[smokie]

Hi,

I am buying a Bullet 500cc. I just found one in my city (Hyderabad). I looked everywhere.

The bullet is a 1998 model. The engine rings have been replaced. It has not been bored. The bore and piston are original. It looks very good. It has been chromed/nickel plated recently. The odometer has been reset. All the electricals work. It starts on the first kick. There is no unusual noise coming from the engine, but I haven't heard much bullets before this.

I have haggled the price down to 57,000/- (started at 70k). Is this a decent price? I could not locate any other 500cc to compare the price with.

Edit: Missed the "urgent" part. I am taking a local mechanic (not a bullet mechanic) tomorrow to have a look at the bike. I will be paying for it tomorrow, if everything is ok. Is there something which I should be looking at?

Thanks for your time and advice

EXPENSIVE is all i can say for a 98

[smokie]

What would be right price? I have no clue.

[smokie]

Bought it. For 56k. Here is a pic.

Great looking Bike! Congratulations. Enjoy!

[ac 427]

Originally Posted by D-Man

EXPENSIVE is all i can say for a 98

56 for a 98 is a good price. It looks good.

Be Safe.
ac

[DesertKing]

Happy BULLETing...

PS :: I want to the fuel effeciency and max speed..

[MalluDude]

Where's the pic?? Had u put it up?

[Spitfire]

Why not go for a new one instead of paying more then 50k for a 10 year old bike?

I am not arguing your purchase the bike atleast in the pics looks very well maintained.

[500modder]

The bike looks like it's in good shape. That could either mean that it's been well looked after or that it's just been redone.But more important that the exterior is the engine. run your finger around the inside of the silencer and see if there are heavy black or oily deposits - if so you could have to replace the piston/rings. Hopefully the engine is developing good compression - although this is hard to tell.

Is it easy to start? Does it have a regular sounding idle? Are the brakes making a noise? Are the tyres in good shape? Are the electricals in good order? All these questions will determine a whether the bike is worth is.

Assuming the bike was in perfect condition I'd say 56k is too much for it. It should be somewhere in the 40s, or even 30s, given the fact that it's 10 years old. At least that's what a similar bike in Mumbai would cost. I just bought a 2002 enfield 500 for 25k, but it needed a lot of cosmetic work (no engine work). So I'm guessing 30-40k is about right.

[smokie]

Originally Posted by MalluDude

Where's the pic?? Had u put it up?

It's in one of the posts above. It's a pic from my phone. Will take better pics once I get hold of a decent camera. Here is the url to the pic http://i40.tinypic.com/izz60p.jpg

Originally Posted by Spitfire

Why not go for a new one instead of paying more then 50k for a 10 year old bike?

I am not arguing your purchase the bike atleast in the pics looks very well maintained.

There are many reasons specific to me.

1. I could only afford a bike for 50k. I am going back to college in June after working for 5 long years. Without taking loans for college fees, etc. this the maximum that I could put aside.

2. The new 500LB is AVL and is not readily available. It's 1.10 lakhs and no one will give me a loan now that I am going to be student. If I were still working, I would have bought the 500LB.

3. I could have bought a decent 350, but wanted to get a 500. It's not going to be my daily ride, just something I want to play around with once in a while. Since, this is also my first bike, I have many things to learn.

PS: I took a small ride near my house with another friend of mine. While on the way back, the engine just died. After a lot of kicking followed by some abusing I called my mechanic. My friend went and fetched him. He started it with 1 kick. Turns out I had somehow engaged the engine kill switch. . He then proceeded to stare at me with a look of disapproval.

Originally Posted by DesertKing

Happy BULLETing...

PS :: I want to the fuel effeciency and max speed..

I got it upto 90kmph. A quick dab on the throttle and it still had enough left in it. Unfortunately, I didn't. Got scared and backed down.

Originally Posted by 500modder

The bike looks like it's in good shape. That could either mean that it's been well looked after or that it's just been redone.But more important that the exterior is the engine. run your finger around the inside of the silencer and see if there are heavy black or oily deposits - if so you could have to replace the piston/rings. Hopefully the engine is developing good compression - although this is hard to tell.

Is it easy to start? Does it have a regular sounding idle? Are the brakes making a noise? Are the tyres in good shape? Are the electricals in good order? All these questions will determine a whether the bike is worth is.

