Talk me out of a Ural

[johnfoxllb]

My stable is currently occupied with a Harley Breakout, KTM 990SM, Fazer 1000 and Blackbird.

But.....I have long held an interest in Ural.

I've got the Fazer for sale and although the Blackbird is a recent arrival, I long for something a little unique.

In addition I have a 4yr old son and would like, at some point in the future, to take him for a spin on a bike. A sidecar
would probably be a tad more acceptable in his mother's eyes.

So, with all that said, what say you knowledgable folk about these Russian contraptions? For 2014 they are adding disc brakes, a better steering damper,
fuel injection etc.

 

[Fanum]

There's a long but very good thread over on Advrider.com about how crap they are. (in the hacks section)

Lots of defence of them on the thread as well, and loads of sensible advice on how to modify certain key parts to get them 'up to standard', and it's well worth setting some time aside to go through the thread

 

[Rob Farmer]

Speak to Tarka! he's a mine of information and has two of them.

 

[DrFarkoff]

before you splash the cash

Have you ever ridden a sidecar ? They're not everyones cup of tea

 

[johnfoxllb]

There's a long but very good thread over on Advrider.com about how crap they are. (in the hacks section)

Lots of defence of them on the thread as well, and loads of sensible advice on how to modify certain key parts to get them 'up to standard', and it's well worth setting some time aside to go through the thread

Thanks I'll pop over and take a look at that thread.

 

[johnfoxllb]

before you splash the cash

Have you ever ridden a sidecar ? They're not everyones cup of tea

No, this would be new territory for me. Maybe a test ride would be advisable.

 

[DrFarkoff]

Very!! My first meeting with a sidecar was a wayward beast of a thing totally incorrectly set up and scared the behjaysus outta me at 10 mph! My pal who owned it had ridden it to Norway like that!!!! @ 40mph plus

But after clearing the garage floor and contacting Messrs Squire .....

and slackening a few bolts and adjusting a few adjustables I got a very nice handling stable chair that just needed a 20kg bag of gravel in the boot when the chair was empty (tendancy to rise the chair in left handers otherwise)

I'd definitely have a word with Tarka or MMC if you are serious they can guide you more about the power and reliability and my bugbear about Ural how come they don't have leading link forks? Just because they are heavy enough? or that they are designed for having a sidecar etc etc

No, this would be new territory for me. Maybe a test ride would be advisable.

 

[Twistgrip]

my bugbear about Ural how come they don't have leading link forks? Just because they are heavy enough? or that they are designed for having a sidecar etc etc

To my knowledge,all Ural sidecar outfits,(apart from the "Retro" model,which has tele forks) come with leading link front forks as standard. Tarka will know for sure.

 

[Tarka]

First of all,don't be misled by the gadget and gizmo obsessed Americans on ADVrider into thinking that the 2014 model is a must have that makes all previous models obsolete.
Yes,it's a much improved model in many ways but nothing on it is vital and the older models are perfectly useable in all ways.

The older models are better in some ways,as the drum brake models have a fully interchangeable spare wheel which isn't the case on the disc model and it's a bit of a ballache swapping hub sections on the 2014 model.

If you set the drum brake up correctly it can perform just as well as the disc so don't be put off by frequently seen web babble about only buying a disc equipped Ural.

As others have said above,I do indeed own and regularly use two Ural combos.

One is a year 2000 650 that had telescopic forks and now fitted with Dnepr leading links.
The other a year 2004 750 that has leading links as standard.

Most,but not all, post 2001 Urals have leading links as standard,and they are well recommended for sidecar outfits...teles are okay until you try leading links and feel the difference.

Have a look in our Ride Reports or do a search on ADVrider's Ride Report section plus the Hacks section for my Ural trips,rallies and fun if you want to see just how enjoyable Ural ownership can be.

Oh yeah....and FFS get yourself some training by a proficient sidecar rider before even dreaming of setting off on the road on your own combo!

