Ever own a Ural?
 

My teenage sons are all over me to add a Ural to the stable. 60 year old technology made in Russia. I guess if you look at it like buying a vintage VW (stuff is going to break, but easy to DIY and parts are cheap), perhaps in a weak moment, I could see one in the garage. Our English Mastiff would look great sporting a pair of goggles riding along in the hack.

I've read wildly differing opinions on ADVrider. Can't think of anything practical about the idea, but the boys have me thinking. We live in a rural area and off-road, back and forth from the dock, etc., might be kind of fun. Anyone have one?

2013 Ural Gear-Up - Top Speed

Certainly wouldn't buy a new one, but perhaps a used 2011 or 2012? Nearest dealership is a little more than an hour away (Atlanta). Gotta get back to work...these slow days have the potential to get expensive.

New Years Day

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The thing is a hoot to drive.
Forget about speed, just take all the back/gravel roads you can. Mine cruises nicely at 48 mph. Totally another world from my other bikes.
Soviet Steeds is where I found my two year old one. PM me if I can be of assistance.
Jim

Its a Russian made copy of an early BMW. What could possibly go wrong?

Found a 2004 Tourist a while ago for a real deal and have been fussing with it. As I have been riding BMW bikes for years, this was easy as its a copy of a 1939 BMW that the German Army used.

Here is a pic of the bike after being towed out of a hangar where it had been sitting for years, dust, missing fender and so on. Friend of mine ridiing it in the pic enjoyed the ride so much he is looking for a used Ural right now.

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What I want it to look like after I get all of the bugs worked out...

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Just remember, this is not a touring bike. Its a fun bike to ride around town or on short trips but you are not going to hop on it and ride 75 mph for 500 miles. Its not designed for that and remember, this is a upgraded copy of a 1939 motorcycle.

I just saw one of those today, very cool

Here's a smokin' deal on one in Lakeland, FL. No idea how I'd get there to see it, much less get it home!

If anyone near Lakeland wants to have a look...and store it for me...well, never mind.

Ural Patrol 2wd

And the Lada was a copy of the Fiat 124. Why re-invent the wheel.

Cheapest car to run I ever owed.

ultimately it is not a very good motorcycle, and not a very good atv. but it combines the two in a way nothing else does.

i have a 2WD patrol. the dogs love it. the girlfriend's kid loves it. accept it's limitations going in and you'll have a lot of fun.




there is a tremendous do it yourself community online. spend a few hours watching the videos on youtube. if none of them disturb you go for it.



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my friend had one for a short while. he is MUCH more mechanically skilled than i am. it was a complete nightmare. he purchased it new. sold it several months later.

They say quality is much improved in the last few years. But, like you said, they are so darn simple that even if things break, they will be cheap and easy to fix. I think with the right expectations going in, a guy could have a ball with one of these. Seems to me you are the kind of guy who is just about perfectly suited for a ride like this. Get one and have fun.

US importer is in the Seattle area (Preston, Wa).....At a bike show, he let me watch a video taken at "Factory".......Was truly stone age.

I semi-wish I had purchased a moto buddy's 600-mile Ural when he had it up for sale last year. It doesn't look like it would be good for much other than putting around town, but the kids (and all their friends--shh, don't tell their parents) would probably love going for a spin around the block.

While it may be a German design, my friend noted the Russians would sometimes take liberties in actual assembly of the bike. Once he had some sort of electrical issue. To replace the faulty electrical bit under the seat he was supposed to pop off the seat and un-do 4 bolts. At least that's what the shop manual said. Instead of 4 bolts, he found 4 welded tabs. Maybe they were short on bolts that month. But that necessitated taking off the sidecar (a much bigger job, as the wheel on the hack is rigidly connected to the drivetrain) to obtain access to that part.

But, I have no place to store a rig that size, so maybe it's for the better for my marriage relations.

Sometimes you have to take a chance. :)

Won't fit in the back of a pickup? Then uShip it.

Ha. Been around long enough to believe the old adage...."If it seems too good to be true, it probably is".

Naw...without an eyeball on it, it's not going to happen. ;)

Complete pieces of crap with an atrocious reputation.... but so cool looking! I got my 3 wheeler endorsement a while back (separate from 2 wheeler, at least here in WA) and have been pining for a cool sidecar rig for a while.

I have a serious soft spot for the Lada Niva. Drove one across Costa Rica.

Always regret not getting one.

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.

I am amazed at the current asking price. They were available around here about 10 yrs ago for something like $3000 new. Some assembly required if I recall. Sidecar was an extra cost option .
Quality control as well as metallurgy is suspect from what I heard.