Chop or Stock - Pleas help me decide!

[11Rider]

Hidey-ho my fellow 11 enthusiasts. I bought a really nice '79 SF a while back that's low mileage, almost all stock and in very nice mechanical and cosmetic condition. ON THE ONE HAND, I peruse the net and see all these righteous custom 11s that I really like. I also enjoy tinkering and making my bike "my own". ON THE OTHER HAND, I wonder how much value may be lost if I get too far into true customization.
If any of you have struggled with the same concerns, please let's hear about your conclusion!!

[dbeardslee]

IMHO it would be a shame to cut up a nice 11. Probably sacrifice some rideability too. QRFan's 79SF had a blown head gasket and a host of other issues, and she brought it to me at the beginning of the summer, and I applied copious amounts of TLC. When I got done, I put about 1k miles on it, and I must say I was really impressed. The riding position is really comfortable, it handles almost as well as my standard, and with the curve of the handlebars and the way it sits it's just an evil looking bastage (Johnny Dangerously, circa 1984). Not only that, but you can drive it through a puddle without it throwing water all over your back .

[crazy steve]

This a troll? Or are you just looking for abuse?

Just keep this in mind; if you're trying to retain 'value', a nice original example (or very close to it; paint/detailing/performance improvements usually won't hurt) will be worth more than any 'customized' one, and going too far will reduce it to a 'parts bike' in many peoples eyes...

[1st bike]

do what you want. most of the folks here are here because the LOVE this bike! and that is great, but it is YOUR bike, so follow your bliss. if you want a ratted out rod bike, do it. if you want a shiny custom raked out bar hopper, do it. for those that love this bike the way it is, it will only make yours that much better, for those that love to tinker and modify, maybe you can get some ideas....this is so much fun, to have a big toy that you can do what you want to, when you want to do it. keep all the original parts, and you can have both! one season, the custom ride you want, replace over the winter and you have a stock bike for the next season. have fun with it.. there is a dude somewhere on here that put a briggs and straton motor in one of these. he hard tailed it, and last i saw it was looking BAD!!! in a good way. have fun, man, do what you want, and keep everything you take off.

[11Rider]

do what you want. most of the folks here are here because the LOVE this bike! and that is great, but it is YOUR bike, so follow your bliss. if you want a ratted out rod bike, do it. if you want a shiny custom raked out bar hopper, do it. for those that love this bike the way it is, it will only make yours that much better, for those that love to tinker and modify, maybe you can get some ideas....this is so much fun, to have a big toy that you can do what you want to, when you want to do it. keep all the original parts, and you can have both! one season, the custom ride you want, replace over the winter and you have a stock bike for the next season. have fun with it.. there is a dude somewhere on here that put a briggs and straton motor in one of these. he hard tailed it, and last i saw it was looking BAD!!! in a good way. have fun, man, do what you want, and keep everything you take off.

Good advise. I'll probably go down the road of keeping thigs tame and "reversible" - but I MUST customize!

[xs11lover]

I don't really think an xs11 has any real $ value anyway. It's value is as a great bike that runs forever. People that own them love em but they seem to be lost on other bikers.
Now if it's all stock with great paint, stock pipes, no dents and rustless, i'd let it stock. I think some day the 78E ,79SF and the Midnights will be collection bikes. Other than that....do what you want & save the parts, there are lots of nice xs11 customs. Just keep it in good taiste and the value won't change. It could even go up. I'd link some pics, but I'm sure you're all sick of my bikes. They sold for above average price.
I don't know if I would hard tail it or make a long chopper out of it.

[T99Ford]

^ What XS11lover said. If you are looking for a bike that will have any real significant vale, I am afraid it will say HD on the side, and not Yamaha. I have yet to see any stock XS go for anything close to HD prices, regardless of the condition. I have seen some well modded ones bring a relative premium, though.

So, I would weigh what you want in the bike, and continue from there. Don't worry about the value!

[fredintoon]

Hidey-ho my fellow 11 enthusiasts. I bought a really nice '79 SF a while back that's low mileage, almost all stock and in very nice mechanical and cosmetic condition. ON THE ONE HAND, I peruse the net and see all these righteous custom 11s that I really like. I also enjoy tinkering and making my bike "my own". ON THE OTHER HAND, I wonder how much value may be lost if I get too far into true customization.
If any of you have struggled with the same concerns, please let's hear about your conclusion!!

