I just thought of this!

I've always thought Ural Motorcycles were really cool. Two-wheel drive with a side car. I've seen a few up close and they're very cool (very retro).

And, there's the link... Ural | Russian Sidecar Motorcycles

Those are so cool. Love the Taiga.

A buddy just sold a 600 mile Ural. Looks vintage, because it is vintage. That's what happens when a bunch of Russians haul off a BMW factory back to Siberia after a world war. No development has been made on that design in the intervening 65 years. In fact, he had a problem once where he had to change a battery or sparkplug or something minor like that. Factory manual says there's a plate under the seat that should come off with 4 bolts to expose whatever electrical doohickey he needed to access. But instead of a bolted-in plate, he found no bolts but rather 4 welds. I guess the shipment of bolts to the factory was running thin that month. So he had to take off the sidecar to get to that spot. A sidecar where the wheel is connected via an axle to the rear wheel (so the bike can be a two-wheel drive). It got done, but sure was a PITA.

My old neighbor had a Ural that he rode everywhere...with his daughter in the chair. He had a custom-welded tube cage attached to the sidecar for her "protection". :eek:

Anyway, the stories he told me about keeping that thing running were unbelievable. Like gearsets that were hand-matched at the factory because mfg tolerances were so loose. God help you if you needed just one gear... I'm not sure if he was always on the level with me, but just 10% of his stories were enough to scare me away from Urals for good.

Thats BS right there... I'd have ground those welds out and made it a bolt in plate.....

I have a customer with one of those rotax three wheelers. He LOVES it. He uses it exactly as you want to - he and his wife go for rides. I wonder if you could pick up one depreciated?

As for the sidecar - I need to caution on the safety. My buddy was (see that?) a life long rider. He took out his bike with a side car and didn't come home. The handling killed him. There is a real learning curve on sidecars and some significant disadvantages.

As for taking the girl friend out - what about a small roadster? There are millions of them, they are cheap, room for an overnight bag, and a rain cover? Just asking.

Good luck!
Larry

WOW I got my motorcycle license on one of those. I think it was a 250 circa 1977.
Funny story. I was used to riding 4 stroke bikes (Honda 550K Kawasaki 350). My first time on the Can-Am I let out the clutch next thing I know the front wheel is off the ground and I'm about to land on my arse.
I learned very quickly that 2 stroke motors had way more tourqe.

You can go this..

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1335147347.jpg

Or you can be this guy...http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1335147393.jpg

I saw one up close at an intersection yesterday. They are huge! Sorry but if it's as big as a car, as complicated to work on and gets about the same mileage I'd opt for a Boxster or Miata.

There are a number of 3 wheelers on the market.
-Some are "car like", aka T-Rex and the recently deceased Aptera
-Some are "motorcycle like", aka Bugatti MP3 varients and others.

Florida has a lot of baby boomers on Goldwings, Harleys and assorted three wheelers. I don't get how these guys get their wives to sit on the back of a bike in the rain and shine and stare at the back of their helmets. The wives always look board. They can't read, talk on the phone or sleep. My wife would never do it.

Some of these converted three wheel Harleys and Goldwings are big $$$.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1335386561.jpg

thanks for all the input and suggestions...i guess that i will stick with my 1200 rt or try to find a street rail buggy for the open air. in the meantime my four wheel cage will continue to be this...im 72 but got a lot of riding to do! hopefullyhttp://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1335393461.jpg

Took the 911 through Oregon this last weekend, drove about a thousand miles, and I would have to say I saw, like, 5 of those 3 wheel Can-ams. They don't look especially comfortable, ie, the rider looks like s/he's 'perched' on a low box, and unless the windshield is more aero than it looks, it seems like the rider is getting a full bug blast.
I also saw a lot more three wheel trikes (like GL conversions) than I ever had on this same run; I ALSO saw a lot of baggers with the small fairings. In fact, the baggers run in packs now like choppers used to, and most of the riders like 'em in black. I think the people that ride to live and live to ride are getting a little older and they like a few more comforts. Come to think of it, I rarely if ever see any stretched-out choppers on the open highway.

[QUOTE=Racerbvd;6704568]You can go this..

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1335147347.jpg

I have always wanted to be a sidecar monkey!

If your girl will wear a mask and a cape, then she can be...
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1336440106.jpg

Give me a break. Like wanting a F15 but getting a C5. I'd so much rather have a Caterham Super Seven, etc.

The only three wheeler I can see getting is the Piaggio MP3, as a round-town scooter, because two contact patches in front are a good thing and you still lean the turns.