Decisions decisions!!

Hi everybody.
I've just purchased a 1978 xs400..I'm picking it up at the weekend..I'm pretty excited as I've had a 400 and a 650 that I hardtailed but saldly had to sell to make way for a new kitchen... I'd have rather gone without the kitchen and eaten off the floor......the bike is in pretty good condition..so now I'm torn..what do I do??.
Do I restore it to its original state or do i do a bobber job on it??..
All opinions are welcome..
Thanks

I prefer the stock bikes over cut up ones. To many people are now doing this making them all look the same. It's getting harder to find ones that are stock. When I go for rides on my nice stock xs's people always ask about them. Remember that a bike is only original once.

Well that solves that dilemma.. I'll keep her stock.
At the end of the day you can build any type of frame and put any type of engine into it and "bobbers your uncle" you have a chop and the more original bikes that are cut up the less of them there are..
Thanks for your reply...

I have the opposite opinion, all stock bikes are exactly the same (save for paint). Guys might build bikes that are similar but I don't think all look the same. The 400 is a bike that guys without a lot of knowledge can pick up cheap and slightly modify with a rear hoop and thinner seat pretty easy. That's why you see so many trackers, cafe's and "brat" XS400's. Nothing wrong with that either even if it does look similar to what other people have done. Only so many times you can re-invent the wheel inside a box. I like that when I park my bike at the curb, I know nobody else is gonna park anywhere near me with a bike that looks like mine. I picked up a mostly stock (rear frame was cut by PO) bike for 200 bucks so they are still out there and available. While the XS400 is a great bike we aren't talking about an old BMW, Norton or Moto Guzzi here either. (Though I would chop one of those in a heartbeat.) Yamaha made a ton of these and sold them all over the world. How much is a fully restored, perfect condition XS400 even worth? 3 or 4k? While I can appreciate a restored classic and completely original bike and I'm glad others put forth the effort to keep those bikes original and in excellent condition so they can be seen, it's just not for me. I feel no personal attachment to a bone stock bike no matter how much work I put into it. Ultimately it's up to you as it's your bike. I don't think it's a question anybody but you can answer. Either way post a thread on it, happy riding and shiny side up ;-)

A restored XS400 is worth 2x or more and a modified one. A well done custom XS400 (very few of those around) usually sells for less than 50% of the cash investment and 0% of the labour of the "builder".

It should be noted that any hack with a grinder can build a "custom" bike/car/truck, but very few can restore to showroom condition. That is why restored bikes/cars/trucks are worth more on the market. Feel free to chop up what ever you want, all you are doing is increasing the value of the restored.

A fully restored, perfect condition one may be worth more money but it will cost more to get there too. There's 4 on eBay right now and the cheapest one is the only stock one. You will spend far more money returning a bike to showroom condition than chopping/bobbing/brating it and making it your own. It should also be noted that anyone who can read at an eighth grade level and has a credit card to order parts online can bolt together a showroom quality stock motorcycle. I feel a personal attachment to bikes I build and modify, I do not to stock bikes. Maybe I'm a hack with a grinder to you but I still appreciate those who restore bikes too, even if it's not my personal preference to do so. Ultimately, bone stock or custom, we all love to ride at the end of the day. Isn't that more important than insulting people with different viewpoints? Again, what to do with this particular bike is completely up to him and what his intentions/end goals with the bike are. Stock or custom, there is no wrong answer.

You do realize that all the bikes on ebay that you posted have no bids on them, right? The seller can ask what ever they want, but the market will determine the actual value. Though hipsters have proven time and again that they have more money than brains by buying overpriced "art" (relevant to this discussion: bikes that have been rendered not road legal, unsafe, un-insurable, etc.)

I believe that you have it backwards. Anyone who can get to PipeBurn, bikexif, etc and has a creditcard to buy a grinder and some flat black paint can butcher any vehicle. It takes skill, devotion, perseverance, and (as mentioned) cubic $ to properly restore a vehicle. Especially one that has many parts no longer available. A 35 year old bike is getting to the point of being difficult to restore, but cheap enough to chop without concern.

@Blu I don't know you, nor have I seen any bike you've touched. Why would you take what I wrote as insulting? I've modified my bike well beyond what most would consider feasible, certainly well beyond returning it to stock condition. I may have one of the more significantly modified bikes on this forum. I've received both praise and disgust for my efforts and don't care either way. That said, I'm realistic in knowing that the market value of my bike has been reduced by my efforts. Expressing a differing opinion in an open discussion should not be taken as an insult, though that seems to be the trend these days. There most certainly are wrong answers to every question ever asked, or to be asked. Denying reality doesn't change it.

