YAMAHA FZR400

399cc Petrol Class 2

#4715 of 5426 overall #361 of 409 YAMAHAs #2770 of 2787 other bikes

70.2%

first-time pass rate

20.9%

failed outright

28,923

median miles at test

4,341

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The FZR400's first-time pass rate has risen 18.9 points since 2005, 65.7% to 84.6%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the FZR400's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage FZR400 passes first time 76.3% of the time; by 50k that's 61.5%.

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 FZR400

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	778	28.8	2.7×
steering and suspension	675	25	3.4×
brakes	540	20	1.9×
tyres and wheels	200	7.4	1.9×
drive system	125	4.6	3.1×
fuel and exhaust	106	3.9	2.8×
body and structure	99	3.7	3.8×
reg plates and vin	89	3.3	2.9×
driving controls	49	1.8	4.8×
lamps and reflectors	42	1.6	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 FZR400 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 FZR400.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1996 (80.7% pass). Weakest: 1988 (64.2%).

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.

YAMAHA FZR400 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA FZR400 reliable?

The YAMAHA FZR400 is less reliable than average for its class: 70.2% of its 4,341 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #4715 of 5426 models.

What does a FZR400 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 29% of all defects recorded against failed FZR400 tests.

What is the best year of FZR400 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1996-registered examples do best (80.7%) and 1988 worst (64.2%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a FZR400 last?

The median FZR400 shows 28,923 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 61.5% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.