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Ural motorcycles

saddamsnightmare

Well-known member
3,618
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Location
Abilene, Texas
October 27th, 2015.

BackWoodsDrifter:


Good luck on your bike. I had a 1978 CB750F Honda (used)that had a hard life before I bought it in 1993, and as the seals were starting to leak oil, I overhauled the top end of the engine. The mechanics estimated at that time it had about 130,000 +miles on it with no sign of any prior repairs..... So I shall wait to see what your results are at about 5 times the present mileage. If the bike makes it you will be fortunate and I will be wrong (at least as regards your particular unit), and I hope that I am proved wrong.

Still, I do find it interesting that the Russian bikes rate so vey low on quality and reliability in user reviews here in the U.S., and the nasty poor Dnepr versions brought over in the 1970's were far worse then the Urals, as almost every spring and ring in the things needed replaced just to get them to run. I would suspect that western riders, used to a better level of workmanship and reliability, probably don't have much use for a bike that takes intensive maintenance to keep it running on a daily basis. The mileage on your 2008 would equal about two summers use on any of the Hondas that I have owned and run, but it may be due to the climate you live in or the way you use your bike(s). I could run 70 or 100 miles easily in one evening just exploring back roads in West Virginia (also getting around bridge repairs could run that mileage up quickly). And the last place you want a motorcycle to break down is on the back roads in West Virginia, I assure you.

Also interesting to note is that you see almost no eastern block vehicles running in the US of late (anyone see a Trabant or a Yugo still going daily)? The one Yugo I helped to repair back in the 1980's used repainted cereal case cardboards for the door liners.....The one ZIL limo that I have seen looked very much like a 1950's Packard Clipper..... When you don't have any competition for the sale of a product, there is usually no reason to build anything better. That is why Harley was stuck with an essentially unreliable 1937 engine into the 1990's or early 2000's, as in that case their unions did not want to shut the plants down to retool for a better, more modern design.

The Russian jet fighters share that philosophy, they use steel riveted where we would use high strength aluminum flush riveted, thus they end up using locomotive sized jet engines to get the needed thrust to move the resultant mass, and greatly reduced range is the normal results. However, one can hope that the rebels will down one in Syria so we can get a better look at it..... I think that their chance to lose equipment against Western designs will possibly be comparable to the 1967 Egyptian - Israeli War, which gave us a look at their level of technology back then.


Have a Great Day!
 
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Another Ahab

Well-known member
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Location
Alexandria, VA
October 27th, 2015.
Also interesting to note is that you see almost no eastern block vehicles running in the US of late (anyone see a Trabant or a Yugo still going daily)? The one Yugo I helped to repair back in the 1980's used repainted cereal case cardboards for the door liners.....The one ZIL limo that I have seen looked very much like a 1950's Packard Clipper..... When you don't have any competition for the sale of a product, there is usually no reason to build anything better. That is why Harley was stuck with an essentially unreliable 1937 engine into the 1990's or early 2000's, as in that case their unions did not want to shut the plants down to retool for a better, more modern design.
Cap'n Crunch!?
 

saddamsnightmare

Well-known member
3,618
80
48
Location
Abilene, Texas
October 27th, 2015.


Another Ahab:

As near as we could make out, it was either a very large cereal case or diaper shipping case, but my handling of Russian wasn't any too good. In either case, the logos were still on the inside with the side facing the passengers painted black. No taping of the edges, nothing. The workmanship on the whole car was abysmal, but then it was owned by a college student, so go figure!:-?
 
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Bloomsburg/PA
I tend to think the reason why the Russian bikes are rated low in the US is similar to a driver trying to run a deuce as they would a 1 ton truck. Yes they are slow 65 is about as fast as I want to go on it, but i was not looking for fast either. They were not built for high speed so its no wonder when they get ridden like a pissed of teenager they do not like it. Now the important thing is I'm referring to 2005-current generations. The older ones we built with the mediocre quality control but can still be found the world over doing who knows what chores. There is no comparison to the jap bikes, just like their cars if you can keep them from rotting away they will continue to go. The company has improved much of the bike even in the last 4 years with improvements as brembo brakes all round ducati ignitions and efi( which I do not consider an improvement). Now when I purchased mine I was originally looking at a Harley but the Ural suits my needs far better than an other option I can think of. It handles well on the dirt roads and mountain trails that I like to hunt and fish. I have room for all my camping gear to go out for the weekend. I have a trailer that I use to pull my kayaks. They are not for everybody that is for sure. They are not a gas and go bike, were not built as such and will not last if abused as such. Most people now days tend to not want to adjust valves, etc just gas and go so in that respect they appeal to a time where people took pride in their own craftsmanship. Mileage may vary lol. I had a broken hand last summer so that cut down my riding time for the rest of the year. I do ride during the winter which makes for a great way to hit that back roads and scenery. In the end happy riding and keep vigilant.
 

Another Ahab

Well-known member
18,004
4,565
113
Location
Alexandria, VA
I tend to think the reason why the Russian bikes are rated low in the US is similar to a driver trying to run a deuce as they would a 1 ton truck. Now when I purchased mine I was originally looking at a Harley but the Ural suits my needs far better than an other option I can think of. It handles well on the dirt roads and mountain trails that I like to hunt and fish. I have room for all my camping gear to go out for the weekend. I have a trailer that I use to pull my kayaks. They are not for everybody that is for sure. They are not a gas and go bike, were not built as such and will not last if abused as such. Most people now days tend to not want to adjust valves, etc just gas and go so in that respect they appeal to a time where people took pride in their own craftsmanship. Mileage may vary lol.
A great book "then", and still a great book now.

Check it out:


motorcycle.jpg
 

Whiterabbit

Member
744
14
18
Location
Bristol Va.
Hey! Don't be hating the Dnepr! They just need a few bugs worked out to become semi reliable machines!
My MT16 after total rebuild of entire bike.
100_3329.jpg

100_3331.jpg

100_3368.jpg
Slow as ****, but fun as **** too!
 

zebedee

conceptualizer at large
Steel Soldiers Supporter
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Location
Central NY
I have a 2008 gear up. most fun one can have on 3 wheels! ...
Sorry 'drifter, kind of have to disagree with that statement... Here is what I used to have real fun on in the UK (and occasionally Holland/Belgium too);
Wasp - nicks.jpgWasp (Yam) racing.jpg
though technically, the sidecar wheel was supposed to be off the ground most of the time!
 

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