The Ural is the motorcycle that you and your significant other take to the bar for unicorn hunting because then you actually have a motorcycle that can seat 3 given you have the Ural with the rear seat and foot pegs on the main part of the bike
Local Austin Ural rider here: I totally agree with your assessment. The Ural is a brutal, unreliable, unintuitive, and downright dangerous machine--but by God that's why we Ural-ers love it. It'll get you anywhere you want to go... Just make sure you bring some extra nuts and bolts for when the existing ones inevitably fall off, some extra oil because the engine seems to be confused about which fluid it's supposed to be burning, and a cup of tea for when you need to give her a little rest by the side of the road because you've been hauling ass at a blistering 50mph for the past twenty minutes because the wind is at your back and things have gotten just a little too toasty. It's the ultimate around the world adventure bike: constant breakdowns, abysmal top speeds, and a very thirsty engine will force you to stop and socialize pretty much everywhere you go, even when there's a language barrier. But the memories you make on that thing will make you smile every time you think about them, and telling your stories will make your friend and family jealous.
Thank you. I thought that my experience of this two-wheeled abomination was unique, that I'd simply bought a bad example. I bought mine in 1976 because my Honda CB175 wasn't ideal for long trips (300-500Km) due to a tiny tank and an excruciatingly uncomfortable seat. Glad I kept it, though, because the Ural couldn't get me out of sight of home without breaking down. I chose it because the magazines were touting it as a bargain BMW. Now, on my third real BMW, an R1100RT, which reliably and comfortably covers 65,000Km per year with only maintenance costs (including tyres and limited-life bearings - but even they have a long life), I would never consider another Ural. I use my bike for day-to-day transport, not as a hobby.
I get a kick when a "hardcore" biker with a Harley asks "Why the hell would you want a bike that's old technology, under powered and unreliable?" Hmmmm...
You gotta realize it's a side car. Mine has been very reliable! I have an old 2006 carburated. I love mine. It's a man's ride! Not for the faint of heart.
The outsourced bits are the bits that don't fail. On the basis of my own Ural-owning experience (mercifully brief), if I ever caught myself considering buying one, I'd assume that my head had turned into a suppository.
I’m sorry to say this but you’re wrong. I’ve owned one of these abominations. It’s based off the Boxer blueprints given to Ural after the war. This engine in no way compares to a BMW boxer. It’s flat out garbage.
I got a lift in one years ago after a fancy dress party. The rider was dressed as batman and me in a German great coat, jack boots and a steel helmets. We were at the lights when the police pulled alongside window down. "Where you going lads" and I replied Poland. No sense of humour some policeman.
I have a feeling this wasn't the environment that the Ural was meant to be driven in. I realize this is not your bike, but it would have been nice if you could have given it some real off-road test, even if just over something mild like an unkept field. Ah well, not your bike so I see why you didn't!
At least the "modern Ural" has a leading link front suspension and disc brakes. Try riding an early 70's one with drum brakes and telescopic forks. Zero brakes and the bike wanders for days, Yikes!
There is an old Doctor that works at the local hospitals. He is a surgeon and in his 60's I believe. He has a Ural, he rides it to and from work EVERY DAY, 365 days a year, rain, sleet, snow, there is literally nothing that can stop that man on his Ural from getting to the hospital!
I want a ural for two very specific reasons. First because being an absolute dog lover - i would love to be able to take the dog out to the park or get ice cream or something while still being able to "ride". Second being in New England and generally unphased by the cold i think it would be hilarious fun to bop around town on one of these in the snow.
"The Ural is not leaking oil. It's marking the terrain" "If you don't see oil puddle under your Ural in the garage, top him up. Also, be suspicious when fumes from the exhaust aren't blue" My father had one. Cheers from post-communist country ;-)
A friend had a 2004 model and if it wasn't leaking oil then it probable didn't have any in it, although once it got up to operating temp it seemed to stop leaking oil. A previous owner had even replaced most of the fuses with wood dowels with metal caps on each end and a small bit of wire going in-between. Which it turned out were the fuses that blew on a semi-regular basis(rear taillight in particular) and they were just soldering new bits of wire on every time instead of trying to fix the actual problem.
