Author Topic: Wait a minute...I might have to...URAL... (Read 3366 times)

Buffo · « **on:** November 13, 2005, 04:13:52 PM »

Ok...Like I posted in another thread, The wife and I may be moving back to New York sometime and I am moving from a place where I can ride all year round to a place that will eat up at least half a year with #$%*ty weather...

I am thinking about buying a Ural Patrol ( www.ural.com then click patrol ). It is switchable 2 wheel drive...they are not the prettiest bike but they only cost about 10 grand and I know some folks who have them up there and they go pretty well in the snow...I am to big of a wimp to ride my bike in the winter...scared of the ice...

Have any of you had any experience with these bikes?

Buffo The Magnificent

Sam Green Racing · « **Reply #1 on:** November 13, 2005, 04:20:54 PM »

I have told you once......and I won't tell you again Donald.

Don't even think about one.........they are agriculURAL.

Seriously Sam.

Buffo · « **Reply #2 on:** November 13, 2005, 04:29:52 PM »

are there any other options for a 2 wheel drive side carred motorcycle that does not cost $25000.00...I am open to suggestions

Sam Green Racing · « **Reply #3 on:** November 13, 2005, 04:33:34 PM »

Have you ever rode a sidecar ?

Buffo · « **Reply #4 on:** November 13, 2005, 05:26:11 PM »

a time ago I did...keep in mind that I am not getting rid of any of my other bikes for this one...it is mainly for the winter...but I have zero knowledge about these bikes..

Sam Green Racing · « **Reply #5 on:** November 13, 2005, 05:30:37 PM »

Don, I know of a few guys that had them over here in the UK and belive me they had problem after problem with them.

Sam.

Bob Wessner · « **Reply #6 on:** November 13, 2005, 06:08:34 PM »

Quote

The wife and I may be moving back to New York

Where in New York, city, upstate, etc. ??

Buffo · « **Reply #7 on:** November 13, 2005, 06:17:39 PM »

upstate..in the Albany area...

Uncle Ernie · « **Reply #8 on:** November 13, 2005, 06:27:11 PM »

Buffmeister, suggest you go to the Yahoo groups and check out the selection of sidecar groups there. There are a couple of Ural groups. I also think there are Ural websites similar to this one. A big place to check is www.sidecar.com United sidecar Association website. There are several old posts about this question specifically.

A month or so ago I went to a little Ural rally near here. Among sidecarists, the Ural has never really been taken seriously, to be frank. (Don't even think about a Dnepr or Chang Jiang) Some guys bought out the factory a couple of years ago and the quality has improved dramatically since. The people who drive them (ride a bike/drive a rig) are QUITE resourceful, however. They don't think about it if they have to take a throttle apart to fix a wire, and can adjust the valves in 10 minutes. 8 minutes if they're allowed to turn on the lights.
These are like Jeeps or old Land Cruisers- basically farm machinery. The basic designs were given to Russia by BMW as war reparations, and they have changed the fenders and gas tank some, but that's about it. Just like their automotive counterparts, freeway driving is possible, but not their forte.

One more very important thing to keep in mind; a sidecar rig IS NOT A MOTORCYCLE anymore. The handling and control nuances are completely different. It will probably take longer to get good at SC piloting than it took you to get good at 2 wheel riding. If you survive getting it home from the dealer...

heffay · « **Reply #9 on:** November 13, 2005, 08:43:14 PM »

it was the last day of one of my clinics at MMI and we were all goofin off so we watched a movie about the ural. great scenes of military people doing donuts in large snow fields. then... it all went horribly wrong. the movie showed shots of the assembly-line and the sprockets were coming out of the "sprocket maker" and then being thrown 20-30ft. into a 15 foot tall pile of... you guessed it, sprockets. not sure if the manufacturing and build quality has gone up much since the war (when the movie was filmed) but, by speaking with others and watching said movie i can say that i would give the ural a well deserved D+ ...mostly because their pinstrippers were incredibly fast and amazingly accurate!

Jim Shea · « **Reply #10 on:** November 14, 2005, 01:40:37 AM »

Buffo,
I know the weather get's nasty up in Albany, but why a 2 wheel drive?

alexey · « **Reply #11 on:** November 15, 2005, 08:08:14 AM »

This subject kinda interests me. I live in Albany area myself (just moved from CA). So far, I have 1 street bike and 1 road race bike and a "project" that was donated to me I was thinking of converting to a sidecar. But the idea of a modern Ural appeals to me, probably helped by the fact that I was born in Russia and was around those bikes as a kid. Just think how cool it would be to put a little plow on the front of that thing, put in 2-wheel drive and plow the driveway and then run down to the store for groceries. I wouldn't so much mind some little things that needed improving on it, but if it was a constant battle, or something terminal like engine ceizing for no good reason, or parts getting too expensive, it would certainly take the fun out of it.