My now good mate MMC once thought he could buy and ride home a Ural without even sitting on one beforehand....I explained the error of his ways,then rode down to meet him and collect his Ural.
Once I'd ridden it to a training area with him,and started teaching him how to control it,he realised that he would have died or scared himself shiteless trying to ride it himself.

A weekend together and he was a fully fledged combo pilot and chair flyer!

 

[Cook1e]

My mate Ron loves them. He sent me this link to the Irbitsky State Motorcycle Museum LINKY

Some fascinating machines - Ural M73 custom???

 

[Robbo1200ADV]

Many a night have I gazed longingly at this site Some Great info , even quite fancy the Jawa Classic

http://www.f2motorcycles.ltd.uk/motorcycles.html

 

[Robbo1200ADV]

How Could you not want this ?

 

[Packer]

How Could you not want this ?

Now lets see, an engine that was designed around 75 years ago. Low power, horrific fuel consumption, such poor performance it probably shouldn't be on an A road let alone dual carriageway or motorway, crude and cheaply made cycle components and your safety compromised by the asymmetric design. Oh, and new almost £10K. If you want such modern wonders of engineering like disc brakes, a proper oil filter and fuel injection almost £11K.

Hang on, you could have a BMW R1200R and a used chair for that money.

You'd have to be a self indulgent masochist to want one of those

 

[Robbo1200ADV]

Now lets see, an engine that was designed around 75 years ago. Low power, horrific fuel consumption, such poor performance it probably shouldn't be on an A road let alone dual carriageway or motorway, crude and cheaply made cycle components and your safety compromised by the asymmetric design. Oh, and new almost £10K. If you want such modern wonders of engineering like disc brakes, a proper oil filter and fuel injection almost £11K.

Hang on, you could have a BMW R1200R and a used chair for that money.

You'd have to be a self indulgent masochist to want one of those

You are of course correct and I do like a bit of Masochism!! But I grew up on Voskhods Jupiters and the sport Planeta 350 in 1977 before I could afford a T500 . I was at 6th form and worked at Woolworths as the Man with the Broom and did 4 paper rounds to keep my Russian bikes going !! IIt loooks nice though Eh ?

 

[Packer]

............ IIt loooks nice though Eh ?

Actually, in a weird and slightly worrying way, it does. Help, this may turn into a slippery slope.

 

[52blackshadow]

I looked at a Ural through F2 a few years ago, but was put off by their attitude (was told he would not consider selling me an outfit unless I first booked a 2 hour training slot with him, also told I could not have a test ride, but should buy one blind and he'd make me a second hand offer to buy it back if I didn't like it. - Was offended, because I'd been driving outfits for about 20 years, and thought he might have asked if I could drive one, rather than just assume and refuse a sale so I walked away and never went back there).

Had a Dnepr about 20 years ago, bought from an estate in Birmingham for £ 100.00 and driven round for a couple of years, before I made the mistake of taking off the chair. I decided at that point that I no longer liked it and it ended up taking up shed space until someone else came and bought it from me.

What happened to all the cheap ones we used to see?

 

[Deleted account 211025001]

I like bikes with character and character is often part and parcel of how much you have to tinker with a bike and how reliable it is.

However, even though I've ridden outfits for the last 30 years plus, including everything thing from highly tuned 1/4 mile burners to a Kent show exhibited custom to an XS11/Genmini 4 seater I have never considered nor would I consider a Ural; far tooooooo much character for me.

There are far bettter alternatives out there that are just as quirky and fun, honest.
Well, you did ask to be put off getting one

Defo get yourself a go on an outfit first and perservere, they really are rewarding and fun to ride but it'd be easy to be put off by an initial bad experiance.

Oh and one last thing, a personal thing admitadly, but don't worry about l/links v teles. FWIW a well set up outfit is better off with teles as there is much better feedback and the sodding front end doesn't lift (like a C90) when you brake. Just try stopping a heavy outfit from speed with all the weight lifted off the front tyre Admitadly heavy braking is not an issue on a Ural...................

Andres

 

[VAL. H.]