Sounds just like what guys have told me about the older Hueys (Vietnam era helicopters), that if they weren't leaking fluids... that is when you had a problem.
Me and my wife done a tour of Cape Town in South Africa on one of these , I’ve been a biker for over 30 years and I’ve never laughed so much on a ride . Every time we stopped at a junction people would stare and point at us and car drivers , bikers and pedestrians would all wave and toot there horns as we went by, an unforgettable experience. I’d recommend it to anyone, like Yammie said you’re not sure about it at first but after a few miles you will be laughing all the way 🤪🤪
The unreliability is a total myth. I've put at least 20,000 miles on my 1995 model. That's before all that fancy brake fluid and discs stuff. I've got 3 mechanical drums. The safety of steel from pedal to wheel. I've only replaced all the switchgear, alternator, every bearing and bushing outside of the engine and transmission, every cable, fuel line, all 5 shocks, lined the tank, replaced the petcock, replaced the whole ignition system, driveshaft couplings, 4 tires and tubes, trued all the wheels, rebuilt the carbs, replaced swingarm bushings and rewired all but 4 inches of the original Russian wiring when I stripped the entire bike and sidecar down to their frames to replace the 5 year old engine 15 years ago. Recently, it blew a carburetor off the cylinder and bounced it off my leg, leaving a huge knot on my shin. Minor inconveniences like this are easily repaired in minutes with the 60 pounds of tools and spare parts that I keep in the trunk at all times. You only have to adjust the valves and change the oil and filters in the engine, transmission and final drive every 1,500 miles. It's basically maintenance free. If you keep a designated pair of oily pants and boots, just for Ural use, you don't even have to struggle to wash all the oil spray out of your clothes. After all this time, it can still easily get to 50 mph in less than 20 or 30 seconds and hold that speed for minutes at a time if you're strong enough and brave enough. It's the best bike I've ever owned.
"Agricultural" is a good word. Yet my wife rode hers from Portland to Los Angeles, across the country through TX, to NYC, up to Boston, down to Atlanta and then back through Wyoming. 11,000 miles over 99 days. Apart from a blown tire and regular rear tire replacements (you'll only get about 4000 miles on one) and the fact that it's not a 80mph freeway ride, it's awesome.
When One accelerate with the Ural: it always pulls to the right, when you decelerate to always pulls to the left. It is not random tank slapping. Working that throttle is what cause most of that knee slapping. You guys get 2 bonus points for being from Texas. Your channel is great. In my opinion you need to go out on the Ural more. The storm now Is Ural is designed for. Be safe.
I have owned two urals. I have garage full of bikes. My current ural is the 2016 m70 retro. I can say with annual maintenance- never had an issue. Fun and well built. Bang out 1000 weekend rides - all while my wife comes along and has a great time - we scout out new roads and ride those roads the next weekend on each of our 2 wheel motorcycles. Want to include your better half and not have them hanging on the back of your 2 wheeler- buy a Ural. Absolutely a blast to ride- take a side car course and you will understand how to safely ride the wheels of it. USMC Ted
to think that yams is complaining about how the ural handles considering all the goodies attached to it, just wait til he gets to try riding out a local bolt & weld tricycle in the philippines
First of all. The tankslapping is indicative of the sidecar not being on the right angle to the motorcycle. Second, the Dnepr is the ultimate sidecar machine. It got 2wd but with a diff, the military models have a lockable diff.
Hey Yammie, Spike, you could make a budget motorcycle review series. I wouldn't mind seeing some Low/Mid cc Indian/Chinese motorcycles tested, if nothing else just for shit and giggles.
There was a guy around Sarasota Bradenton area that had one of these all painted up in Afrika Corp paint schemes. I haven't seen it around in last 10 years or so it was cool.
