My ´78 XS400 quickly became a budget cafe racer.

[Cooperchili]

A new TT handlebar, a new seat, some paint and a couple of loud exhaust pipes I had laying around… Hope you like it.

 

[BBS360]

I hate for my response to be the first one, but...

It's nicely done but I think your resale value dropped by more than your budget for the conversion.

Looking at the before and after pics makes me cry on the inside.

 

[Cooperchili]

BBS360;
Thanks for your response. You are entitled to your opinion and I understand your view. No matter what you do with a bike, there will be people who disagree... You disagree with my conversion and that is fine.

However I have recieved many more positive feedbacks than negative on it. And I've also had a few offers from people who wanted to buy the bike for more than it has cost me so far.

Besides; I have not thrown anything away, so it is possible to put it back to original at any time. The only thing I'll need is a new rear plastic mud guard and to make new brackets for the rear footrests/exhaust

 

[BBS360]

The bike looks great. Not contesting that. I'd love to do something similar.
Are you planning to sell it?

 

[Cooperchili]

Thanks! Well, I'm building a Brat from a Moto Guzzi at the moment and I won't be selling the XS untill that is finished at least. I'm also restoring a classic car, so I have a feeling the Brat will take some time to finish

 

[xschris]

I also prefer the stock look more than the other. I seems to be what everybody does with these bikes now The hipster community tend to pay up for this "look" so I think you can get some money out of it.

 

[Cooperchili]

I think it should be up to each and every one of us how we want our bikes to look. I did not build this to make money, I build it to look the way I wanted it to look I mentioned the offers I´ve had on it as a reply to what BBS360 said; He predicted that its resale value had dropped by more than my budget for the conversion.
And just to be clear; I´m not part of a community. Everything I do I do because I like it. I know very few people that ride bikes in fact...
I´m mostly into cars, specifically old Alfa Romeos, but I love almost everything with an engine in it

 

[BBS360]

As a website dedicated to the the XS400, it's probably the most likely place to find strong opinions on the matter.

The cafe racer fad will pass but stock bikes will always have an appeal.

I just realized it did have some modifications before you though. Looks like a nice dual front disk conversion.
I'll be checking out the local scrap yard sometime to see if they have any parts for a dual disk conversion.

 

[Wolfe_11B]

Man that was a nice stock bike

I have no issues with tearing stuff apart and doing what one wants(just look at mine), but doing it to a bike in that original condition makes me cry on the inside as well. There are tons of worn down XS's out there that would have been perfect for your build...

What you started with was a true 'cafe racer'. What you have now is what today's hipsters think a cafe racer is.

 

[Cooperchili]

BBS360: Well the cafe racer "fad" has lasted since the 60's. And it has been my favorite style since the late 80's when I took my drivers licence.
I was wondering about the front brakes. I've seen pictures both with single discs and with double online. These bikes never came with double discs as standard then?

Wolfe_11b: I'm not really sure what "hipsters" are, but I understand they are being ridiculed just about everywhere these days.
I think that what I have now is a bike that looks just about the way I wanted it to look. The bike was quite good but not as good as it looks in the picture. And as I said before, I have not thrown anything away, so it can be put back to original any time I want.

 

[BBS360]

BBS360: Well the cafe racer "fad" has lasted since the 60's. And it has been my favorite style since the late 80's when I took my drivers licence.

The look has been around for a long time but it has had a huge surge in popularity over the past 5-10 years. For what was originally a custom bike movement, big manufacturers are making new models in the cafe racer style. What was an awesome niche market dominated by individual riders customizing their rides has become mainstream, and that's usually when these things start to lose their mass-appeal.

I was wondering about the front brakes. I've seen pictures both with single discs and with double online. These bikes never came with double discs as standard then?

Single disk front and back at most. Some of the stock forks and wheels were also used on other models that did have dual disks so the conversion isn't always difficult.
The stock master cylinder piston isn't always big enough to effectively push two brake caliper pistons though.
Does yours have the piston diameter stamped on the master cylinder assembly? Looks like the previous owner switched to stainless steel brake lines, which is good and can offset the increased piston area.

 

[levdir]

For what it's worth, I like what you've done with your bike. If it makes you happy, it's the right thing.

 

[jscott85]

Where did the seat come from?

 

[buztabuzt]

Wow. Cafe looks nice but if you're going to repaint it certainly didn't need to butcher a mint classic