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Lusting for a Ural

Thanks to everyone for their input, I took the plunge and have had my Gear-up for about 6 weeks now. Thought I'd relate some impressions.

First of all, I love it. My kids love it. My wife likes it. Complete strangers love it. People almost drive off the road gawking at it. Everyone want to ask about it.

Lots of maintenance. Mostly easy, old school stuff. 500km then every 3000km. Fortunately, Ural encourages owners to do it themselves and I enjoy the excuse to hibernate in the garage occasionally.

Lots of new skills to learn. Not sure how much is general hack stuff and how much is Ural specific, but it's a different world than 2 wheeling. I have adjusted to brakes, shifting, acceleration, handling, noises, ergonomics and engineering that would have me running for the exit on any other bike. But with this rig it's part of the charm. If it was more modern it would just be another forgettable ride.

Owning a Ural requires a commitment from the owner, and it returns that commitment with a very unique set of rewards. I didn't realize what an adjustment I was making until I got back on my ancient K75s and it seemed like some futuristic rocket ship. Not for everyone, but for me I think I hit the nail on the head with this purchase.
 

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Too right about commitment and payback. Vasily's engine breaking in nicely (more power, quieter operation) and the tranny is getting happy. You can shift up with your toes, but it's more like a hip muscle exercise. The heel shift is easier, if a little awkward.

Can find neutral now no sweat even at a stop, and reverse is getting easier to shift into even with the bike in 1st.

Played with the twinmax and have a nicer idle and smoother acceleration. All the little oil mists and ooz I remember from my /2. But is is fun to wrench your own and get to know it.

2100k and getting better all the time. :thumb
 
I have a 06 Patrol, and a K1200RS and a F650GS. My Ural adds to my motorcycling experience, doesn't replace either BMW.

:thumb
 
Bought a Ural and never looked back

I bought one new in '05 sold it to a friend and bought an '07, sold it to another friend and now own a 2010. I have put about 30,000 miles on them and have never thought spending the money was a mistake. If I had more time I would ride it to the national. They are not BMWs but they are easy to work on and in my experience really don't need much except common sense service. Great back road bike
 
There are a couple of Ural rigs in our company parking lot. I thought I would check the mileage on them, today. One has close to 17,000 and the other 27,000. They look to be about 3 years old, and are driven daily.
 
Just thought I'd throw this out so the rest of you can suffer along with me. They say timing is everything in life and I've been lusting after a Ural myself for a long time. But work hasn't been too steady, and I owed my soul to the IRS this year. A day late and a dollar short.... again. So I'm eating some "Ural Death" on this machine that just sold on eBay (21 April, 2013). A single owner, 2000 Ural Night Sentry with ... 305 original miles on the clock. Winning bid; $7,200

Here's the seller's write-up...

This is a 2000 Ural Night Sentry Russian motorcycle with matching sidecar, in gloss black with white pinstripes. It has only 305 original kilometers on it. Really. I purchased it new from Blue Moon cycles in Norcross, GA in August 2000. I rode it home and then another 170 miles, then stopped riding my three motorcycles altogether in favor of boating, golfing, tennis, and way too much office work. I parked the bike in my climate controlled basement and kept it out of the way and clean, and I kept air in the (four) tires. It hasn?t been started since 2001, but I?m not aware of anything that needs attention. It was running perfectly when I last rode it. It is bone stock, except I think the spotlights and pin striping were optional. You can see I still have the original owners manual, tools, tonneau cover, and a handful of spare parts that came with it. While the bike has been continuously insured and titled, it hasn?t been registered for the road in all the years it was in storage. Based on all the foregoing, the bike is for sale ?As Is?, with no warranty. However, the bike may be inspected at any time with a day?s notice in Alpharetta, GA by you, your representative, or your mechanic. I am willing to ship the bike anywhere, buyer pays shipping. . A new Ural Retro costs $14,249 so here is an opportunity save some big money! Subject to prior sale

On Apr-17-13 at 17:28:30 PDT, seller added the following information:

Update to Bike's condition. I drained the fuel tank, added fresh fuel with seafoam, repaired a leaking fuel petcock, replaced the plugs, and the bike started right up. I jump started it from my car, so the bike still has a dead battery.
On Apr-20-13 at 15:54:56 PDT, seller added the following information:

Further Update to Bike's condition. I put in a fresh battery today and took the bile on a 10 mile test drive. Bike is running like new!

2000Ural_zpsc9996693.jpg
2000Uralb_zps75a6313f.jpg
2000Uralc_zps5055c900.jpg


Maybe there's another one out there somewhere.
 
