Need help deciding if I should buy this Bullet :?

[Coopster54]

I'm new here and have been looking for a bullet. Well guess what ? One on sale a few miles from here, What do you guys think from the listing? Common problem? or lemon?
price just sounds good.

2005 Royal Enfield Bullet 500. Needs minor work. Ran fine last week, now it is not. The cylinder is getting too much gas. Spark plug is wet. I'm sure its a simple carb adjustment, maybe the float level? Honestly, I don't have the time or patience for this bike any more. Clubman bars, aftermarket exhaust and beehive tail light. Royal blue in color, tank is primered, ready to paint. The reason the tank is primered is because it had scraches, no dents. Lost the keys for it a while back and replaced the ignition switch but not the gas cap or tool box locks so it will need those. Cheap on Ebay. Good tires. This is a really cool, fun bike in need of a little patience and time. Could be cleaned up a little. Clear title. 8K. Pretty firm on the price. Blue book is $3175 so this is a pretty good deal. Selling this for a friend. Leave a message if I don't answer. Thanks $2000.

[prof_stack]

If you have the time and the inclination and patience and a sense of humor, then buy it.

Otherwise, run away as fast as you can.  You can do better.

[PhilJ]

What I noticed as odd was at the top of his sales pitch he "didn't have the time or patience" and at the bottom he "was selling for a friend". Maybe that's nothing but sounded odd to me. If that is the only problem, then he's probably right about the carb.

[Kruiser]

Maybe bring a spark plug some tools and see if you can get in running before you hand over any money.   

[Blltrdr]

 Good call Phil. I would definitely move on. There are way to many things wrong with this bike and probably a lot more once you purchase it. There are plenty of Enfield's for sale on a regular basis that have been properly broken in (most important aspect when purchasing a used Bullet) and well maintained by there owners. Patience Coopster

Blltrdr

[Bullet Bill]

Standard procedure for buying vehicles posted in want ads or Craigslist is to hire a mechanic to check it out for you.  It'll cost you (supposedly to the tune of $50), but it'll save you boatloads of trouble in the long run; you don't have to throw your money  at the carb only to find out that you were cheated and the bike still doesn't work.

EDIT:  I'm also in agreement with the other posters here.  If the engine's not properly broken in, you have a problem that will never go away.  Find a better bike, with a better owner.

[Coopster54]

Thanks for the quick replys. I'll be cautious about this one. I have a honda 500 right now, and got it off ebay and it was a steal!!!!, but I love the REs.  I would want a running good sounding one before purchasing though.

[Vince]

     The used Enfields I see generally are either really good, or really bad. There is not much in the middle. The problem the seller describes is a relatively minor carb problem. If he doesn't have the patience for this, what other maintenance didn't he have the patience.
     A rule of thumb: If it doesn't run, or run properly, it is a paper weight, not a motorcycle.
     Another interesting observation: The more involved the seller's story is, the more involved the repair.
     I tend to think that a new bike would ultimately be cheaper than the one you are considering.