Was flipping through the latest issue of Maxim and saw a Ural. Anybody own one or have any expirence with one? I have done a little research and other than a quirky motor, not many people complain about them. Wanted some opinions before I got serious about buying one.
they are slower than anything you've ever been on.
i think they are very neat, but not something you'd plan on taking to your favorite twisties like you might your ducati. at least not with the anticipation of riding the same way.
its a lightly upgraded bmw powerplant from wwII, seriously. comes with brembo brakes now (calipers look like goldlines iirc, with retro looking carriers on the rotors).
i do believe there is a machine gun mount in the accessory catalog. and if you are looking at one of the non-sidecar models, then it would be a waste, imo.
I believe the importer is in Seattle. I see a few around Portland, all with sidecars.
Quite a few of them running around, and several for sale, over on ADVRider.
It could be a misconception, but based on the fact that every one I've ever seen for sale comes with a sidecar full of spare parts and receipts for all the work they've recently had done, I'd wager that they're as labor-intensive to love as most people think Ducatis are. However, being based on an OLD BMW boxer twin, they're about as basic as an engine can get and really simple to work on.
There is a dealer here, and have seen a few of them on the road.
Want to know what they are like?
Buy one, and post up a review for the rest of us! ;D
http://www.imz-ural.com/ (http://www.imz-ural.com/)
Rode one, both as monkey and rider. Odd machines. Slow as dirt, AKA not capable of highway speeds. Sort of crabs down the road.
Wife and I want a sidecar rig, a Ural won't cut it.
WWII technology basically. I like the two wheel drive, but it's just not there for us.
The sidecar is the biggest selling point for me. Any other bikes offer a sidecar?
An old friend of mine used to run the dealership in Seattle. Even he thought they were slow as dirt.
Maybe if you upgraded it with a 70s era BMW motor, but otherwise it's kinda crap except for the 2 wheel drive models in deep snow :)
A friend of ducpainter's had an old BMW airhead with a sidecar that he was looking at selling (this was over a year ago), not sure what happened to it. Looked like a great rig.
2010 DUCATI classic 1000 + EML sidecar / zijspan (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQXUUod9heM#normal)
Several Urals w/ sidecars around the Phoenix area. There's a store in Mesa that sells them IIRC. Most I've seen are modded to look like they came straight out of WWII. The latest one I saw had digital desert camo paint scheme. I thought that was pretty unique. I'd like to have one with the sidecar for the dog to ride in. [thumbsup]
Quote from: IZ on November 28, 2010, 06:28:00 PM
Several Urals w/ sidecars around the Phoenix area. There's a store in Mesa that sells them IIRC. Most I've seen are modded to look like they came straight out of WWII. The latest one I saw had digital desert camo paint scheme. I thought that was pretty unique. I'd like to have one with the sidecar for the dog to ride in. [thumbsup]
Protip: Don't refer to the wife as "the dog" in person.
Quote from: MrIncredible on November 28, 2010, 07:15:43 PM
Protip: Don't refer to the wife as "the dog" in person.
As I was typing that, I knew someone..er..someguy was going to say that! [cheeky]
Speaking of which, anyone know if the Puggle Pod is still kicking around?
I have driven a 2wd sidecar Ural...offroad...it is a hoot...scary as shit the 1st right hand turn sidecar wheelie you do...but balance and throttle and good reactive steering input and you are butter....power slide left hand turns are the shiznit....on road...well...it is not the fastest thing out there...but it is sufficient to do anything on the roadways you need to aside from breaking the speed limits in a ridiculous manner...and it gets as many looks as a sexy Monster...though most of looking at em are thinking "WTF is that thing?!?!?!"....
Quote from: Buckethead on November 29, 2010, 09:04:48 AM
Speaking of which, anyone know if the Puggle Pod is still kicking around?
heck yes it is - i'm headed over to richd's house to drop a tire off later, duke (the dog) is still furiously humping legs, much like richd :P
Peter Egan did a column in Cycle World about a trip he did on one several months ago, check it out. Keep in mind that Peter loves old odd bikes so, of course, he loved the Ural. His trip was all on backroads so the lack of freeway speed was not a problem.
Quote from: matmcd78 on November 27, 2010, 10:44:59 PM
The sidecar is the biggest selling point for me. Any other bikes offer a sidecar?