Ural's

I would definitely buy a Ural! They are very cool and fun to ride around. One caveat however... you need to know what you're getting into with a Ural. Dealers are few and far between, if you're close to one that is a bonus. 2nd thing is they are maintenance intensive. Like motorcycles used to be decades ago. Don't expect today's modern anything. The more you know about working on a motorcycle the better off you will be.

If you're ok with that I say absolutely go for it!!
 
While that 2000 Ural looks grand, I've been told to stick with '07 or newer, because of the vast improvements (alternator, forks, brakes).
 
they are maintenance intensive. Like motorcycles used to be decades ago.

Hey billy, yer talking to a guy that's ridden, and maintained, the same R75/5 since 1974.... The tips about updated mechanics ... didn't know about. Thanks.

Still... . whatta sweety, and with only a tick over 300 miles it would probably be a while before the gremlins started showing up.
 
ural

got a ural in 2004 have had little problems. The bigest problem is the people that has bought them in the past found that they can work on them by there self. They just kept working on them till they broke them Or they thought they could run a splash oil syste like a jap bike, Then lost the motor. You have to drive a splash system with comon sense. kind like a 1947 chevy. There oil pump is so low presure I dosn't have a light or gauge. If riden like they were made for the will run a long time with little trouble.
Lloyd
wanted to put on pic but could not get done
 
I'm riding my second Ural sidecar rig. I can't imagine not having one. I still have two BMWs in my stable, but can't ride them because of injuries. I started riding BMWs in 1974 with my 1954 R51/3. My new Ural reminds me of the charm that attracted me to BMWs in the 70s. That charm has been engineered out of modern BMWs. With the on-demand 2-wheel drive and tough nature of the Ural, I can take it places where only the hardiest BMW GS riders dare tread. Many BMW owners also own Urals, and for very good reasons. If you have the coin, I'd say drop it on the Ural.
 
We went for a test ride (Kim's first sidecar ride) and had a ball. If I had the $$$ I would get one tomorrow.
 

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My wife and I stopped at a dealer in Anchorage last week so she could get a ride in the sidecar. She said that after riding the Ural, mine felt like riding on a jackhammer. I've been looking at Urals for a while and the 2014 changes are significant enough to take the leap. The airhead/Cozy combo will still cruise faster but 2WD/EFI/reverse/steering damper/leading link and disc brakes all around are enough of a difference to overlook some of the shortcomings.

2014Ural.jpg
 
10 years and about 40,000 kms on my Ural

I bought my Ural Tourist (1WD) model new in April 2004. In ten years it's only stranded me twice, and both were in the last two months. Typically, it was weird but simple Ural stuff. Basically, a nut behind the front engine cover which holds the rotor tight had come loose. Tightened it and the bike was fine. Second, battery gave up the ghost after a seven-year run. Had a few oddball electrical gremlins when I first bought the bike but all were fixed by me and my wrenching buddies under warranty; IMZ (manufacturer of Urals) sent us the parts under warranty: new key switch and new ignition switch fixed the problem of bike suddenly shutting off.

The Urals do get better with every years and significant leaps forward occurred in 2004, 2006, 2010, 2012, and now fuel-injection and disc brakes on all three wheels in 2014 as well as a hydraulic steering dampener.

Change your oil every 3,000 klicks (engine, tranny, and final drive), check and adjust the valves as needed (valves eventually settle in and need adjusting much less after about 10,000 klicks), keep the bike at 50-60 mph, and these Russian mules will go roll on and on like the airheads from which they are descended. There's a noticeable improvement in the engines at about the 15,000-20,000 kilometer mark (horsepower probably soars from 40 to 42), but the tranny, well, as say in the Ural world "loud shifts save lives."
 
Love My Ural Retro

Couldn't resist...I bought my 2012 Retro from Holopaw Gene used with 2400km @ his annual gathering (November?) last year. I now have over 7800km with no problems. It gets better as the kilometers build. Electric start & front disc brake is about as modern as it gets. It's a very primitive machine. No ABS, Computer, ESC etc. It has electric start, but I enjoy kick starting it and it starts first time every time (hot or cold).
It's not fuel efficient compared to it's stable mates. I also have two 2011 BMWs (R1200GS & F650GS) that are loved. I did add a windshield and have Clearwater Lights LED Darlas to mount on the forks this fall. I enjoy every minute on it and ride it daily. Every Sunday morning it's loaded with up to $300 in groceries. People ask me of the 3 which is my favorite, I can't decide. The Ural does get the most favorable comments/looks. People on the road always give thumbs up and wave. My bikes may come and go but I think I'll always have the Ural.:heart
 
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Congrats, if I won the lottery I'd buy an M70 Retro to keep my Gear Up company. After over 2 years my Ural/BMW ratio is about 95% Ural. It's just too damn much fun!
 
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