HONDA XR400

399cc Petrol Class 2

#3845 of 5426 overall #716 of 921 HONDAs #2437 of 2787 other bikes

78.5%

first-time pass rate

11.7%

failed outright

7,203

median miles at test

13.3k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The XR400's first-time pass rate has risen 11.0 points since 2005, 76.0% to 87.0%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the XR400's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XR400 passes first time 78.9% of the time; by 40k that's 86.0%.

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 XR400

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	1,355	31.7	1.4×
steering and suspension	783	18.3	1.4×
tyres and wheels	552	12.9	1.5×
brakes	546	12.8	0.7×
reg plates and vin	377	8.8	3.4×
lamps and reflectors	269	6.3	0.7×
drive system	170	4	1.3×
suspension	86	2	0.7×
fuel and exhaust	78	1.8	0.7×
structure and attachments	52	1.2	0.4×

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 XR400 beats 2 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 XR400.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2005 (83.8% pass). Weakest: 1996 (74.9%).

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 XR400 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA XR400 reliable?

The HONDA XR400 is less reliable than average for its class: 78.5% of its 13,268 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3845 of 5426 models.

What does a XR400 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 32% of all defects recorded against failed XR400 tests.

What is the best year of XR400 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2005-registered examples do best (83.8%) and 1996 worst (74.9%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XR400 last?

The median XR400 shows 7,203 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 86.0% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.