Hi Rider,
as has been said (and said and said - - - ) it's yours, do with it what you will.
That said, I'd suggest you don't do anything that can't be undone.
Want a hardtail? (it's your spine, not mine)
Strut the swingarm and store the shocks.
Want a daft little gas tank? (it's you that has to push a 600lb bike to the gas station, not me)
Store the stock tank and don't prune the stock tank mounts.
Want a front wheel that's in the next county?
Buy overlength fork tubes from Forking by Frank but don't cut & rake the frame.
Etc.
That way, when you are bored with being mistaken for Peter Fonda, you can put the bike back to stock and regain it's resale value.

[ManagerMike]

These bikes are 30+ years old, they don't say hardley or injun on the side, and have a 'value' that is measured only by the joy they bring to those of us lucky enough to own one. Do whatever the frukenhiem you want to it, it's yours. If your mods increase your joy of ownership, it's value has been increased.

[roadrider]

keep it stock

Have you every rode a hard tail chopper, they are the hardest type bike for your body ! I have it runed my lower back.
i have a 79' f full dress my wife and I have logged 1,000 miles this short summer . I would'nt change a thing.
Ride it like you stole it, have fun and keep the shiny side UP.

[11Rider]

^^^All good thoughts - thanks everyone^^^ I generally like the looks of the stock SF so I don't think it would take much to get it where I want it. First thing is going to be redoing some of the chrome, powdercoating and paint as well as different bars.

[lee_dutcher]

do what you will with it.. for me i was torn between cafe' an bobber so i got parts for both.... but making stuff your own makes u differnt and to me that makes everything worth more....just make sure all mods are reversable.. just incase

[Pat Kelly]

I have this same quandry with my 80 LG. Being a Midnight Special in really good condition and being a 'relatively' rare or limited production bike, I want to keep it stock.
Personally I don't like the Special's stock handle bars (or most cruiser type bikes) so I swapped them for superbike bars. I still have the original bars (not for sale). I also wanted to preserve the stock exhaust that is in really good shape (not for sale) so I have an RC Eng. 4 into 1 exhaust with SuperTrapp baffle and discs. I feel this makes the bike look naked on the left side (no muffler) and the muffler on the right goes back to far. All asthetics. I aquired 2 short SuperTrapp mufflers that will be attached to a "Y" pipe, then be black ceramic coated. This should replicate the stock look and be tuneable for performance/sound.
The one part that can't be put back to stock is the 1200 big bore kit (1196). This was needed as the rings were worn (that's my story and I'm sticking to it). Other changes will be 78 head and cams, 78 carbs, and 78 timeing advance/pick-up coils.
I did add a Tkat forkbrace and will eventually get a set of (black) Progressive shocks.
Cosmetically is will be nearly original looking and (XSecpt for the internals) can be put back to stock.

For me value is how much "I" like my bike. I didn't buy it (or my E) as an investment. There are times I have the opinion that someone is doing more to their bike than is safe or practacle. But that is my opinion and I will usually explain why I have that opinion. It is still your bike and you do what you want to it.

[jdalew]

Check before you chop

While I have no opinion on stock vs. chopped (they can both be great), you should check on laws in your state regarding modifications.
Example: in Pennsylvania you can't remove or significantly modify the fenders, the rake/length of the forks, have handlebars higher than your shoulders when sitting normally on the bike, etc.
It would be ashame to make a really cool bobber only to find it won't pass state inspection. ;-)

[Rasputin]

If it is mostly there and in good condition I would keep it stock. There are plenty of beat up XS's around to mangle and change around to your hearts content. The single biggest issue that comes to mind is that when you need help with something (wiring issues for example), you may not find it. A lot of the guys here can help with a stock bike problem, but wont know how to fix a wiring harness you have chopped up to eliminate stock pieces.
The other thing is parts availability. Some parts are hard to find for these bikes and it will be even harder to find stuff to customize it to what you want. This could result in fabricating parts or machine work that will be cost prohibitive. Of course that depends on your personal skill level and back pocket contents.
All that being said, it is your bike and whatever pleases you is where it should go. Just try to be careful with what you do that it remains safe to ride. No half-assed welds etc. I have a parts bike that I may decide to chop up one day just to see what I am capable of.