Poll: Stock or cut up? What is the 'trend'?

[79xs]

Like the title says, I have been wondering if stock / restorations are more or less popular that chopped/ bobbed/ café 'cut up' bikes?

Personally, I prefer stock bikes and restore antique bikes of many makes back to original.

In general, it is getting really hard for me to find good restoration candidates (not just xs650's... all makes) that have not been 'cut up' past the point of no return (or affordable $ return).

That being said, I have seen some pretty cool customs too...

 

[payaso13]

I have a stock bike besides pamco upgrade...plan on lowering rear different bars and upgrades that are minimal so if I want to put it back stock I can. I found this bike in great original form. So choppin it up doesn't seem right...I'll find one thats a good candidate for that....that's what brought me to these xs650's...originally from southern Cali I like the bobber/lowrider look you can get with them!!

 

[jd750ace]

Hacking is a tired practice IMO. Too many full on hatchet jobs out there for it to be "cool"

 

[Airwolfie]

I bobbed mine, but now I have done it, I kind of wish I didn't!! Don't get me wrong, I love what I'm doing to mine, it's something I always wanted to have done. But I do think I should have started with just a normal restoration!

May have to get me another one!!

 

[XSLeo]

Of the options you list, they miss what most of us do. I think the majority do more of a rustoration than a full on restoration. Most find that doing things to be 100% stock can be very costly.
There are many mods that can be done to fix things that are cheaper to do than fixing as stock. Like on the reg/rec. Using car parts is cheaper and often better.
Swing arm bushings. Bronze not the stock fiber. Things like that.
Fix them up as a daily driver not a 100% show bike.
Leo

 

[ippytattoo]

I would say that it really depends on the pool of bikes that are available. Personally I like my "cut up" bike a bunch. With that being said when I went out looking for a bike I knew what I was going to be doing to it. So I specifically looked for a beat down basket case that wasn't really anything special, other than the name, that I could get for very cheap. What I ended up getting was an '81 special with no tins and was not by any stretch of the imagination a candidate for even a rustoration for $300. I would say that is a win for both me and the bike, I got something that I wasn't afraid to "cut up" and the bike actually is back on the road instead of being parted out or scrapped.

 

[wherearewe]

I think you have missed something here personally. It's not as simple as restore or cut. 'Restoration' is great, but some bikes are just too far gone to be worthwhile restoring. Cutting up a minter to make a hard tail is just a crying shame, but there's no shame in bringing an old barn heap back to life in a new form. Thats something to be proud off.

 

[angus67]

I think you have missed something here personally. It's not as simple as restore or cut. 'Restoration' is great, but some bikes are just too far gone to be worthwhile restoring. Cutting up a minter to make a hard tail is just a crying shame, but there's no shame in bringing an old barn heap back to life in a new form. Thats something to be proud off.

this. I didn't vote. poll options were few.
But I wouldn't cut up a complete runner, ide upgrade as wherearewe stated, but my 650 was in boxes, no gas tank, no side covers, no airboxes, no wheels, shattered piston, and since it had a good clear frame for 50$, I made my own hardtail, rebuilt the motor, and am happy I did so.
that said, I will never buy a bike that dosnt run. Ive got near 2k in it, and it dosnt look it because half of that moneys are in the motor.

 

[Airwolfie]

I agree with the above! If you cut up a good runner, that is a crying shame! My bike also was in bits and rusty, and I have spent a lot of money on just engine parts. I also bought mine with the intention of cutting it up, hence it being a basket case. If I got a XS1 or the like, I definately would have restored it, as they will only get rarer as time goes by! But an 81 Special no one would really miss!!!

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

???? Your poll won't let me vote "both"...

 

[jsmith1107]

I have done a few restorations myself as well and they can be costly---it all depends on what you have to do of course. My old Honda was expensive because there is a lot of chrome and hard to find parts. The Yamaha I am doing right now is "fun" for me and will be a rider for the most part---plus it is a break from the regular restoration and a chance for me to be a little more "creative" and I am having fun with it.

 

[chugg]

I voted stock, but only because that was the closest option. My 78 isn't maintained to showroom specs, but rather improved upon to make it mine, and to be more reliable. There are some great examples of style, and workmanship of many types of bikes in this forum , so if I had a bike that wasn't in so good of condition, I would definitely go the chop and mod route.

Philip

 

[racerdave]

Sorry if this offends anyone, but I will never vote for a category that includes chops,bobbers or brats. Spread your poll out more.

 

[smokedyerstang]

I bought my 81 as basically a complete runner. Rode it stock for a couple months but I had plans of chopping it long before I got it. Whether it was mint or in boxes it would've got cut up regardless. If someone's got a rare, clean bike and they want to restore it I'm all for it, but if they wanna cut it up I'm for that too. In the end its their bike to do as they please.

 

[jamesgs4]

70-78 standards were good looking bikes, so I would vote stock for those.
78-83 specials are so disco ugly that they all deserved to be chopped, even into little pieces.

 

[79xs]

70-78 standards were good looking bikes, so I would vote stock for those.
78-83 specials are so disco ugly that they all deserved to be chopped, even into little pieces.

This pretty much sums it up for me.

I guess I should have made a third category, something like "resto-mod", as they call it in the car scene. Keep it classic and fairly original, but make it more readable with modern upgrades...

 

[gggGary]

LEt's make this a bit less "academic"
Check out this 1978 Standard

Bought it last night, what you see is what I got. Shows 25K Right side 140PSI a little oil and it went over 180. Left side nada, zero, zip, looked in with the borescope and I think I can see the hole in the piston.
He bought it from a friend's dad, rode it locally for a while, then tried a road trip, got about 100 miles before finishing the hole in the piston, a typical header, pods, and didn't rejet result.
That was five years ago. Front brake works great. Rear Conti attack tire has 150 miles and it's 5 years old. Wiring is all "fixed up" stock harness, ignition switch, starter solenoid, wiring etc gone. Aside from the bird shit it's in pretty decent shape for a barn bike. I will wash it, get most of the oil off it and park it in the shed for now.

He was asking 350 got him down to $300 plus the ride, 140 miles round trip . Clean signed title,
In my mind it's an on the fence bike, I probably can get it back to "stockish" pretty cheap because I have the parts shed....
What would YOU do with it?

 

[smokedyerstang]

CHOP IT!!!!!!!!!!! Really though, cool bike and ya got a good deal on it.

 

[79xs]

LEt's make this a bit less "academic"
Check out this 1978 Standard

Bought it last night what you see is What you see is what I got. Shows 25K Right side 140PSI a little oil and it went over 180. Left side nada, zero, zip, looked in with the borescope and I think I can see the hole in the piston.
He bought it from a friend's dad, rode it locally then tried a road trip got about 100 miles before finishing the hole in the piston, a typical header, pods, and didn't rejet result.
That was five years ago. Front brake works great. Rear Conti attack tire has 150 miles and it's 5 years old. Aside from the bird shit it's in pretty decent shape for a barn bike. I will wash it, get most of the oil off it and park it in the shed for now.

He was asking 350 got him down to $300 plus the ride, 140 miles round trip . Clean signed title,

What would YOU do with it?

I would fix the motor, remove the sissy bar, put the air box and side covers back on, clean it, and RIDE. Its a good looking bike, especially at the price.

 

[jsmith1107]

If I had a parts shed as you do, would probably take it back to stock but wouldn't be afraid to chop it as well. I think all of this really depends on what YOU prefer. Also, it depends on if you plan on riding it, showing it, or selling it. There are a lot of variables.