HONDA NS400R

387cc Petrol Class 2

#1693 of 5426 overall #221 of 921 HONDAs #1023 of 2787 other bikes

87.7%

first-time pass rate

6.6%

failed outright

22,361

median miles at test

1,413

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2025

The NS400R's first-time pass rate has risen 6.0 points since 2006, 85.7% to 91.7%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the NS400R's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage NS400R passes first time 88.3% of the time; by 40k that's 88.8%.

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 NS400R

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	65	29.8	0.6×
steering and suspension	48	22	0.8×
brakes	40	18.3	0.5×
lamps and reflectors	15	6.9	0.3×
tyres and wheels	11	5	0.4×
fuel and exhaust	10	4.6	0.7×
suspension	9	4.1	0.6×
body and structure	7	3.2	0.4×
tyres	7	3.2	0.5×
reg plates and vin	6	2.8	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 NS400R beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (KAWASAKI ER5, SUZUKI GS500, SUZUKI AN400).

KAWASAKI ER5 77.4% pass · 53.1k tests SUZUKI GS500 76.4% pass · 44.9k tests SUZUKI AN400 86.2% pass · 27.1k tests SUZUKI DR-Z400S 80.4% pass · 26.8k 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 NS400R.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1986 (92.6% pass). Weakest: 1988 (81.4%).

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 NS400R FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA NS400R reliable?

The HONDA NS400R is more reliable than average for its class: 87.7% of its 1,413 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1693 of 5426 models.

What does a NS400R fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 30% of all defects recorded against failed NS400R tests.

What is the best year of NS400R to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1986-registered examples do best (92.6%) and 1988 worst (81.4%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a NS400R last?

The median NS400R shows 22,361 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 88.8% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.