Ural Sidecar

[pskasper]

Anyone else have one of these oil spitting bikes?

[crazydave]

No , but I have looked at their web site. They have some interesting models. I have known of people that used to be fanatic about them then when the collapse of the Soviet Union came and went it seemed to impact the whole company. Interesting story on line about why they are called "Urals" etc.

[pskasper]

My husband picked up a VHS tape called "The Russians are Coming!" back in 1997-4 years before we bought ours. It's a 40 minute history of the company and tour of the factory. Working conditions there are horrible if you look at it from a safety stand point. Many of the parts are still being made the same way they were in the '40s. We had to replace our coil with an aftermarket one. To our surprise when we removed the old one we found that it had been "hand wrapped" and sealed in wax.

It's a fun toy to have around and it's perfect for driving on the back country roads by us. It's not a highway bike with top speed of 55mph, that's with the wind helping you along and going downhill.

[Steve Young]

No , but I have looked at their web site. They have some interesting models. I have known of people that used to be fanatic about them then when the collapse of the Soviet Union came and went it seemed to impact the whole company. Interesting story on line about why they are called "Urals" etc.

Yeah, the website seems to suggest that they are only available with sidecars? And what other company would develop a model (the Wolf) in conjunction with a motorcycle club?!!

[Gummiente]

Anyone else have one of these oil spitting bikes?Oil spitting? My '05 Ural Tourist has over 40k now and still doesn't use any oil.

[Gummiente]

Working conditions there are horrible if you look at it from a safety stand point. Many of the parts are still being made the same way they were in the '40s.Actually, Urals have come a long way since the factory was bought out from the state by private investors. The factory is still in Irbit - and it has seen a lot of improvements in recent years - but corporate headquarters is now in Redmond, WA. Just about all of the trouble parts are now outsourced (German timing gears, Ducati electronic ignition, American wiring harness, Duro tires, Brembo front disc brake, Denso alternator, etc) with the result that they are WAY more reliable now, the tradeoff being a higher sticker price.

They're still designed as a 55mph rig, but many people ride them at 60-65mph without any long term effects.

[pskasper]

We have a '97 and it spits lots of oil. Our shoes have oil on the tops of them after going for a ride. When you park it overnight you will have a half dollar size oil puddle under it. It does go 55-60 mph but is much happier at 45mph-which is great for the country roads around us. We also had to replace the coil. It was hand spun dipped in wax. Very old school. I've heard the newer ones are much nicer. Even with it's oil problem it's a fun toy to play with! Enjoy your's.

[Gummiente]

We have a '97 and it spits lots of oil.I believe it. But you should have seen my '79 Dnepr MT10-36... now THAT was an oil spitter.

[pskasper]

We just put the last of the bikes away for the winter. How long do you ride up in Canada? We've already had snow here in lower WI so I'm assuming you have had much more. Enjoy every day to it's fullest.

[Gummiente]

We just put the last of the bikes away for the winter. How long do you ride up in Canada? We've already had snow here in lower WI so I'm assuming you have had much more. Enjoy every day to it's fullest.Well, we usually put the Harleys to bed around the second week of November and this year was no exception. It has snowed on and off since the 11th and the last two days have seen about 10cm (4") snowfall, so it looks like winter is here to stay.

But the Ural, well, I ride that all year round...
http://www.gummiente.ca/misc/4feb07.jpg

http://www.gummiente.ca/Bikes/Ural/Blog/1jan08c.jpg

[pskasper]

I'm beginning to think side cars and dogs go hand in hand. What a great pic of your bike and dog! thanks for sharing. I know of only a few people who drive during the winter but the roads really have to be clear of snow for them to be out. Much harder to ride 2 wheels than 3 through snow ruts. Unless your into winter racing on the lakes-then anything goes. Stay warm.