Ural outfits.

Hi Guys, I'm looking for any opinions on the Ural outfits that are available
new... Just the l/h sidecar ones, not the two wheel drive r/h ones. Yeah I
know they're slow and crude, what I would really like (!) is if an owner of
one, say not more than a year or two old could give me their opinion of a).
The Outfit and b). The Dealer. TIA - David.

 

I know someone who had one a few years ago. Driving along one day, it made
a funny noise and went onto one cylinder. He looked down and noticed that
the whole of one cylinder had fallen off.

 

Lack of routine maintenance? ;-)

 

Some people think Bulldogs are ugly,some see their beauty.Can't speak
from experience but this is a good general site with links,
http://www.f2motorcycles.co.uk/

and I think their Royal Enfields look great
PS some people think my bike was an,"Ugly Duckling" but I love it
http://www.geocities.com/sheppola/cx500/cx500.html

 

I heard (here possibly) that at one time the incentives to produce as many
as possible so outweighed the quality control that they used to use a
hammer to put the cylinder studs in I think they're rather better made
nowadays.

A friend used to be into these things and after owning a number of
extremely cheap second hand ones in her student/trainee days decided to
buy a brand new one once she qualified and started earning decent money.
After a couple of years it was in as bad a state as the second hand ones.
I think she gave it away because she couldn't be bothered to try to sell
it for what it was worth. So I'm not sure that buying a new one is that
good an idea - although someone has to or there wouldn't be any cheap
second hand ones. Perhaps that's why you hardly ever see them any more.

My friend keeps threatening to get another, I'm trying to persuade her to
get one with a BMW engine fitted, there was an importer who did this, I'm
not sure if they're still around.

Regards, Ian

 

You don't want one of them Urals, you want a Dnepr. Urals have
roller-bearing big ends and you have to run them on monograde if you want
them to last. Dneprs have plain shell bearings like post-60s airhead BMWs
and run happily on cheap multigrade from Halfords, which is good considering
how much oil they get through.

Can't get them new nowadays, mind.

 

A web site like that gives me confidence in the company. No unnecessary
crap which takes ages to load and requires you to install the latest
version of xyz, just delivers the information you want. It makes me think
they'll be conscientious in all their dealings. Just my 2p.

I'm a bit surprised that a Urinal now costs 5 grand though.

Regards, Ian

 

I think it was on Thu, 26 May 2005 07:26:53 +0000 (UTC) that DNS

Apart from F2 in Banbury, there's MPC in Lutterworth
http://www.uralmotorbikes.info/

They're an 'official' Urinal dealer, and also do the Chinese Chang
Jiang Beemer copies. I think they've got a shed load of 1957
ex-Chinese Army machines squirrelled away which they bring up to date
(relatively speaking...) and effectively flog you a brand new machine
that's tax exempt. It looks as if most of their outfits are r/h ones
though, not sure how much work would be involved in converting.

I've always had a hankering after one of these Beemer copies, I have
no idea why, but I've never found one at a price I was prepared to pay
(less than four digits, including the pence...)

--

Rob
Broseley, Shropshire
1991 Yamaha XV 535 Virago
1997 Rover 623GSi

 

<AOL>

That's taking the piss, IMHO. The point about Commie outfits is that
they were, and should be, cheap.

For five grand, you could get an infinitely superior used Jap bike, and
get a pro outfit like Squire to hitch it to a new chair for you. Or you
could get a damn good SOB like a CB750 and do the same.

 

For five grand, you could get an infinitely superior used Jap bike, and

Not sure about an ' infinitely superior used Jap bike'
IMHO a BMW or Guzzi would be better, but that's just me...

However I've built up several outfits and once the issues of leading link
forks, small rear wheel etc. have been addressed £5k is just a distant
memory... The trouble with Urals isn't really the money (that can always be
found somehow) but the cruising speed of 50mph... Bloody tedious if you
actually have to *get somewhere*

 

<nods> 30 to the gallon, but takes an hour to do it.

 

On Fri, 27 May 2005 07:16:55 +0100 If I have seen farther it is
because I have stood on the shoulder of giants

I agree but that's not the point of the O/P's post.

 

As a Dnepr owner:

a) They are Satan's own form of transport and jolly painful.
b) The dealers are the same as any other dealer. First rule, never
use your own gear.

 

Only if you crash. Otherwise, a touch steady and apt to be a little wayward
while pressing on...

Problems?

 

No, just need to get my act together to send the order off.

 

F2 motorcycles are IMHO the place to go. I don't think all dealers are equal...