Ural Motorcycles

[matmcd78]

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.

[junior varsity]

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.

[krolik]

I believe the importer is in Seattle. I see a few around Portland, all with sidecars.

[Buckethead]

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.

[Bick]

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! 

http://www.imz-ural.com/

[Popeye the Sailor]

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.

[matmcd78]

The sidecar is the biggest selling point for me. Any other bikes offer a sidecar?

[Drunken Monkey]

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

[Buckethead]

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.

[Airborne]

2010 DUCATI classic 1000 + EML sidecar / zijspan

[IZ]

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.   

[Popeye the Sailor]

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.   

Protip: Don't refer to the wife as "the dog" in person.

[IZ]

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!   

[Buckethead]

Speaking of which, anyone know if the Puggle Pod is still kicking around?

[zooom]

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?!?!?!"....