I have a 1999 Euro tourist Sidecar outfit all of the russian-built parts from the shocks to the ignition to the exhaust are still working the way they're supposed to be all the lights work all the idiots lights work all the switches work the only non-russian Parts on the bike are the Mikuni carburetors and those are good carburetors I had my dealer replace the drive gears in the timing chest I had to fix/ replace the driveshaft and I had to replace the left hand cylinder and piston it went through two owners before me and collectively they put on 4000 miles I now have approximately 40000 miles on the bike and it is my only means of transport they are more reliable than what people say they are and they are tough as nails I usually run the back roads around 50 miles an hour in the slow lane I can do short hops on the interstate at 55 miles an hour in the slow lane I was looking for a sidecar to hook up to one of my BMW motorcycles and for what I paid for the Euro it's like buying the sidecar and getting the motorcycle for free
Looks like you guys had fun! If you've got the chance, take it off road, it's not scary at all. My 1973 Ural runs great in the mud ( low speed and crap brakes are a good combo) And please be gentle with the engine and gearbox, it's closer to farm machinery then an actual bike ;) Even with the EFI and disk brakes it's an old design at heart. Cheers from Europe
Here is the paradox of the time: In the USSR and Russia, low-income people, those who could not afford to buy a car, rode motorcycles with sidecars. And now, on the contrary)), in Russia - a motorcycle with a sidecar only for the wealthy)). По русски: Вот парадокс времени: В СССР и России на мотоциклах с колясками ездили малообеспеченные люди, те, кто не мог позволить купить машину. А сейчас, наоборот)), в России - мотоцикл с коляской только для обеспеченных)).
If it's properly set up, it won't shake the Steering at any time. A correctly set-up Outfit will track straight 'Hands-Off' at any speed. If you're going to 'test' something that (by your own admission) you know nothing about, do the Machine the courtesy of doing some research first.
I just found this video. I have a Ural. It is a unique ride. I can’t ride my sport bikes anymore. But that tank slapper issue can be solved with a steering dampener . I had the same issue.
After you learn to ride it, you realize to turn right, add throttle, reduce throttle to turn left. Plow steering WILL wear you out quickly. It truly isn’t a motorcycle, it is/was a implement of the past. You mentioned it wouldn’t turn over.....wrong! If you turn in too fast to the right and lift the rear wheel, you will get a rude surprise! Flying the car is a lot of fun! Fantastic for camping, and general utility use, I have hauled 300 lbs of catfish food sacks in mine. Forget it is a motorcycle!
At its heart it's a 1930's BMW from WW 2. It's ment to carry a three man crew, two on the bike, one in the side car with the equipment. And 2wd is for off road only.
My wife put 3000 miles on her Ural last year alone. She absolutely loves it. I’ve driven it a few times but I do prefer a two wheel experience. It works well for her because she has occasional balance issues and gets nervous on two wheels. She’ll still take her Yamaha two wheel out every once in a while but she much prefers the whole experience on the Ural. We even have a big Chou/lab mix dog that the absolutely loves riding side car (goggles and everything). Just as you mentioned though, when she’s solo, I think she usually puts about 120 pounds of sand bags in the side car because it evens out the ride. When she first got it, she had many of the first things to say like you guys did. Now that she’s gotten used to it I think it’s just one of those things where everything is second nature and it’s a really good experience for her. Despite what a lot of people say, we’ve had absolutely zero troubles with the bike in the 5000 miles that she’s had at it. I don’t know what frequent breakdowns people talk about but certainly not within this usage for us. Oh, one more thing, it tops out at just under 80 miles an hour and I know that we’ve cruised at that speed for maybe at most an hour at a time and it handles it just fine.
@@HighLevelPlayer ours is a 2016. We got it in late 2019. Put about 11k miles on it now with no issues. The fuel warning light has been on since we got it…only problem I know of. I forgot if it’s 2015 or 2016 they started using EFI and that helped with reliability, power and fuel economy.
