1986 WR 400 Disappointment

So I've spent a month wrenching on my 1986 WR 400 in an attempt to recondition it enough to ride this summer in the Rocky Mountains. It's nickel-ed and dimed me to get it going. Replaced a few missing pieces, replaced a ton of nuts and bolts either to get things "all the same" or fix worn stripped out hardware. Finding and replacing missing items that have been removed, finding things that are broken, and fixing them. It's been a fun time, and I've enjoyed hanging out with my brother during all the rebuild process. I was a little skeptical that it would run well, or would only run for short bit and and stop running. I thought the worst ...

Well yesterday we got to see the fruits of our labor as we took it out to a friends property in the country. 40 acres of dirt/field to ride around on. Early in the reconditioning process, during short test runs down the street, when shifting gears and giving the throttle a mild goose the front wheel would constantly come up off the ground and send shivers of "Oh My God" from my finger tips to my toes. Yesterday while riding, I tried to duplicate this same feeling, and it just wasn't the same... Instead of lifting the wheel off the ground, my reconditioned 1986 WR 400 when the throttle was goosed would only leave 30-60 foot rooster tails of dirt and vegetation in the opposite direction I was travelling. It left my legs, fingers and hands quivering with excitement, and today I still cannot wipe the smile from my face. Why am I disappointed? I am disappointed in myself, for not believing this old Husky could make me feel like a kid again! Boy was I wrong!

haha! Now to get the XC 400 running so me and my brother can tear up some more Rocky Mountain dirt together instead of having to "take turns".

Ah, Steve, you have discovered the time machine quality to these old Huskies!

I have an 86 400WR and it definitely leaves a smile on my face. wait until you ride it on gnarley/ slimy singletrack. then you will really be impressed.

I get a smile just looking at my herd just waiting for me to get them back together once again

nothing wrong with "taking turns"..thats just good inspiration to get back to work!

HA HA good story

Thats why i love my 86s so much.
I let a friend who rides a 350 KTM take my bike up a crazy steep hill in the trees.
I took his bike up, what a gong show to ride that bike. I waited for him to come up and when got up
he had the shit eating grin lol and said crap thats like cheating and i never touched the clutch or changed gears stayed in 2nd all the way lol
He wanted to put a motor like mine in his chassis.

I agree...
Taking turns wasn't so bad, it kept me from being really sore on Monday...
Plus getting to watch the shit eating grin on my brothers face was priceless...
I asked him quite a few times if he was glad I talked him into buying the WR...
all I got for an answer was a high five...

So It's not just me! I can so relate to the above. Had my 86 400 CC since new. Actively rode it and successfully raced it in 50 and 60 B classes. and everytime I fire it up just the Thump- Thump idle makes me smile and then the ride. "Linear power"!
The motor and 6spd are awesome suspension a bit dated but I suppose a guy could dump some $ and update that. They do have little 'warts' though that keep you busy,
Anyway mine is up for grabs in classifieds if intr. just couldn't come up w/ price....now after reading you guys....I don't know?

ol mate recently completed a resto on a 85 ktm 250 mx. man it goes hard. BUT ... while I was trying the kato out he rode my 400.

He passed me like I was standing still and he was nearly crying when I caught up to him. he just said "how fast can you ride this 400...it just does everything right." he is a down and out KTM man although he does have a nice husky 360 in his pool room. he is probably trawling ebay looking for a 400 now...

Don't you just love the 400

Yep and the 240 ain't bad either.

I recently entered my first event for my '88 400 in Yass NSW and came away suitably impressed, I found it was easier to ride if I shifted up to what I would have thought was a gear too tall, but it just pulled smoothly and predictably, still plenty to go if revved but on snotty hills revving only makes it less controllable.
As mentioned earlier, it's a little like cheating with this motor!
It was a tight course with only a couple of places that you could open it up and reach fourth gear, when you do the scenery begins to pass at a very surprising rate.
I don't think my '86 400 was this good back in the day, I wonder if there were any porting or carb changes?
A little more fettling in the suspension dept, some steel clutch plates and this is one very promising bike.

430 jug with better forks and brakes, lectron and new clutch = awesome machine

knife port the bottom of the transfers truly wakes them up for INSANE power while giving up absolutely nothing

These '86 400 WRX were, are one of the best LC husqvarna's. It's a very tractable ride. Yet very fast. I regret selling mine.

The 400 &430 are like the 327 & 350 Chevy engines both will get the job done.

The WRX was a 1985 model only with the CR/XC suspension. It became the WR Enduro model in 1986 reverting back to WR suspension travel

dont forget the DLS drum brake. way better then the 86's brembo disc set up.

unless its wet or going backwards

backwards is a problem? never really rode a bike with DLS

the dls has very little braking in reverse. not something needed often...but when you do it sucks. backing off the truck is about it. the dls does work very well when adjusted correctly otherwise..

Luckily we do not have to take turns anymore! His XC is up and running nice. He did however take the new 48T sprocket off and put the 53 back on after riding some trails last week in the Rocky Mountains.