Buying Enfield riding from Delhi to Khatmandu

Hi Everybody!

Me and my girlfriend will be arriving in New Delhi over 2 weeks. The plan is to buy one Royal Enfield and drive in 7 weeks to Khatmandu to sell it there. I heard great things about Lalli Singh and even send him an email, but he did not replied.
We would like to see Agra and Varanasi on our trip.

A few questions;
* Did anyone drove a Enfield with 2 persons and 2 backpacks?
* What is a good adress in Delhi besides Lalli Singh?
* Wich part is the most likely to go defect / should I bring special equipment to fix it, or just go to local garage?
* Any must see, nice driving roads we should visit?

Thank you all so much! Namaste.

Do you want to buy new or used? New is not possible anyway as you'll need proof of residency in India (not a hotel etc) and paperwork for the registration.

Used is possible but apart from the obvious technical pitfalls it means you'll need an ownership document stating that the bike is paid in full and is yours, all registration docs, insurance, pollution control certificate and if you want to sell it, a No Objection Certificate. If you bring it to Nepal you're supposed to pay a daily fee and of course, the idea is not that you sell the bike there. I don't know if a local in Nepal would be able to register the bike there but this looks improbable to me.

Any missing paperwork dramatically reduces the value of the bike.

For driving with a passenger and 2 backpacks you'll want a 500 cc Enfield. Read this blog for some imho very useful info. Especially heed the advice of not buying a bottom-priced bike, it's misery on wheels.

Some additional advice: all of the above takes time, sometimes a lot of time so factor this in. It's totally impossible that you'll be able to walk into a shop in Delhi, put down your money and ride out on the same day. Make sure that the insurance policy on the bike is valid long enough, it's a pain to renew it if things have to go fast. I'm not recommending any sellers b/c you never know, it's a minefield. Lalli Singh mainly rents out bikes to groups, I don't think he's all that interested in selling. Be very, very careful, check the paperwork (and check that it matches your bike) and test it thoroughly before putting down your money. Especially with older bikes they sometimes reconstruct the engine and cut corners there which result in a catastrophic breakdown after a couple of 100 km.

And adding:

Be very careful while driving and resist the temptation not to wear a motorcycling vest and denim trousers. The main problem as far as I've experienced is not the other traffic but the fact that you need to keep a constant eye on the road for potholes, uneven paving, branches, locals who pour their grain on it so the driving vehicles de-husk it (!) and animals running about and crossing at the worst possible moment. Don't drive at night unless it's a dire emergency. Take at least a day to familiarize yourself with the bike before setting out. If you buy an old enfield, the gearshift will be on the right side, if you're used to driving with a European bike this is dangerous, especially in an emergency.

And about 100 other things but those you'll find out for yourself.

Good luck!

Thanks Dellichaat for your extensive answer. Indeed I would like to buy a used bike. If its to much of a hassle selling the bike in Nepal, maybe I can sell it better before crossing the border? Hoping I can have the bike sorted in one week after arrival.
Gonna read that topic you suggested now.