Motorcycle Repair: Stator, honda cm400t, honda cm400e

Question
Hi there,
I just recently brought my bike honda cm 400e.. It wasnt staying charged and i had bought a new battery. So i brought it in ... The guys said i needed a new stator and rectifier regulator.. Okay well i know really nothing about any of those things.... I know they are the charging system ect..I guess im wondering how not to get ripped off.. How much does this usually run ? Should i expect to spend 100 bucks or 500 bucks.. Anyway he said the stator was all rusty and that he sent it away to get fixed but he wasnt sure it was salvageable.. If i need a new one are they hard to find/expensive.. This is my first bike and i bought it for 600 bucks.. I really dont want to sink a ton of money into it. Just want to ride through the summer and buy a new bike next year...
Any advice/help would be greatly appreciated..
Thanks

Answer
Austin, replacing the stator takes about an hour, but the parts are scarce and very expensive.

The components are shown here:

http://www.nchouseofmotorcycles.com/fiche_section_detail.asp?section=134629&cate...

http://www.nchouseofmotorcycles.com/fiche_section_detail.asp?section=134655&cate...

The poles on the stator windings need to be cleaned and not rusted, but that doesn't stop them from working. Similarly the rotor/flywheel needs to be clean for maximum magnetic interactions.

http://www.electrosport.com/technical-resources/known-issues/common-tech-issue?m...

http://www.electrosport.com/media/pdf/fault-finding-diagram.pdf

http://www.electrosport.com/street-bikes/honda/cm400t-cm400e-cm400c-79-81.html?p...

http://www.ricksmotorsportelectrics.com/partsearch.php

Parts for a:     1981 Honda CM400E 10-109
  
OEM Style Rectifier-Regulator
  
$ 120.00
  
20-124
  
Rebuilt Honda Stator
  
$ 350.00

Bill Silver