Assuming the bike was in perfect condition I'd say 56k is too much for it. It should be somewhere in the 40s, or even 30s, given the fact that it's 10 years old. At least that's what a similar bike in Mumbai would cost. I just bought a 2002 enfield 500 for 25k, but it needed a lot of cosmetic work (no engine work). So I'm guessing 30-40k is about right.

I will put up a video of it starting and idling tomorrow.

1. Silencer deposits - Will check in the evening. [Will edit this post]
2. It is easy to start. I manage to start it most of the time with 1 kick. My friend and mechanic gets it going with no problem.
3. No noise from brakes.
4. Tyres are almost new.
5. All the indicators and lights work. The horn is strong sounding. It's louder than my cars, or atleast feels like it. Is there anything else I can check?

I am guessing I am overpaying a bit. But since I found only one 500 in Hyderabad, I guess this has to be it. Maybe it found me.

On a side note, congrats on your Cafe Racer project. It looks amazing. Can you help me pick out a K&N filter? I have been told that RC-1100 is better than RC-1060 for the 500. I am not planning on replacing the silencer anytime soon. Maybe in a few months. I am not looking for mind-blowing performance change with the filter, just getting it all together. Can I fix the filter on my own?


Note from the Team-BHP Support Team : Please use the "edit" button if posting within 15 minutes of the first post, instead of creating another back-to-back post

Also use "Multi Quote" option for quoting Multiple posts.

[justROYal]

Originally Posted by 500modder

The bike looks like it's in good shape. That could either mean that it's been well looked after or that it's just been redone.But more important that the exterior is the engine. run your finger around the inside of the silencer and see if there are heavy black or oily deposits - if so you could have to replace the piston/rings. Hopefully the engine is developing good compression - although this is hard to tell.

Remove the spark plug lead and open ur spark plug. Crank it while dead once. There should be a huge rush from the spark plug hole. That gives u a fair idea about compression. Given that the rings are originals, make sure there is no wear and tear on them. The Odo being reset, I dont think yo u know how many kilometers this baby has done.

Is it easy to start? Does it have a regular sounding idle? Are the brakes making a noise? Are the tyres in good shape? Are the electricals in good order? All these questions will determine a whether the bike is worth is.

Originally Posted by 500modder

Assuming the bike was in perfect condition I'd say 56k is too much for it. It should be somewhere in the 40s, or even 30s, given the fact that it's 10 years old. At least that's what a similar bike in Mumbai would cost. I just bought a 2002 enfield 500 for 25k, but it needed a lot of cosmetic work (no engine work). So I'm guessing 30-40k is about right.

The price is quite right as Cast Iron 500s aren't available easily in Hyderabad nowadays.

I suggest a trip to Sudhakar Anna (Bansilalpet...ask at Commercial store, Ranigunj for directions) to make sure your baby is as good as she looks.

Congratulations...I am so jealous of you!

[500modder]

Originally Posted by smokie

On a side note, congrats on your Cafe Racer project. It looks amazing. Can you help me pick out a K&N filter? I have been told that RC-1100 is better than RC-1060 for the 500. I am not planning on replacing the silencer anytime soon. Maybe in a few months. I am not looking for mind-blowing performance change with the filter, just getting it all together. Can I fix the filter on my own?

Hey thanks man. The filter on my bike isn't a K&N branded filter so I can't help you with the model number. It came with the CMW 30mm slide carb from the US. You just have to make sure the filter fits over the intake mouth of the carb. Doesn't matter if it's 1-2mm on the larger side because it comes with a screw cinch-strap which tightens the filter around the mouth. It's very easy to fit it on your own. The OEM airbox is also easy to remove. The harder bit: since the current airbox is a bit restrictive, and the K&N will allow in a lot more air, you may need to adjust the airscrew on your carb to make it a bit richer. You'll know it's running lean if the engine barrel gets overly hot or the spark plug gets a white-ish deposit on it.

[TheARUN]

Very nice buy. The 500 is the grand daddy of all bikes. Forget how much you paid for it, its a half litre bike, and that is an awesome feeling.

Congratulations.

Just for the record, I bought my BULLET for 24,000, a 99 model, and its running beautifully.

I'm right now running off to check for deposits in my silencer

[prabhuav]

I bought my 98 500 for 25k, but in nowhere as prettty a condition as this one. Forget what you paid for her, just enjoy her