I'm retired. I like taking the road less traveled from point A to point B. 600 miles of highway driving in a day seeing nothing but concrete? Nope. That's a 3 day trip, with stops at whatever looks interesting in whatever town I'm in. Chats at every gas station, diner and tavern about the bike. Giving whatever pretty girl wants a ride in the sidecar a ride. Finding something cool at a flea market and having a place to put it. A cooler with a chilled 6 pack available at all times. A pop up tent, cookset, esbit stove, army blanket and oilskin duster and free camp anywhere I can find. I can ride a highway at 80mph in my car, but when is the last time a nun at a restaurant asked you for a sidecar ride? Or a couple old guys from the local VFW offer you a beer and a story for a ride? Ride up on a Hayabusa, Goldwing, or Fat Boy and you might get a glance- pull up on a Ural and you're the swinging meat until you decide to leave..
From South Africa, we only get the one wheel drive because sidecar is on the left... My father and I have traveled across the country on one on dirt roads.
I have a 2019 Ural Gear Up. I took a 800 mile trip on it and had no problems, got 46mpg on one of my tanks of gas, the rest was 40-4mpg. I was on from 4 a.m. until after 7 p.m. rode 55-65 mph depending on the speed limit. The reason why you got the "tank slap" is becuase you did not have the steering dampner set stiffer. You set the steering dampner loose for driving around town so that it is easier to turn, set it stiffer for higher speeds so the front end is tighter and does not get a wobble. The steering dampner on the 2019 has 16 settings 1 being the loosest and 16 being the tightest. Set mine on 14 and have no trouble going down the highway. Also if the sidecar is not set up properly, you will also have trouble at higher speeds. There is a big difference between the carbeurators and fuel injection and also a difference between the 1st (2014-2018) and 2nd (2019 and up) generation fuel injection. Mine has the 2nd generation fuel injection and the GPR 2 into 1 exhuast, also a big difference than the stock exhuast system. 2wd is only for loose stuff becuase when you engage the 2wd you have a solid axle and have slide it around to steer vs trying to steer normally. Go drive a 2019 and up, there will be a big difference from the one that you rode.
Um... You do know that Ural is a plagiat, don't you? It was copied from German BMW. And the funny thing is... It's a copy but still not even compared to original. Soviet enginers coldn't even do "copy-paste". 😂 Guess they were drunk. Or stupid. Or both. p.s. Yes, I'm from Russia.
You ride a motorcycle and DRIVE a sidecar rig. I've never driven an Ural but I have driven a Royal Enfield 500cc with a side car and it was a blast. I enjoyed every minute. My wife was in the sidecar and didn't enjoy it much. She said it was like riding in the bed of a 1940 pick up truck. I now own a Harley Davidson Tri Glide and you have to steer it like a sidecar rig. Once again, you ride a motorcycle and drive a trike. But after getting use to it, I enjoy it. Sidecars were first used on bicycles. It wasn't until the early 20th century they started mounting them on motorcycles. They really do have an interesting history. I have a friend who use to race them, THAT"S SCAREY!!! With your nose next to the ground while you are being the counter weight. Then you throw your body over the seat to counterbalance for the other direction. NOT FOR ME!!!! Ride safe and enjoy every journey.
These are really cool, and I've been thinking about getting one down the road at some point. By the way, though, the 2WD is for getting unstuck, just like 4WD on a truck. There's no differential; that's why it's hard to turn in 2WD.
I'm pretty sure I'm the one who gave yall the biker wave that day. I was riding my R6 down Braker, right beside the Domain , on my way to 2222 then 1431, and waved at a bike with a sidecar. Had to have been yall. How many sidecars are out there?
Well... 1st- you're not supposed to use 2wd on dry ground, 2nd you're supposed to learn how to pilot them with without ballist, also when breaking it should stop straight! or it's out of adjustment!.. so shit review on those points alone. Maybe I am wrong.. but those are my thoughts. If I am wrong please correct me
Yammie dad you gotta add some muscles on your forarms there. I've rode sidecars even on the difficult terrain and i mean difficult one! You are riding the sidecar on a kid's playground. Bring that on the offroad where there should be uphill, downhill, rockyroad, muddy road or grassy road. You will love it my friend.
