HONDA VFR400 NC30

399cc Petrol Class 2

#4243 of 5426 overall #811 of 921 HONDAs #2636 of 2787 other bikes

75.5%

first-time pass rate

16.0%

failed outright

31,093

median miles at test

563

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2016

The VFR400 NC30's first-time pass rate has risen 17.3 points since 2006, 70.2% to 87.5%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the VFR400 NC30's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage VFR400 NC30 passes first time 81.5% of the time; by 50k that's 77.1%.

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 VFR400 NC30

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	81	31.9	2.1×
steering and suspension	54	21.3	2.1×
brakes	49	19.3	1.5×
tyres and wheels	24	9.4	1.8×
body and structure	14	5.5	3.3×
drive system	11	4.3	2.5×
fuel and exhaust	10	3.9	2.1×
reg plates and vin	5	2	1.5×
lamps and reflectors	3	1.2	0.3×
driving controls	3	1.2	2.3×

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 VFR400 NC30 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 VFR400 NC30.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1992 (87.5% pass). Weakest: 1990 (63.9%).

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 VFR400 NC30 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA VFR400 NC30 reliable?

The HONDA VFR400 NC30 is less reliable than average for its class: 75.5% of its 563 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #4243 of 5426 models.

What does a VFR400 NC30 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 32% of all defects recorded against failed VFR400 NC30 tests.

What is the best year of VFR400 NC30 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1992-registered examples do best (87.5%) and 1990 worst (63.9%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a VFR400 NC30 last?

The median VFR400 NC30 shows 31,093 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 77.1% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.