Hi guys,

I'm new here (as a member anyway) and would like some pointers on my new bike.

I've just picked up a mint condition 2004 XR400 with just over 1000 miles onthe clock and has never seen mud......it's out the box.

It is however an 8/9 year old bike so I would like to know if there's anything that I need to check that is affected by time more than miles....

It's been well looked after and has recently had:

New tryes AC10's (are they any good)
New Oil
New Plug
New filters (air and oil)

So I'm guessing its ready to go a???

Can anyone explain the startup procedure and the extra lever, when do you use that ?

I've been bombing around the green lanes and woods tracks on a KDX200 with friends and I'm really looking forward the the new XR.....

any other advice on things i should check for on the XR before i hand over the cash would be great.....

cheers.

also what's this thing I've read about the choke lever snapping off and going into the engine ????

And the carb bogging down when you snap open the throttle ? anyone got reasonble fixes for these ???

thanks again.

Extra lever is the manual compresion release.

Move kickstarter slowly through the stroke until you hit a very firm spot. Pull in the comp release and just nudge the kickstarter past that point (the comp release slightly opens an exhaust valve to help). Let the lever back out, let the kickstarter come back up to the top and without giving it any gas, stomp on it good and firm and she should fire up for ya.

That's kinda the basics, everybody has their own little touches that work for them and their bike but that should get you close.

Man, I envy you with a "like new" xr... I just bought a beat up '97 xr250 and I keep finding bad things. Broken and bent subframe was discovered last night, fixed with JB Weld... and then I saw this "like new" XR400 on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/...=item43b457c569

The choke plate on a 2004 is a stamped steel part, so no worries. The early models had a cast part that was prone to breaking. For the newer models, next time you have the carb off, look down the carb throat and make sure the screws that hold on the plate are there and tight. They might even be staked, which is better.

The off idle hesitation is just the nature of the beast. Tune the bike for best throttle response and don't get hung up on a hesitation when whacking the throttle open. It can be minimized with careful tuning but not usually completely eliminated on the stock carb.

Wow that one out the box, wow I'll keep an eye on that to see what it goes for, shame it isn't in Manchester UK or I'd be driving there now.....

The one I got is in the same condition and has a load of upgrades from acerbis and the like, the engine is stock which is nice...

glad to hear that they remedied the choke issue...

if the bogging down is an issue which i'm sure it won't be I'll look at putting on a pumper carb and be done with it....

I am so stoked about picking up the bike, I can't wait.....

thanks for the replies guys......

congrats!
remember to check the shock and fork chrome for pitting/.rust.
photos?

sweet! I found mine (04) at the end of 05 still in the crate....the only advice i have is to read...read ...read... TONS of info here and on other sites, the only thing i can think of that hasn't been mentioned is the dreaded swingarm bolt...pull it out by sliding another pin of similar diameter in and grease the crap out of it ...do this now before you even ride it, you wont be sorry. look into the suspention mods as well. and put a scotts on it.
congrats on gettting your hands on one of, if not the best, most reliable bikes ever built.

Edited by Coolerking, 12 October 2012 - 03:40 PM.

And for gods sake put some pics up so we can drool on our keyboards....

Grease the swing arm bolt!!

pics posted

http://www.thumperta...of-my-new-baby/

I'm already in love with it.......