Ever own a Ural? - Page 2

epbrown · 01-03-2014, 05:58 AM

I've always liked the Ural Solo, much more scarce, but for a while it was the darling of the custom shops. What's top speed on these? Reports seem varied.

Chocaholic · 01-03-2014, 07:59 AM

I've heard it described as follows: You can go slightly above 60 before it starts to feel like it's shaking apart (with sidecar). If you re-gear the diff...it won't start shaking apart until 70. But there are other bikes for that kind of riding. Different tools for different jobs!

Evans, Marv · 01-03-2014, 09:16 AM

Out of curiosity I checked the local Craigslist by typing in Ural. There was one listed for $5,500 with 2,500 miles on it. I'm not interested, but is this a reasonable price?

Chocaholic · 01-03-2014, 11:13 AM

What year/model, etc?

epbrown · 01-03-2014, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chocaholic

I've heard it described as follows: You can go slightly above 60 before it starts to feel like it's shaking apart (with sidecar). If you re-gear the diff...it won't start shaking apart until 70. But there are other bikes for that kind of riding. Different tools for different jobs!

Actually, I'm not concerned about serious speed, as I've got other bikes. But one of my joys in life is torturing my accountant siblings by showing up on more and more impractical modes of transport, and I'd love to putter up on a dirty, sputtering Ural Solo, as it already looks a hundred years old. Just curious if it actually could manage the 400-mile trip on county roads doing 50-something mph.

Evans, Marv · 01-03-2014, 08:05 PM

Guess it was worth it. Just tried to look on Craigslist for it again & it was gone. So I guess it may have sold sometime today.

Noah930 · Noah930's Garage

My buddy (in the above post), sold his 600-mile bike for $6K. He thinks he bought it new for about $10K, and that they now go (new) for about 12.

GWN7 · 01-03-2014, 11:40 PM

web site said $14,099 was list.

Hard-Deck · 01-04-2014, 01:04 AM

You can buy a BMW R90 and put a hack on it for less than the price of a Ural and have a better rig. Just sayin'. A Ural LOOKS cool, but they are broke-down pieces of crap sitting on the floor new. At one time I considered one...before I talked to owners and did my homework. Do not be the mythical lemming.

on2wheels52 · on2wheels52's Garage

An R90 won't make tracks like this

Jim

JJ 911SC · JJ 911SC's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by epbrown

... But one of my joys in life is torturing my accountant siblings by showing up on more and more impractical modes of transport...

Well than, this one is for you...

Chocaholic · 04:09 AM

Quote:

You can buy a BMW R90 and put a hack on it for less than the price of a Ural and have a better rig. Just sayin'. A Ural LOOKS cool, but they are broke-down pieces of crap sitting on the floor new. At one time I considered one...before I talked to owners and did my homework. Do not be the mythical lemming.

More a matter of expectations. If you expect Honda reliability and smoothness, you'll be very disappointed. These are mostly hand made by vodka-laden Russians (unfair stereotype, admittedly). Many have great experience but not without a hands-on maintenance and repair mentality....much like buying a 30 year old 911. Having other bikes in the stable, I'd love to have one. But would never expect it to tour like my HD or carve mountain roads like a Duc or K-bike.

Lots of rural unpaved roads around here that would be fun to explore with the dog, a kid, etc.

BTW....the one down in Lakeland sold already too. One day...

varmint · 01-04-2014, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by epbrown

Just curious if it actually could manage the 400-mile trip on county roads doing 50-something mph.

Uraling the great divide.
Soviet Steeds • View topic - Uraling The Great Divide (now with more dogs!)

for me the deciding factor was meeting several guys over the last few summers who'd made it up to alaska on urals. i know this is not a scientific survey. for every one who made it twenty could be bleached bones on the alcan. but it was worth taking a shot.

as for the idea of buying an old beemer and attaching a sidecar; i looked into this. i do not want to destroy a classic. i'm hard on machines. i've taken the rig down twenty miles of beach and up hellish fire roads. the two wheel drive and reverse have gotten my ass out of a few tight spots.

i am not here to defend their build quality or reliability. they have issues. just be prepared and don't be in a hurry. then they're a lot of fun.

Hard-Deck · 01-04-2014, 10:46 AM

Very good point, agreed, and thank you for not wanting to destroy a classic.

Quote:

Originally Posted by varmint

as for the idea of buying an old beemer and attaching a sidecar; i looked into this. i do not want to destroy a classic. i'm hard on machines. i've taken the rig down twenty miles of beach and up hellish fire roads. the two wheel drive and reverse have gotten my ass out of a few tight spots.

Joeaksa · 01-04-2014, 08:36 PM

Well hate to burst a lot of people's bubbles here but a long time friend of mine searched all over the country and finally was shot a good deal on a new Ural three years ago. He lives and worked at that time for the Harley factory in Wisc. And no he did not work the line... he was one of the engineers who designed the engines for the last 25 years, so he knows a thing or two about how things are made.

He got on the airline and flew to Logan, the local dealer here in Phoenix. Made a deal on the bike and the owner said "put 500 miles on it right now and bring it back and we will do the first service free"....

Two days later Tom came back and Logan smiled, handed him the keys to his personal Ural to get around on, and said "it will be done tomorrow mid day!" He then took Tom out to dinner and a ball game.

Tom then hopped on the bike and over a week or so rode the bike 1900 miles to Wisc... all without a hiccup but then he did keep it under 60 or so and said he had an excellent time taking back roads almost the entire trip. He said it was an adventure, not a race.

Its been three years now and aside from several tire changes (he really rides the thing a lot) and a battery that went bad this last fall, he has not done a thing to the bike other than usual maintenance. Anyone on Facebook... look up "Tom Berry" and you will see him and the bike on his profile. Or look up Jim or myself...

And for all of you saying its a piece of Russian junk... well it has the same front brake that many of our Porsche's have, a BREMBO disk. Newer ones have the ignition off of a Ducati and the 2014 versions have fuel injection and so on... they have been steadily improving them and making them more reliable.

Joe A

PS you want to really hot rod a Ural? Find an older BMW engine and stuff it into the frame. It fits but takes some adaption but there are several guys around the country who do this. Then you can ride the bike 80 mph for days and keep smiling. You want to keep the Ural gearbox because of the reverse gear.

Joeaksa · 01-04-2014, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shinrai

I've never owned a Ural but did have a Chang Jiang when I lived in China. Looks the same. Replacing all wiring and connectors made it somewhat reliable but I wouldn't consider taking it on long trips. Really cool to look at. FWIR it was roughly 4k. CJ750s turn up every once in a while here in North America.

The Chinese started building the CJ years ago under license from Ural. Their quality is not what the Ural is but you know, for cheap transportation in their neck of the woods they work fine.

Some spares from the CJ fit the Urals, and some not... but its good to have options.