Which bike?

I posted up in the Husqvarna Vintage for sale in the world thread about two bikes for sale in Australia.
These are the bikes.
1st one is an 86 WR 400
2nd one is an 83 WR 250
I'd like to buy both of these bikes but can barely only afford one.
Which one would you buy and why?

Here they are.

More photos here.

www.robzridez.com.au

I would go the 400 looks very clean and by all accounts the best enduro engine ever made, give suprize a pm and he will be able to run through the what to lookout for details, main problems seem to be corrosion around the impeller and loose/cracked swing arm, a 250 air cooled enduro bike might better suit cooler climates.
I have a air cooled 430 that iam giving a bit of a face lift and new top end seems to handle the heat pretty good but tend to gear it higher and short shift.

It all depends on what you want from the bike. I've owned an 86 400 for years, it's an awesome strong bike. If you are racing, or want louder, faster, stronger, go for the 400. You've got a list of older bikes in your profile, if you get a kick out of the look you get from folks with an old mx bike with you, the 250 will likely turn more heads.
Then there is the 'you' factor. The 400 is by far the more powerful bike, it can really hurt to take the kick-back if PO did a bad job on the timing or you dont hook it hard (there was a thread on starting big bores here recently, read it before you decide). As I get closer to 'the hill' I suffer less desire to deal with that, and that figured into my interest when a 250 recently came up for sale and I picked it up. Even when I was younger, I had this buddy, he was an MXer, but between his small size, and left-side kicking, he would ask me to start the bike for him because he just couldn't get the revs and it would pick him up off of the ground with a kick-back. Granted as I've gotten more -like, a slight delay in timing past stock has calmed the starts substantially with no noticeable impact to ride quality.

Mono shock, water cooled, front disc brake & USD forks plus it's a 400 2t!!!

The Wr250 would get my vote as it is the most desirable Twinshock Enduro bike money can buy!

Andy.

big bore all the way.. 400WR gets my vote.

You call it a WR but it looks like an XC or CR - different chain guide and no rear subframe. Just a thought mindyou.

Oh what the hell - just enjoy riding it.
Rowan

One consideration-if you can afford one how much more do you need to put into each bike for it to be in good rideable shape?
I'm getting a twin shocker 250 to complement my 86 WR 400.
For the price of each bike I would be partial to the '86 but...the '83 is pretty and not molested. I see the quandry.
I see two 250's and one 400 in your bio- a second 400 would balance it out

both great bikes..
i would get the xc400 unless you plan on racing a class that you need the air cooling, drum brakes, dual shock for.
the 400 will maybe be a better playbike, but it depends on the style of power you like as well. the 250 will require an active foot to really rip. the dual shocker is still a fun bike too, the itc rear suspension rides excellent.

Must have both XCs.
Just get a yellow cover for the 83, its worth hanging on too.
And ride that 400, i love mine.
The 83 is a cool bike but its slow

Were '86 models ever offered with "the rare optional U/D White Power forks" as claimed in the ad?

No, they only came on 87 CR models. KTM had them in 85 first

I heard only a few 500s were built also.

hmmm, i dont know about slow. might be a bit of an understatement. they have soft bottom end but can rip decent mid and top.

the 400 is a better trail bike if that's what you are looking for, they pull like a tractor at LOW RPM's
and yes the forks were converted from an 87 as others noted, which FYI is a big bonus
as others said the 86 has better brakes by far and they are even dual piston 87 type
but the 83 has a cool factor because it looks WAY vintage
you need to decide if you want an air cooled old look, a special class as also stated that uses drum, or a simple easy to ride torque monster

The 400 is a bitza whereas the 83 looks to be original and desirable also it's almost at the peak of Husky handling development.
I rekon the 83 but the 400 would be fun.

The 400 is excluded from Vinduro events in both Victoria and New South Wales by being post 85 for Victoria and because it has USD'S for NSW, so even as biased as I am toward the 400LC motor/chassis, I think the 83 is the more original and Vinduro eligible if that's what you have in mind, if you have no intention of entering events, purely as a trail bike I'd buy the 400.
Being event eligible helps the resale of the 83 and the 86 will be less desirable for that purpose (and as Dukkman mentions, because its a bitsa) until the rules change.
Tony.

i wasnt aware different forks makes something bitza..thought that was something built out of several years and somewhat mismatched. the 400 looks like it would be easy to swap back.

Yes I guess "bitsa" could be a little harsh, but you don't just find the correct front end easily in Australia, and considering the price he is asking it is another factor that makes it even more expensive, and of course a correct headlight would be desirable.

thanks, i keep forgetting things are different in australia with availability