My stable is currently occupied with a Harley Breakout, KTM 990SM, Fazer 1000 and Blackbird.

But.....I have long held an interest in Ural.

I've got the Fazer for sale and although the Blackbird is a recent arrival, I long for something a little unique.

In addition I have a 4yr old son and would like, at some point in the future, to take him for a spin on a bike. A sidecar
would probably be a tad more acceptable in his mother's eyes.

So, with all that said, what say you knowledgable folk about these Russian contraptions? For 2014 they are adding disc brakes, a better steering damper,
fuel injection etc.

With the exception of the Breakout all you bikes are basically bullet proof, needing minimal maintenance, other than normal servicing. The Ural is a very different puppy.

The Ural is as much about fettling and very regular servicing, as it is about riding. High maintenance when compared to what you are currently used to. If that's what you're looking for, go for it, you'll enjoy it. There is definitely something about the Urals that draws you in.

For me though, I couldn't bring myself to make that commitment. Instead I went for something a little more reliable in my view. A BMW R80 fitted with a Velorex chair (Not recommended for a total novice as it's very 'almost too' light), though a heavier chair would be a wiser choice. It looks very similar to the Ural with all the wheels being the same size. But much less of the fettling.


Val.

 

[Bucephalus]

My 2xp'th

If you were my friend and wanted to ride my current bike, or a new addition, fine, however if you wanted to ride my outfit..Nada, sorry, because you are my friend; same goes if I were a dealer.

As we know when someone walks in off the street, and states how experienced they are I wouldn't be happy to supply test rides Ad Hoc, I have raced a bit and ridden all sorts of PTW but nothing prepared me for the outfit I bought and thought I would just ride home!

No two wheel experience seems to translate, and those who say how experienced they are with a bit on the side, sadly IMO can get into difficulties trying to ride a particular outfit like their own or one they last rode, because the buggers are all different, like errant bleeding children, why do we do it?

But, please do, I can recommend it, especially with summer coming, pootle into the countryside with the dog and a picnic.

I would also respectfully ask you take a look on Ebay at the Triumph Bonneville owned by a lady Journalist, you will pick it up for the same price as a Ural, and it is IMO a superior machine, sorry Tarks.

 

[VAL. H.]

If you were my friend and wanted to ride my current bike, or a new addition, fine, however if you wanted to ride my outfit..Nada, sorry, because you are my friend; same goes if I were a dealer.

As we know when someone walks in off the street, and states how experienced they are I wouldn't be happy to supply test rides Ad Hoc, I have raced a bit and ridden all sorts of PTW but nothing prepared me for the outfit I bought and thought I would just ride home!

No two wheel experience seems to translate, and those who say how experienced they are with a bit on the side, sadly IMO can get into difficulties trying to ride a particular outfit like their own or one they last rode, because the buggers are all different, like errant bleeding children, why do we do it?

But, please do, I can recommend it, especially with summer coming, pootle into the countryside with the dog and a picnic.

I would also respectfully ask you take a look on Ebay at the Triumph Bonneville owned by a lady Journalist, you will pick it up for the same price as a Ural, and it is IMO a superior machine, sorry Tarks.

I rode mine from Huddersfield to Worcester, with a very light chair and a knackered rear shock. Having only ever ridden one a couple of hundred yards to test it's brakes 25 years before. Was almost all motorways though and plenty of dodgie moments.

If you understand what it's likely to do and some of the techniques, like driving round the chair in a left and letting the chair ride round the bike in the rights, along with shifting your body weight and an understanding of where it's likely to go when you put the brakes on. More importantly giving yourself a little time doing figure eights and E stops in a car park. Ridden carefully it should be easy enough to teach yourself.

Added to this;

If you are not one who picks up these types of skills easily. DON'T even try it. Get help first.

Don't forget too, that there are plenty of guys who have a world of experience riding outfits who will be very happy to talk technique all night. All you have to do is be wise enough to ask the questions.

PS: Bucephalus has a point about the triumph.


Val.