I saw one of the sidecar models recently, and was surprised to see a driveshaft running to the sidecar wheel :o
Quote from: SA_S2R on November 29, 2010, 03:52:38 PM
I saw one of the sidecar models recently, and was surprised to see a driveshaft running to the sidecar wheel :o
Yes, that is the 2 wheel drive model. Makes for a mud, snow, and sand handling bike. Good on northern latitude dirt roads and maybe the desert and the tropics.
Quote from: Buckethead on November 28, 2010, 01:32:01 PM
A friend of ducpainter's had an old BMW airhead with a sidecar that he was looking at selling (this was over a year ago), not sure what happened to it. Looked like a great rig.
He sold that last year.
He gave me first chance...I just didn't have 5K at the time and he had a guy in Laconia that did. :'(
Kind of a shame. I think you'd have been able to see Zippy's grin from space.
edit: Browsing and found THIS (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/R-1200C-DNEPR-Sidecar-/300498291062?pt=US_motorcycles&hash=item45f7180976).
I have an '07 Arctic Gear-Up and it is a blast to ride. Bought it as a commuter bike for the winter. They are pretty reliable, once you get them dialed in.
It does help to be a little mechanically inclined if you own one. Mine had the right carburetor blow off onto my right foot, about 2 weeks after I bought it. Put it back on & limped home. Turned out the adjuster nut on the pushrod had backed off & the pushrod had jumped the rocker arm, thus leaving the exhaust valve closed & upon detonation it neede somewhere to go, so out the carb. But after doing a valve adjustment ( which is extremely easy on these ) no further problems in the last 15,000 km.
They do sell a cd-rom that has a walk thru of just about any servicing/repair you would need to do on one. It's great , just start it up & pick what you need & "Ivan" at the factory walks you through the job.
They are much more reliable than they used to be. There have been many updates in the last few years. Since 2006 & up , they have Brembo disc up front,Ducati electronic ignition, Herzog gears & '08 & up have newer Valve train.
As far as speed, they aren't fast, but hold their own. I usually take backroads to work, but when I need to hop the highway, 70 mph is no problem the whole 40 miles.
If you are serious about purchasing one, feel free to pm/e-mail me with any questions, I'll be happy to answer them.
(http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww29/Mulletbiker/URALSNOW3.jpg)
(http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww29/Mulletbiker/halloweenural2010.jpg)
Quote from: a m on November 27, 2010, 06:52:02 AM...i do believe there is a machine gun mount in the accessory catalog...
Realy......? [drool]
Quote from: Buckethead on November 29, 2010, 09:04:48 AM
Speaking of which, anyone know if the Puggle Pod is still kicking around?
Go through the kitchen where the 1098S is parked and make a right...
It's sitting in the hallway just outside the guest bathroom
...just around the corner from where the Triumph Daytona is parked in the livingroom.
If you see the dirtbike, you went too far...
I get some funny looks from visitors ;D
that's because duke is 'hugging' their leg while 'dancing'. he's so welcoming.
Quote from: RichD on December 09, 2010, 02:01:03 AM
Realy......? [drool]
y'know we have a dealer over in grand prairie right? i been over there a few times
Quote from: a m on December 09, 2010, 07:13:20 PMy'know we have a dealer over in grand prairie right? i been over there a few times
I don't think I would be happy with a non-articulated sidecar.
A test ride might be fun...
i wonder if they do that. in the dirt.
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=422290&page=39 (http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=422290&page=39)
That was a really interesting post. What an adventure. I am not a cold weather person, so a trip to the Artic Circle will never be in my future. Now, "if" things ever calm down, I would like to take down the west Mexico coast.
Quote from: matmcd78 on December 15, 2010, 12:14:25 PM
That was a really interesting post. What an adventure. I am not a cold weather person, so a trip to the Artic Circle will never be in my future. Now, "if" things ever calm down, I would like to take down the west Mexico coast.
Do it... I did a mini baja trip two years ago with a couple buddies a few weeks after like 6 beheadings! Once you get out of the big cities, the people are super nice. As long as you don't hang out in crappy tourist spots, or try to buy drugs you will be fine.
The only thing that worried me was that the Coronas and fish tacos were $1 and I didn't ever want to go home.
Quote from: Vindingo on December 15, 2010, 06:04:00 PM
Do it... I did a mini baja trip two years ago with a couple buddies a few weeks after like 6 beheadings! Once you get out of the big cities, the people are super nice. As long as you don't hang out in crappy tourist spots, or try to buy drugs you will be fine.
The only thing that worried me was that the Coronas and fish tacos were $1 and I didn't ever want to go home.
Some of the same idiots are going in April if you want in.