If these things were under ten grand they would be amazing. Sadly the price of the new ones has shot up insanely high. The thing with these bikes is they can be used for daily life. You can take them grocery shopping. You can ride them in snow. You can use them for everything.
You dudes can't even imagine how many soviet families this 3-seat bike helped to survive and to keep up their farm activities. And, you are laughing at...
The front suspension, while archaic, is designed for a sidecar setup where there is no leaning. It supports more side forces, and apparently if you have telescoping forks with a sidecar it gets even more squirrely.
Ural Gear up owner here... the tank slapping is either a worn out steering stabilizer or needs to be adjusted. Making sure sidecar to bike "toe in" angle can help too. These are the "Jeeps" of motorcycles and I absolutely love owning one! Also have a ZX-10R and they are extremely different rides.
I like how people stop at nothing and get things like this from Russia, i wish i could do the same =) my GrandFather, Father and his friend had this and i remamber me in the side car. so fun )))
Its a shame that the one you got to test seems seems to have been horribly setup and needs a alignment. Using the rear brake it shouldn't pull either direction, and I can cruse all day on mine comfortably at 50-55 with no head shake.
Ural 600cc with sidecar cut out was my first motorcycle. I was riding it for about a year and half regularly in warm climate commuting to office. It was an awesome experience.
The real reason so many are sold with a sidecar is that they have never learnt how to make a stand that works. The one I made the mistake of buying in 1976 kept falling over, and I understand that the stands haven't improved.
I worked as a Ural mechanic for a couple years, and a couple complaints can be dialed out. The rear brake engagement can be balanced between the drive wheel and sidecar wheel and it seems to be engaging the sidecar wheel first. The death wobble is probably a combination of the steering head bearings being loose, the damper leaking oil, and the alignment is too parallel. The sidecar and bike need to be just barely aimed towards one another to keep it tracking straight. The swaying from acceleration is relatively normal, but on a properly set up rig isn't very dramatic.
In modern conditions, "Ural" is a very specific product, but it can give you something that no other motorcycle, ATV, snowmobile will give you... namely: 1. Unlike the ATV and snowmobile, it can be moved on public roads, and quickly enough, it does not need to be dragged on a trailer. 2. You can travel on it, for example, together, taking with you a tent, sleeping bags, all camp equipment, clothing, food, fuel, and go for a long time to some completely wild places, without roads and far from civilization, where it is simply terrible to go on a modern high-tech motorcycle - some Africa, Mongolia, mountain Altai, Lake Baikal, etc. 3. This "infernal chariot" can carry 300-500 kg of cargo and even more, carry 20 people, and on a cable it drags a "Range Rover". So, if you live in a village, and you need to urgently transport 5 bags of cement, for example, a woodpile, a year's supply of potatoes, 5-6 friends who are drunk to the point of unconsciousness, a live bear, a cow, a pig, or something like that, then you load it into a stroller - and please! )))
@thetimekillerx No, that's not what I mean... In the Urals, you can drive on ordinary roads even through the WHOLE of Russia, even through the WHOLE of Europe. That's what people do here. You will not be able to get on a snowmobile or ATV in Finland, and go on it to Mongolia on the usual highway, through different cities. Maybe you have them registered there somehow, but these cars are not designed for driving on asphalt: either for walking on a weekend, or you will stay in the countryside all the time, where only dirt roads, or there is snow. But in the Urals-you can.
@@johnharrison1573 first off your a legend 🤣💯 second off since it doesn't seem like u really have to balance but I have no idea, I have to know was it easier or harder than a normal motorcycle?
@@monty-9269 urals are all I ride, so to me when I do test ride a 2 wheel bike, it feels weird! No need to balance while going straight but turns are very different, especially a right hand turn. Passed fine tho
Yup, they took the whole factory East as reparations. When Ural and dniepers were imported to the UK in the 80s, the urals still had mounts for mgs on the sidecars. The dniepers cam with spare bearings.
