3 ms·

Urals are alive and well. Some have 2-wheel drive and are unstoppable offroad. https://www.imz-ural.com/gear-up https://www.imz-ural.com/gear-up

ibdf 5y ago
That’s what happened to sidecars… for 17k you get a brand new car.
- throw0101a 5y ago
  > for 17k you get a brand new car. US$ 17K isn't actually that expensive for a new motorcycle on the high-end.
  - voxadam 5y ago
    A Ural with or without a sidecar can hardly be considered high-end.
    - imglorp 5y ago
      Hah. I asked my mechanic would he help if I bought one and he said he'd refuse to work on it.
      - chunkyks 5y ago
        The way I understand it, they're a lot better nowadays. Even switched to EFI a few years back. I anticipate getting one of these if they ever bring it to fruition: https://www.imz-ural.com/electric https://www.imz-ural.com/electric I saw that "concept" at the Long Beach bike show a few years. It's literally the guts of a Zero bolted into an Ural frame. At least one of the things that I personally find exciting is the idea of having a huge stack of batteries in the sidecar. Would be great for both capacity, and handling when you don't have a passenger. You could even add a teslaesque "ludicrous" mode and not worry about running out of battery.
      - mcguire 5y ago
        Weird. Air and oil cooled BMWs are actually pretty nice to work on (except the the R1100GS toolkit doesn't include feeler gauges for the intake and exhaust valves).
voxadam 5y ago
Someone in Portland has a beautiful olive drab Ural and matching sidecar. I want it.
dwater 5y ago
I have a modern Ural, it is more expensive and less practical than a regular motorcycle, which means you get it almost exclusively because it's weird and you are weird.
- mcguire 5y ago
  Are they still a clone of a '50s-'60s BMW? Holy poop, their dealer in AL is about half an hour from me. I'll have to meander down there some time.
  - dwater 5y ago
    Yes, but they've been making continuous improvements. Every year the build quality and material quality seem to get a little better. The pre-EFI 2013 and earlier bikes had a lot of rough edges and were known for questionable alloy quality. Mine is a 2014 and has had an oil weep/mist since the day I bought it. But new ones seem to have a solid EFI system, the alternator is made by Denso so the electrical system is pretty good, the brakes are Brembo so they're good. Just don't be misled by social media seeing them cross rivers and go up mountains, they are capable of that but it'll cause lots of rust and the need to regrease everything. They are not as reliable as a modern major manufacturer motorcycle.
emptybits 5y ago
Can confirm. I’ve had my Ural with sidecar (2WD) for 12 years. It was my daily driver for half that. It’s wonderful and practical, but I say that as a motorcyclist and bicyclist. Seats three adults comfortably (one behind driver on a large comfy tractor seat with a grab handle). I originally bought it as a dirt road camping and long road tripping bike because it has a huge trunk in the sidecar and lots of tie-down points. Spare wheel and tire. It handles well fully laden since the frame is heavy duty. Very low horsepower. Great torque. 2WD useful in snow and gravel. Top speed 105 km/h but it’s happiest at 90 km/h and I’ve run it all day in the heat on highways at that speed. Secondary roads beat freeways for a motorcycle trip IMO anyways. It’s mechanically very simple with an unstressed, air-cooled motor. People joke about shitty Russian quality. Would it rust faster than my Honda left in the rain? Yes. No plastic, little aluminum, lots of steel. Save exhaust, my drivetrain is stock and has been extremely reliable. Mine is carbeurated but the factory switched to EFI some time ago. The metal quality of the rims and spokes was my only complaint so I’m getting a new set laced up and colour matched as I type this. My Honda, Harley, and Yamaha have all had more expensive parts and service bills than my Ural. It also excels at urban errands with style —- lockable and rainproof trunk. I’ve bought and sold other bikes but I will never get rid of the Ural. More smiles per mile.
- imglorp 5y ago
  Thanks for the nice writeup. Ride safe!

ibdf 5y ago

That’s what happened to sidecars… for 17k you get a brand new car.

throw0101a 5y ago
> for 17k you get a brand new car. US$ 17K isn't actually that expensive for a new motorcycle on the high-end.
- voxadam 5y ago
  A Ural with or without a sidecar can hardly be considered high-end.
  - imglorp 5y ago
    Hah. I asked my mechanic would he help if I bought one and he said he'd refuse to work on it.
    - chunkyks 5y ago
      The way I understand it, they're a lot better nowadays. Even switched to EFI a few years back. I anticipate getting one of these if they ever bring it to fruition: https://www.imz-ural.com/electric https://www.imz-ural.com/electric I saw that "concept" at the Long Beach bike show a few years. It's literally the guts of a Zero bolted into an Ural frame. At least one of the things that I personally find exciting is the idea of having a huge stack of batteries in the sidecar. Would be great for both capacity, and handling when you don't have a passenger. You could even add a teslaesque "ludicrous" mode and not worry about running out of battery.
    - mcguire 5y ago
      Weird. Air and oil cooled BMWs are actually pretty nice to work on (except the the R1100GS toolkit doesn't include feeler gauges for the intake and exhaust valves).

voxadam 5y ago

Someone in Portland has a beautiful olive drab Ural and matching sidecar. I want it.

dwater 5y ago

I have a modern Ural, it is more expensive and less practical than a regular motorcycle, which means you get it almost exclusively because it's weird and you are weird.

mcguire 5y ago
Are they still a clone of a '50s-'60s BMW? Holy poop, their dealer in AL is about half an hour from me. I'll have to meander down there some time.
- dwater 5y ago
  Yes, but they've been making continuous improvements. Every year the build quality and material quality seem to get a little better. The pre-EFI 2013 and earlier bikes had a lot of rough edges and were known for questionable alloy quality. Mine is a 2014 and has had an oil weep/mist since the day I bought it. But new ones seem to have a solid EFI system, the alternator is made by Denso so the electrical system is pretty good, the brakes are Brembo so they're good. Just don't be misled by social media seeing them cross rivers and go up mountains, they are capable of that but it'll cause lots of rust and the need to regrease everything. They are not as reliable as a modern major manufacturer motorcycle.

emptybits 5y ago

Can confirm. I’ve had my Ural with sidecar (2WD) for 12 years. It was my daily driver for half that. It’s wonderful and practical, but I say that as a motorcyclist and bicyclist. Seats three adults comfortably (one behind driver on a large comfy tractor seat with a grab handle). I originally bought it as a dirt road camping and long road tripping bike because it has a huge trunk in the sidecar and lots of tie-down points. Spare wheel and tire. It handles well fully laden since the frame is heavy duty. Very low horsepower. Great torque. 2WD useful in snow and gravel. Top speed 105 km/h but it’s happiest at 90 km/h and I’ve run it all day in the heat on highways at that speed. Secondary roads beat freeways for a motorcycle trip IMO anyways. It’s mechanically very simple with an unstressed, air-cooled motor. People joke about shitty Russian quality. Would it rust faster than my Honda left in the rain? Yes. No plastic, little aluminum, lots of steel. Save exhaust, my drivetrain is stock and has been extremely reliable. Mine is carbeurated but the factory switched to EFI some time ago. The metal quality of the rims and spokes was my only complaint so I’m getting a new set laced up and colour matched as I type this. My Honda, Harley, and Yamaha have all had more expensive parts and service bills than my Ural. It also excels at urban errands with style —- lockable and rainproof trunk. I’ve bought and sold other bikes but I will never get rid of the Ural. More smiles per mile.

imglorp 5y ago
Thanks for the nice writeup. Ride safe!