 of 226 sport bikes

74.0%

first-time pass rate

17.2%

failed outright

34,318

median miles at test

7,949

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The CBR400's first-time pass rate has risen 4.5 points since 2005, 79.8% to 84.3%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the CBR400's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage CBR400 passes first time 81.1% of the time; by 50k that's 66.7%.

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 CBR400

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	1,009	28.6	2.0×
steering and suspension	806	22.8	2.4×
brakes	635	18	1.4×
tyres and wheels	326	9.2	1.6×
body and structure	193	5.5	3.8×
fuel and exhaust	170	4.8	2.6×
drive system	151	4.3	2.1×
reg plates and vin	119	3.4	2.1×
lamps and reflectors	65	1.8	0.4×
driving controls	57	1.6	2.9×

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.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1999 (81.9% pass). Weakest: 1986 (66.2%).

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 CBR400 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA CBR400 reliable?

The HONDA CBR400 is less reliable than average for its class: 74.0% of its 7,949 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #4396 of 5426 models.

What does a CBR400 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 29% of all defects recorded against failed CBR400 tests.

What is the best year of CBR400 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1999-registered examples do best (81.9%) and 1986 worst (66.2%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a CBR400 last?

The median CBR400 shows 34,318 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 66.7% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.