Fact of the Matter...
First off here's all the bikes I've owned: Hawk GT, Buell S1W, YZF600R, 97 YZF1000R... And here's the three bikes I own currently: Monster 900SIE, BCM-built Ducati 750SS/795 (trackbike), AND yes, I also own a 2002 Royal Enfield Bullet 500ES.
About the Enfield... True, Royal Enfield was originally a Brit company but decades ago ran into financial trouble and faced bancruptcy... In what seemed like an act of devine intervention, India's military placed an order for 20,000 bullets to be used in one of their many wars with Pakistan (late 40's/early 50's?)... Upon receiving this order, the Enfield company built and tooled a factory in Madras India and staved off the inevitable a little longer. Recently, a group of investors bought up the factory and began building bullets in exactly the same fashion as the last one that came off the assembly line decades before. My 2002 Bullet is an exact duplicate of a 1956 bullet (minus the electric start)... It has the same soft aluminum cases and timing chest covers, the same points ignition down to the same lucas coil... All made in the same fashion with the same tooling as before. In bike shows and enfield gatherings they do not stipulate between the brit and india versions as by this time there simply aren't any pure brit versions that don't have replacement parts on them from the indian factory. Does it run like a clock? Hell no... Is this my only bike? Hell no.
What the enfield is, is a brand new antique with a lot of promise and querky-cool ideas. I've installed a 536cc big bore kit with a high compression ratio piston (8.5:1), high lift/longer duration cams, a goldstar exhaust, hi-comp valve springs and clutch springs, hi-po oil pumps (both scavenge and feed), a 7" headlamp, a solo springer seat, a pedestrian slicer, an Amul 32mm carb and other knick-knacks... It dynoed with 12.4 rwhp stock and I've got it up to around 28 rwhp. Is it a rocket? Hell no (it does sound mean as all hell though). Is it cool? I love the damn thing, and I get more looks on it than anything I've ever ridden. I'm 29 and chicks my age dig it. This thing is so easy to maintain (and even completely rebuild) and parts are dirt cheap and readily available. What other makes offer clutch kits for 40 bucks?
My advice to you would be to take a step back and re-evaluate your wants in a bike. If you have a little mechanical aptitude and patience, the Bullet can be a very rewarding machine to own, ride and enjoy... What other make can you increase the performance of by a 100% in your own garage with your own hands? And if you address a few items you'll find it's reliability is greatly increased and within a short enough time period you'll come to enjoy the mastery you have over being able to handle anything it sends your way... However, if you just want a bike that you jump on, and hit the switch, you'll probably come to loathe the machine more than you already do. Sending this bike to a shop is not an option for long term ownership (unless you're rich)... Aside from Bruce Myers, Dan Holmes, and a handful of other mechanics/shop owners, it's been my experience that nobody gives a damn about their craft and especially about your bike.
If you do decide to take the road less traveled, Dan Holmes is the nation's expert on Bullets and owns a shop in Goshen Indiana and would be a great resource:
http://www.drscycle.safeshopper.com/
Dan is currently going after the world speed record for a pushrod single class on a bullet and has one with over 115 ft-lbs of torque... He also actively roadraces them in vintage class and can answer all your questions and set you on the right track to enjoying your bike... I'd also be happy to answer any questions myself as I'm a little further along on the learning curve of this unique machine that I hope others will also find still has a place in the modern day of mindless motorcycling.