[VAX]

Might be a good idea if it was 1935. It isn't.

 

[gdrazek]

How fitting that I get the first post. I live about 100 miles from the Ural Factory in Irbit.

I would be interested in a review as well. I see Urals all over the place out here. You would be amazed at how many Russians can ride on one Ural... It's not uncommon to see four people crammed on one of those things, going down the road at 40mph.

Check out the new site for Urals. www.imz-ural.com. There is a write-up from a couple of Americans who visited the Factory.

 

[gdrazek]

darn it. second post. I just can't type fast enough.

 

[RRocket]

I have read a few Ural posts online, and apparently they are quite tough. With the sidecar model, you have the option of having the car wheel a drive wheel. In one of the tests, they used this model and drove it through snow drifts in the dead of winter with no problems. Sounds like it would be a hoot..

 

[895]

No! You're right! And they're still making them and selling them all around the world in 2003. How can this be? Could it be that there is a market for something other than the things that you, in your infinite wisdom and experience, consider desirable? Let's have a review of a Ural and perhaps broaden your mind a little.

 

[12250]

The good folks at Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly did a review of the IMZ Ural. Here is a link:

http://www.motorbyte.com/mmm/pages/2003/56/review56.htm

 

[13630]

Has anyone actually ridden one of these? If so, please enlighten us- I'm curious what they really are like.

 

[40446]

I heard that Ural straight out of the factory is a piece of crap and importer in UK has to fix the wiring and all sorts of seals to make it useable in modern society.

 

[36620]

How can you think that testing a Ural or, let's say, a Rokon!, is lame? Look at the fun you had with the 50cc scooters? The Ural would be fun in an H1 Hummer sort of way. Or a Rokon with a sidecar would be all chuckles, too...

 

[grubz916]

Hell yes!!!!

I want to see nitrous-charges mopeds too!!

 

[37035]

CW printed a satirical review of one back in the 80s. The "reviewers" were a couple of hillbillies with cold war era paranoia.

 

[acecycleins]

I've been told that the US importer does the same thing that the UK importer does. The US guys also bump the cc size. I am unclear as to what the motor mods are but it has increased reliability because there are several modern-day BMW parts on the bike after the mods. Heck, I've got a 5yo that would love to ride with dad more often. I'd get one if it was reliable.

 

[12er]

Motorcyclist TV or one of the shows on speed did a thing on the Ural. They verified what you have heard. The importers replace gaskets, heads, bolds you name it to make it road worthy.

 

[bigjames]

break them in EXACTLY like the manual says, remember that you are riding a bike designed prior to WW2 and they will serve you well.....



Have several in the Georgia Sidecar Club, they are a hoot. The MOFO staff is probably just to scared to even try riding a sidecar rig anyway......



One word of advice, get a 750, they are much better than the old 650s...



BigJames

aka, President, Georgia Sidecar Club

 

[Vlad]

I've not only ridden a Ural, I took a 700 mile, three up trip on one. The perfect place for one is the Blue Ridge Parkway. With the low speed limit, you can haul the Ural up and down the mountains. Yes, they are underpowered. I had the standard, one wheel drive sidecar model. The brakes suck, and they're unreliable. If you can't do basic mechanical work, forget it. BUT, they are an immense hoot. They are the most fun on dirt roads, where you can start sliding the sidecar around. I wouldn't recommend it for freeway travel, but for putting around the countryside, you'll have a ball. Oh, yeah, get the extended warranty and don't overheat the engine. Use premium grade gasoline.



I was sad the day that economic reality made me cut back to one bike. The Ural had to go. But I can recommend it for those days when you just want to cruise down a country road.



Vlad

 

[21726]

Not quite, but the UK importer does improve them quite a bit. Try their website at www.f2motorcycles.co.uk for more info/opinions/pictures/prices etc. ( no, I don't work for them, but I paid them a visit and they're cool people)

 

[captaincrunch76]

thanks for the link, how can anyone not like the tank-like look of this thing. i would really consider buying a used one for 4k or so. i think i would put a custom ww2 paint job on it. there is no way anyone would mess with a guy riding one of those.

 

[captaincrunch76]

i am considering this bike, sidecars are so darn expensive. do you have any links for some good sidecar sites?

 

[Moblab]

I believe a seller on eBay frequenly has the Ural sidecars (detached from the bikes) for about $1200 US including a "universal" mounting kit.



Though authenticity is great, I would rather spend time riding a bike than maintaining it. The same $4K you'd spend on a Ural could buy an older UJM, a sidecar, some fabrication work, and evan a dandy paintjob to tie them together. The result would be fast enough for freeways and more reliable to boot.