Is a debugged Royal Enfield Bullet worth more? Yes!

This 1999 Royal Enfield Bullet looks great and is "debugged" too!

"Debugged." That's the selling point cited by the owner of a 1999 Royal Enfield Bullet trying to sell it on CraigsList in Allentown, Pa.

Need he say more?

Royal Enfields built and exported to the United States in 1999 were built to mixed standards. They were said to be far improved over the first batch of the modern era, received on these shores in 1995.

But they were still improving. Running changes at the factory meant there is a distinction between "early" 1999s and and "late" 1999s. An improved electrical system was the main difference.

My Bullet is an "early" 1999. Of the electrical system, my dealer told me "don't add any lights; it can't handle them."

As far as "bugs" go there really was only one on my bike: a loose wire in the nacelle left me stranded twice until I figured out I could get it started by reaching into the back of the nacelle and wiggling the wires until the ammeter moved.

My dealer fixed that by binding the connection with electrical tape. Bug gone.

My Bullet was the first brand new motor vehicle I had purchased in a long time. I'd long decided there was no point buying new American cars — let the first owner go back to the dealer time and again to get it working right.

Today, thanks to the Japanese, we expect all new motor vehicles to operate perfectly right off the dealer's lot.

Quite a change from that day in 1977 when I tried to drive my brand new Chevrolet Vega home from the dealer: the car barely made it back around the block to the dealer and it spent two days being "fixed" before I could pick it up again.

Or try to pick it up — I barely made it back around the block a second time!

I think the Allentown seller has a good point. A debugged vehicle has its attractions.