How to buy a used Royal Enfield in India

Jean-Paul van Buul has produced a useful blog about how to buy a used Royal Enfield when in India. He takes a hard-nosed and opinionated view of the pleasures and (mostly) pitfalls of dealing with buying, registering and riding a Bullet in a country that often confounds foreign travellers.

You know you are getting straight-from-the-shoulder tips when van Buul opens his blog with: "I would highly recommend a Honda." This guy is not misty eyed about the delights of a vintage thumper. Enfields are over-priced, over-rated and unreliable, he says.

But, then, you have to realize, van Buul is talking about riding in some pretty drastic conditions. This statement, for instance: "However the Big issue I had with the drum brake was when I was coming down from the Himalayas." Yeah, coming down from the Himalayas on primitive roads could be an acid test.

I disagree with van Buul on a couple things. He thinks points ignition is a problem because it never can be set perfectly. I would argue that, well, it doesn't have to be perfect, and you don't need a strobe light to come close enough to ride.

But much of his advice is probably right on target. One thing that surprised me was that he suggested paying more for a newer bike, even though India is capable of restoring anything. He is a colorful guy and his blog is worth a look. I especially like that he links to my own WikiHow article on how to buy a used Enfield in the United States.

Below is van Buul's video of himself crossing a river in the Himalayas.