Because "hack with a grinder" is insulting to those who modify their bikes, whether you modified yours or not. I'm not the one denying reality either. Custom bikes often fetch higher price tags than stock bikes with the only exception (sometimes) being if you have a limited production/special model and factory original bike. A stock bike is a stock bike is a stock bike. The very definition means there are multiple bikes out there that look and function exactly the same. Your deduction is that all modified bikes are the same while the very definition of modified says otherwise. Bikes may be modified in a similar way or style but stock bikes are exactly the same save for factory options such as wheels and paint. You act as if every bike modified from stock is butchered by some "hack with a grinder". It's condescending, offensive and completely incorrect. It also alienates many on here who wish to modify their machines from stock. Many have built very nice low dollar custom bikes that fetch higher price tags than stock bikes. restoring a stock bike also takes much more coin and thus leaves the owner with a much smaller profit, if any at all. These are facts. I understand with time stock bikes appreciate in value as they become more rare and often modified bikes depreciate in value due to changing trends but even still modified bikes often bounce back. In the 70's panheads were a dime a dozen, now you'll pay through the nose for a period correct, heavily modified custom panhead chopper, often more than a stock panhead. One day you might pay an even higher price tag for a custom modified XS400 with "period correct" style. Some of those modified bikes are also featured in magazines, on motorcycle forums and on blogs. It's been a while since I saw a stock bike in a mag that wasn't a brand new model, save for the occasional throw back article. Yes a guy can "butcher" a bike as you put it, and many have, but a well built custom will often pull a higher price tag than a stock bike. That's why there's a massive aftermarket for motorcycle parts that aren't stock, because people like to change and modify their machines. You dismiss the fact that these bikes do actually sell at a higher price tag by saying something else offensive..."Hipsters have proven time and again that they have more money than brains by buying overpriced "art"" So just stupid hipsters with too much money buying modified bikes right? Modified bikes are simply overpriced "art"? Anybody with half a brain buys stock then? And you're confused about why those statements are insulting and offensive? It takes information and money to restore a bike to stock. Skill, devotion and perseverance are not exclusive to stock restoration motorcycle builds. All of those things plus creativity and vision are required to build a custom bike, to make something your own, to go beyond bolting on parts that came UPS. Ultimately this is his motorcycle so no, there are no wrong answers. He didn't ask how to flip this bike, he asked what to do with it...and that is completely up to him, there is no wrong answer. The bike isn't rare and plenty of stock versions exist, bobbing or chopping the bike will cost less money and if done correctly will earn him more coin in today's market of spendy hipsters with deep pockets. That said stock bikes are nice too and there's nothing wrong with having a nice stock bike.

I must add a bit more on this. After five of these bikes and four being restoration projects I will say is was not easy as bolting on parts. First off finding the correct parts for the model and year is very hard to do. Lots of time looking, researching. Then if you find them you have to clean, fix and repair all the things that the last owners screwed up. Not to mention 35+ years of rusted frozen parts. There is a reason most don't do this and it would be easier to have a minimal bike. My first road bike is my 79 2-F. So keeping the OEM style and setup is the way I want to pass it to my son when he is old enough. I also must say after 18 yrs of riding it I have never had another bike park next to me that looks the same. I have been on this forum from the beginning and most of the bikes people post are being cut and modified.
I would think if there was still a lot of these around in that shape (stock) you would see them more. I have only seen three xs400s' on the road in those many years. Just one was stock, a 79 F. The other two where rat bikes (80 and 82). As for the price to restore, it can very. My 79 has about $2,000 total in it including the purchase price which was a bit high because I got it from a yamaha dealer and didn't know about prices. The least costing resto bike I have is the 80 I just did with about $800 total in that.
When it comes to parts I only use yamaha. Even used old parts are made better, fit better and will last longer than any china made stuff out there. This is my Anyone can reject my reality and substitute there own

I realize there's more to it than just bolting on parts...just like there's more to it than hacking at it with a grinder. Again I have nothing against stock bikes, my personal enjoyment comes from modifying the bike. I don't critise those who build differently, I appreciate the effort put in. All that matters is that we ride and love motorcycles.

I 'm the odd man on this forum. Just would like to see a few get put back to their original glory.

Nothing wrong with that, I love to see the chops but I'm glad there's guys out there like you restoring them too.

I DO like the stock sohcs like the special...But I have two dohcs which I find pretty fugly. Plus I am an all around dyi-er...Since childhood I would destroy stuff to ses how it works or what I could do with parts....No different this time around...I guess some people Wil not like what I am doing to those pour bikes but I am doing this to learn...And make it m'y own...I will make mistakes and stupid ones at that but I Tell you this....I am having sooo much d'un and learning a whole lot...So I don't regret one thing or minute of my builds...In no small part due to this forum.

In 10 years most of these will be "made it my own" bikes and anyone looking for one to "make their own" will be s.o.l I have been looking on craigs list for years and doing it almost daily and most of the bikes are already "built" bikes. The xs650's which there where far more of them made are in that same situation. I have also noticed that OEM stuff even used is getting much harder to find on ebay. Most of the listings are for after market or universal parts. Often from china or with skull stickers on them

Wowzer! Those are some epic back and fourth opinions. Opinions...that's all they are boys.
It's clear that your all passionate about your bikes and also passionate about riding. That's already been summed up. I'd just like to throw my hat into the ring as well. I am new to the "bike world". I bought a couple old bikes in July as I needed a hobbie and had spare time as I went thru a recent divorce. I had absolutely no idea what I was getting into. Initally I thought I would do a Cafe racerstyle bike. Because, when I google imaged Cafe racer, they looked very cool and unique. However, I realized quickly that due to my lack of fabrication skills, and tools for that matter, There was no way in hell I was going to do that. I figured I'd choose a bike, see what was wrong with it, and try to fix it the best I could. Ordered OEM parts best I could. I am now at the finish line. Took 8 months, probably a couple hundred hours in the garage and about $2000. Thanks to some much needed help from a forum member, I'm hoping to get the bike safetied on Friday. Everything has been restored the best I could to it's original state. Lots of little things still, but I'm happy with it. Now. I just need to get a license.

Here's some pics
Hoping my reupholstered seat gets done this week.

New here so let me settle this debate once and for all..
Restore to stock, then chop it up!! It's the best of both worlds.

My work here is done.