I'm considering a used WR400F. I've found a few between $3200-$3500. Is there any particular problem items I should know about?
I intend to dual-sport it (hopefully I'll find one already licensed.)
Also, I've read that the exhaust is excessively loud. What's a good choice for quieting it down?

I have a '99 WR400 that I bought new in May '99. I have had ZERO problems with it that were not rider induced. I have a Baja Designs kit on it and the only problem I've had with it is I've broken a couple of rear blinkers - again my fault.

As far as being too loud - it's only too loud if you run the stock exhaust without the baffle or run one of the obnoxious aftermarket exhausts. I run the stock exhaust with a Thumper Racing Quiet Core insert and it's been measured at 95 & 96 dBA on two different occassions.

I have a 99WR since new. About 4000 singletrack miles.......the bike has been bullet proof. The throttle cable had to be placed, but I knew to look for that.
I am running a FMF MegaMax2 , super quiet and good bottom. Sorry no longer in production.
Best bike I have owned. Good luck.

The bike is worth the price. They are hard to break unless you crash alot. My battery fell apart and I'm on my second switch for the Dual Sport kit. I've also blown 2 brake switches. I'm a little hard on parts.

This is good to hear because I picked up my new (to me) 98 WR400f today. I have ridden it for about 10 minutes so far and WOW... the power is COOL!! I am not used to the power. Just got rid of the TTR225. I am still getting used to the starting procedures though. How exactly do you know when you have reached TOP DEAD CENTER? And how do you use the "hot start lever" ??

TDC is the point were the kickstarter becomes the most difficult to advance.
Top Dead Center on the compression stroke.
Squeeze the decomp lever and "BING" the kicker passes TDC.
I have learned with mt 426 as soon as the enricher circuit comes off on the carby I am ready to use the hot start if I stall the motor.
There is a sick video on the triple tuning fork website if I remember right.
Some body got a link???

So after riding a while, if the bike stalls....it is necessary to pull out the lever in order to start the bike again?

YES! Everytime you start that bad boy you need to bump it just past T.D.C. with the manual decompression lever,Then return the Kickstarter to the top, and give a steady, firm kick. The motor usually stops on Top Dead Center anyways. If you can kick it without this method, your probably going to tear something up. I'm 6'5" 270 lbs and I can stand on the kick starter on my 01 WR 426 for a while before it'll pass T.D.C..Once you get it sorted out, it's easy.

No I was talking about the HOT START lever. I rode about 15 miles on it today. Man what a blast this bike is. The front wheel comes off the ground everytime I juice it. I am in love. Even when the bike was hot, I never found it necessary to pull out the red hot start switch. I pretty much have the starting down. I still dont know why I would use that switch though.

Wait till you stall the motor from lugging thru a section.... you'll need the hot start then. The only time I ever use the hot start is if I stall the bike. If I use the kill switch I never need the hot start button.

Brian