Bridgestone 400
 

Hopefully I'm going to be trading a bike for a NOS Bridgestone 400 identical to the one in the pic except that its violet, it came out of the orig bike just this past summer and is in perfect shape, I know its lower end but do you guys know if it's a nice riding bike?
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...one-400psd.jpg

Sounds like a great find for you. I have one that I've passed on to my son but it is a great riding bike and I put about 13,000 miles on it from general riding, touring and trails. It isn't the lightest bike but has a sweet comfortable ride and is reasonably responsive. They had pretty nice components for their day and the Bridgestone SC brakes are nice.
A classic Japanese bike that I'm sure you will enjoy for many miles.

I don't believe it's really lower end .. not for bridgestone. It would have been only a few models below their entry level road racer the 600 those years. It may not be built for the same application but still usable as a racer, I'm sure. I have a 550 -which seems to fill the entry level slot vacated by the 600 series which I guess was dropped when the RB models began- in metallic blue
nice paint
weighs about 24 pounds and is pretty fast ..but a little "skittish"
The saddle on mine was different but still sucked. I'd definitely change that even if only to a new cheap saddle off ebay for $15.
A better bike presented itself this winter that was my true size -a 54cm Stowe opposed to the 56cm Bridgestone
but still, for the couple hundred miles I got to ride it it was pretty cool.

Thanks, if I do change out the saddle it'll be for a brooks! :) I just put a green Brooks Pro on my 1971 Schwinn Sports Tourer and I love it! not to mention I have one on my 1974 Schwinn Super Sport! ;) but that came on it from factory :D

The 400 had the same, very nice, frame as the 500, just slightly cheaper parts. I suppose everyone has a different definition of "Low end" but I think they were a great bike for the money.

Nothing wrong with the OEM gruppo but IMHO the frame is nice enough to justify upgraded parts if that's your preference.

We've had a 500 in our family for about 20 years. Now that my 17 y/o nephew has it, he's tuning into a real bike enthusiast.

Sweet! but I'm not going to upgrade it as its minty NOS and I'm one of those "why fix it if it's not broke" kindoff guys ;)