Jim Shea · « **Reply #12 on:** November 15, 2005, 08:11:31 AM »

I rest my case, you guys are mad; putting a snow plough on it!!

dusterdude · « **Reply #13 on:** November 15, 2005, 08:24:19 AM »

uh don,might i inquire why you would want to make a move like that?

Buffo · « **Reply #14 on:** November 16, 2005, 04:59:41 PM »

We will be moving back for family reasons...My wifes father is fighting cancer and we are now sound enough to have a kid with no finacial worries...we both have good families....I dont think it would be fair to raise a child without it having the rest of the family around...

I think 2 wheel drive would be cool...you get some snow on the road you go riding...you get some deep snow on the road you go riding in 2 wheel drive...

I hate to shovel or plow or snow blow ....

why do we say blow and plow differently...shouldnt it be the same except fot the p and the b?

Family is kinda big for Italians...

Buffo The Magnificent

Bob Wessner · « **Reply #15 on:** November 16, 2005, 06:31:32 PM »

Quote

why do we say blow and plow differently...shouldnt it be the same except fot the p and the b?

That's an example of why English (the correct American variety

) is reputed to be so difficult to learn.

Uncle Ernie · « **Reply #16 on:** November 16, 2005, 08:14:57 PM »

Well? Have you decided anything yet?

mrblasty · « **Reply #17 on:** November 16, 2005, 11:09:47 PM »

My Dad has a buddy that buys those thing on the cheap fixes them, paints them to look like the Nazi bike and sells them to WWII
re-enactors. Why someone would want a freakin' Nazi bike in the garage is beyond me.

dusterdude · « **Reply #18 on:** November 17, 2005, 07:58:05 AM »

blasty,you anwered your own question.for re-enactors

Bodi · « **Reply #19 on:** November 17, 2005, 09:02:07 AM »

The Ural is a simple machine made to be serviced far from factory parts by tractor mechanics. They're used in parts of Russia and China as daily transportation year round. Slow, heavy, and cheap.
They are pretty durable, and will generally keep going with limited maintenance although luxuries like lights and starting without an hour's kicking may fall by the wayside.
The 2 wheel drive is pretty neat and they can slog through moderate muck and snow OK... but like Jeeps, when they do get stuck they are REALLY stuck and you won't be pushing it out of trouble!
The problem areas are mostly electrics and carburetors. Also, the steel is less than excellent and stuff that would last forever on a Honda sometimes breaks or wears out quickly. The engine is a clone of an ancient BMW but doesn't have the quality of its "daddy" - it is rattly and hard shifting when new and does not mellow with age - but even rattly, smoky, and clunky they seem to keep going a long time.
Somewhere I have a picture from China of an ancient Ural or Dnepr sidehack rig pulling a cloud of smoke with a family of 5 and quite a bit of furniture and household effects aboard. Either a mobile home or moving day... quite an amazing load. "Fill up the oil and check the gas".

Uncle Ernie · « **Reply #20 on:** November 19, 2005, 06:40:12 AM »

It's probably a Chang Jiang- the Chinese equivalent, only worse.

Hey Buffo- you're killing me here. What's it going to be?

Bob Wessner · « **Reply #21 on:** November 19, 2005, 08:35:55 AM »

Quote

Why someone would want a freakin' Nazi bike in the garage is beyond me.

Some might say, why someone would want a freakin' ~~Nazi~~ Jap bike in the garage is beyond me.

mrblasty · « **Reply #22 on:** November 19, 2005, 10:37:05 AM »

The point of my comment wasn't to disparage the Germans. Just to question the desire to own something that showcased Nazi symbolism.

alexey · « **Reply #23 on:** November 19, 2005, 12:15:18 PM »

Quote from: mrblasty on November 19, 2005, 10:37:05 AM

The point of my comment wasn't to disparage the Germans. Just to question the desire to own something that showcased Nazi symbolism.

Supposedly there's a tremendous market for Nazi memorabilia, from helmets to china with swastikas. Why? Hopefully we'll never know

Buffo · « **Reply #24 on:** November 19, 2005, 04:15:35 PM »

I dont know what I am going to do...I want to ride a ural before I make any decisions...If I do buy one it will be and 06 model...everyone who knows them says that every year is far better than the last...

So far I have found no other 2 wheel drive side car rig...that is the main selling point for me...but 10 large is a lot of money for a foul weather bike...but Ural does give you a 2 year unlimited milage warranty...

I bought some Nazi dinnerware...found it in a Mass. antique store about 10 years ago...it is wortha lot of money...I only have a few odd pieces but the people who collect it will pay a handsome amount and it goes up every year...

Buffo The Magnificent

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Author Topic: Wait a minute...I might have to...URAL... (Read 3366 times)

Buffo

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Buffo

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Jim Shea

alexey

Jim Shea

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alexey

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