Like a scene from Casablanca

[thought]

If I had that, I would have no choice but to hum the Indiana Jones theme song every time I started her up.   

[Monsterlover]

she's been replaced.


cue Sir Mix-a-lot....

nice

[Ducmania]

I have had a Ural Patrol since 2007. I also have a S2R 1000. We are talking about the opposite ends of the motorcycle spectrum. You will absolutely love the Ural. There is a website called Soviet Steeds and it is the best site on the web for Urals, much like this site is the best for Monsters.

I am sure you are aware how different sidecaring is to riding a solo motorcycle. Be careful at first. My dealer said I should load the sidecar with cases of beer for ballast and have a couple before each ride. By the time you drink them all you will be proficient enough not to need the ballast.

Be prepared for UDF's. It is called the Ural Delay Factor. if you are making a trip always add more time because everytime you stop a bunch of people will come up to you and ask a bunch of questions. People ask what year is it and when you tell them 2011 they will be disappointed. People also assume you have "restored" the bike and tell you what a great restoration you have done. They want to know where the "pin" is that you pull to release the sidecar on the run.

It is much much easier to work on than a Ducati and a lot cheaper.You can do everything yourself. Forget torque values, special tools, and computer diagnostics. Remember it was built for "Ivan", he is a farmer who used his Ural to take his beets to market. When working on it ask yourself, "What would Ivan do?".

Enjoy it, I really like mine.

Tom

[Speedbag]

 

[DucatiBastard]

What? No ride report yet?

Also, congrats on that thing, been interested in them for awhile. 

More pics would rock too!

[Grampa]

here's the poop...

I rode her for about 18k the day I got her. The next morning I saddled up to go to work. We made it down the street and she refused to shift back into first or second. I tried everything. reverse gear worked, but I lost the ability to be in any foward gear but 4th. So..... I pushed her back up the hill. pissed.

Lets go back in time a few days earlier.


When I went to the dealership to pay for the bike and set up them delivering her to me, I was told that when prepping the bike for delivery, the heard a noise that sounded like a noisey throw out bearing. I had them start it up, and that's kinda what it sounded like. I  was told that there was a proble getting a bearing in quicky, and that if I wanted to ride it, replacing the bearing could wait until I brought it back for it's first service.  (around the 400k mark)

"Ok" I said, and we set up the delivery.

Heres a lil more back story. The bike is a 2010 and is new. it only had 15k on the clock. I't the bike I wanted, and not being one to ask for deals.... I didnt ask for any price breaks on the overall cost. They charged me 200 bucks for delivering it, and I happily paid.

When the trans failed I called the salesman and he said thay would come and pick it up.... which they did 4 days later. (no charge...no biggie.... shit happens)

The next day I get a call saying theres no problem found with the trans... and that I must have been doing something wrong. So I ask a shitload of questions to determine if I was in fact doing something wrong. None that I can see. They then tell me that they have the bearing in now and while it's there, they'll put it it. cool.

I get no call from them over the next couple of days, so I then call to check the status. "we're still waiting on the bearing" I hear.


grrrr.

"Call me when there is progress" I ask.

A few days later, I get a call saying that they installed the bearing  and the noise was still there, so they took the trans out of another bike and poof... the noise is gone. Sooooo.... they are now currently trying to get a hold of Ural North America to get a trans sent to them, but are unable to talk to anybody.

.more in a bit
.

[Grampa]

So after a few threats of call in UNA myself.... I get a call saying that they finally got ahold of somebody and that a new trans is being shipped out that day.

I then ask... so when it's done, what the time frame for getting it back to me. Long Beach to Bakersfield.

uh...... ummmmmm....uhhh.... we'll check on that.

So a couple of days go by and I finally get the "she's done" call..

cool..... when can you deliver her?...  well..... because we picked it up for free and Ural does not reimburse us, we'll have to charge you. ( I had a feeling they would say that)

[ducpainter]

So after a few threats of call in UNA myself.... I get a call saying that they finally got ahold of somebody and that a new trans is being shipped out that day.

I then ask... so when it's done, what the time frame for getting it back to me. Long Beach to Bakersfield.

uh...... ummmmmm....uhhh.... we'll check on that.

So a couple of days go by and I finally get the "she's done" call..

cool..... when can you deliver her?...  well..... because we picked it up for free and Ural does not reimburse us, we'll have to charge you. ( I had a feeling they would say that)

time to beat them up.

[Grampa]

So after apologizing to the service manager about my forthcoming rant.... I ranted.

I kindly explained to him that I work in a motorcycle related store, and that I plan to ride it pretty much every day to work... and that while at work, I'm sure plenty of people would ask questions as to what it was and where I got it, and based on whether or not they truly intended to charge me... he had the ending of my story in his hands. I could tell people how they billed me 200 bucks to deliver a flawed bike that I paid full pop for...in cash, after only riding it for 15 kilometers... or I could tell then how the dealership stepped up to the plate  and helped me out by completing the pick up and deliver circle when things went wrong.

The best they decided to come up with was dropping the delivery fee to 100 bucks and a free t-shirt ( one size too small )

They lose. They will not get the sales when I purchase the add ons I intend to buy. They will not get any of my service money. And they will not get any type of endorsement from me when people ask for a recommendation as to where to purchase one.

I rode the bike for quite awhile today..... and it's a blast to ride. Nothing like a traditional bike at all. She shifts much crisper that before and I'm positive there was more wrong with the original than just me not doing something right.


I say... Long Beach BossHoss/Ural.... sucks to be you.

[DucatiBastard]

It's frustrating to hear of your ordeals with the dealer, it seems like a situation where they could have come out looking like the hero by going the extra mile/kilometer for their customer.

I work in the body shop of a Toyota dealer and we are constantly doing discounted/free work for our customers, to the point where its kind of a pain in the ass for us techs.

Hopefully your trans issues are resolved. 

Any more details on the bike?  How is the power output?  Does it cruise well on the highway?  Are you running ballast in the sidecar? etc etc and pics please   

[Drunken Monkey]

Did I not varn you about Russian mail-order bride? Did I not say you vould vake up in bathtub vithout kidney?

[hbliam]

The Ural USA site doesn't list a Long Beach location. Did you deal with one in Lomita?

[dbran1949]

Down here in San Diego the BMW dealership sells them, it's hard to believe BossHoss still exists. I've been thinking about buying one of these since I first saw one at the Long Beach motorcycle show a few years ago, after reading this... not so much anymore

[Grampa]

The Ural USA site doesn't list a Long Beach location. Did you deal with one in Lomita?

Sure they do....

 http://CALIFORNIABOSSHOSS.com/Default.asp

[Grampa]

Down here in San Diego the BMW dealership sells them, it's hard to believe BossHoss still exists. I've been thinking about buying one of these since I first saw one at the Long Beach motorcycle show a few years ago, after reading this... not so much anymore

My beef is with the dealer....not with ural.