HONDA VF400F

399cc Petrol Class 2

#4311 of 5426 overall #825 of 921 HONDAs #2661 of 2787 other bikes

74.9%

first-time pass rate

18.8%

failed outright

32,736

median miles at test

1,515

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2022

The VF400F's first-time pass rate has fallen 7.7 points since 2005, 81.6% to 73.9%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the VF400F's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage VF400F passes first time 73.1% of the time; by 50k that's 69.1%.

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 VF400F

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	218	28	2.0×
steering and suspension	187	24	3.0×
brakes	151	19.4	1.6×
tyres and wheels	55	7.1	1.6×
fuel and exhaust	45	5.8	3.7×
drive system	34	4.4	2.4×
body and structure	33	4.2	3.7×
lamps and reflectors	23	3	0.6×
driving controls	17	2.2	4.5×
suspension	15	1.9	0.9×

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.

How rivals compare

same type, similar capacity, high test volume

On first-time pass rate the VF400F beats 0 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 VF400F.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1991 (84.7% pass). Weakest: 1990 (64.3%).

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 VF400F FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA VF400F reliable?

The HONDA VF400F is less reliable than average for its class: 74.9% of its 1,515 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #4311 of 5426 models.

What does a VF400F fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 28% of all defects recorded against failed VF400F tests.

What is the best year of VF400F to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1991-registered examples do best (84.7%) and 1990 worst (64.3%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a VF400F last?

The median VF400F shows 32,736 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 69.1% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.