HONDA VFR400R

399cc Petrol Class 2

#4496 of 5426 overall #856 of 921 HONDAs #2734 of 2787 other bikes

73.0%

first-time pass rate

18.5%

failed outright

33,029

median miles at test

1,544

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2018

The VFR400R's first-time pass rate has risen 6.6 points since 2005, 75.0% to 81.6%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the VFR400R's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage VFR400R passes first time 73.7% of the time; by 50k that's 68.9%.

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 VFR400R

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	214	26.6	2.3×
steering and suspension	175	21.7	2.7×
brakes	172	21.4	1.7×
tyres and wheels	90	11.2	2.5×
reg plates and vin	35	4.3	3.4×
body and structure	34	4.2	3.8×
fuel and exhaust	33	4.1	2.6×
drive system	33	4.1	2.2×
driving controls	12	1.5	3.3×
lamps and reflectors	7	0.9	0.2×

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 VFR400R 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 VFR400R.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1988 (77.4% pass). Weakest: 1993 (64.9%).

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 VFR400R FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA VFR400R reliable?

The HONDA VFR400R is less reliable than average for its class: 73.0% of its 1,544 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #4496 of 5426 models.

What does a VFR400R fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 27% of all defects recorded against failed VFR400R tests.

What is the best year of VFR400R to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1988-registered examples do best (77.4%) and 1993 worst (64.9%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a VFR400R last?

The median VFR400R shows 33,029 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 68.9% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.