What ... no URAL post yet?
- Thread starter Rakthi
- Start date
Had a Ural, 2012 Retro, for 5 years and 60,000 km. Thoroughly enjoyed the "ownership experience". Decided I wanted something with just a little more HP and definitely more local dealer support so I built a Triumph based rig. Still one of the very few bikes I miss and would definitely own another, preferably new to take advantage of the recent upgrades. Still cheap ass metallurgy but definitely a fun bike.
I got mine in 2020, had been looking for a decent 2nd hand one to see if sidecar driving would be something I could get into.
None to be found, all the ones for sale here in Belgium and surroundings are pre 2000 Dnepr or rusted out Ural rigs with "some" work needed.
So ended up ordering a new one.
The first 150 Kms were of the "what the fuck did I do" variation with some near misses with ditches etc.
Then it clicked and I thoroughly enjoy driving it. The wife ever so happy she can come along for the occasional outing.
She stopped riding pillion years ago after her back surgery.
Now that I have about 5000 Kms on the Ural, thinking (like you) of getting a more powerful hack.
Bought a Triumph in August and looking into having it outfitted by LBS Zijspantechniek NL.
Not going to be for tomorrow though.
Meanwhile I'm happy that there is now a 2nd official Ural dealer that started up not too far (about 25 kms) from us. Guy is an independent BMW mechanic who took on Ural.
So far I have done all the servicing etc myself, but once we move to the city, will not be allowed to work on the bikes in the underground parking.
None to be found, all the ones for sale here in Belgium and surroundings are pre 2000 Dnepr or rusted out Ural rigs with "some" work needed.
So ended up ordering a new one.
The first 150 Kms were of the "what the fuck did I do" variation with some near misses with ditches etc.
Then it clicked and I thoroughly enjoy driving it. The wife ever so happy she can come along for the occasional outing.
She stopped riding pillion years ago after her back surgery.
Now that I have about 5000 Kms on the Ural, thinking (like you) of getting a more powerful hack.
Bought a Triumph in August and looking into having it outfitted by LBS Zijspantechniek NL.
Not going to be for tomorrow though.
Meanwhile I'm happy that there is now a 2nd official Ural dealer that started up not too far (about 25 kms) from us. Guy is an independent BMW mechanic who took on Ural.
So far I have done all the servicing etc myself, but once we move to the city, will not be allowed to work on the bikes in the underground parking.
I knew the Ural would be a change of pace, and you are correct - the adjustment to the whole 3 wheels thing requires some commitment. Truthfully the Ural reignited my passion for motorcycling, after many years of bigger, faster, more plastic the Ural was a total change. So much fun to just ride around and enjoy the day and see so much that I had been missing. Yes, I introduced my dogs to the sidecar, one thoroughly enjoyed riding with me and one did it because I asked him to. You meet more “interesting” people on a Ural.
Nothing wrong with three wheels!
Picture my wife took when she and I were taking my mother-in-law on a day trip from Nanjing....2006 Chang Jiang, No electrical reliability, underpowered at 12HP, and 1937 technology down to the wax paper covered spark wires......HAD complete blast on it and wish I had sent it back to Texas instead of trading it in on the next bike I had while there.
Picture my wife took when she and I were taking my mother-in-law on a day trip from Nanjing....2006 Chang Jiang, No electrical reliability, underpowered at 12HP, and 1937 technology down to the wax paper covered spark wires......HAD complete blast on it and wish I had sent it back to Texas instead of trading it in on the next bike I had while there.
funky lever set up.Nothing wrong with three wheels!
Picture my wife took when she and I were taking my mother-in-law on a day trip from Nanjing....2006 Chang Jiang, No electrical reliability, underpowered at 12HP, and 1937 technology down to the wax paper covered spark wires......HAD complete blast on it and wish I had sent it back to Texas instead of trading it in on the next bike I had while there.
Is that the OEM configuration ?
Yes, that is the OEM setup. Straight out of 1940 Germany. The Russians took the tooling from Germany and then gave it to China after they upgraded their Ural designs.
Bike was POS by our standards but it worked. China's military used them up thru the late 90's. Seriously old school with horrible reliability but could be fixed with the tool kit included. I once seized it up and local guy came out to the remote location I was at and we rebuilt the engine on the side of the road. I laughed the entire time that it would never last but I never had another engine problem and I had it for another year and half. Electrical would make Lucas Prince of Darkness look good so I found a guy who had electronic conversion and that helped a lot. New rig cost me less than US$2000. 00 in 2006. Two other expat friends and I working over there and bought 3 of them and spent hours roaming the countryside around Nanjing. God damn good times and memories
As I said, I should have simply shipped it over here to Texas. Sorry for the hijack of a Ural thread but these were renditions of the first urals. If wrong, please feel free to move or remove my posts.
Attachments
THANKS FOR THE COOL BACK STORY.
This is the right place for all URAL photos and stories
Got one in the group, a 2wd Gear Up model. Pretty impressive where it can go. Basically if it fits in between the trees it goes. 
Sean
Sean
Sadly, Niki has passed and the bike has moved on.
Awesome pics!
Sadly, Niki has passed and the bike has moved on.
Yeah, I like to think I gave that dog the best life she could have. She went to work with me every day on her motorcycle. She joined me on many wonderful adventures. When she got to the point that she couldn't climb up in the sidecar I decided to sell the rig.
Friggin' allergies over here...
Yeah, I'll reach down at work out of habit, and boom allergies. Huge empty spot....
I've be considering a sidecar for a while. I'm getting to the point where it it's either a sidecar or some other 3 wheeler, or give up riding.
I'm back and forth between a build with a Triumph Speedmaster and a Watsonian, or a Ural. There's a new leftover Gear Up for sale for a decent price at a dealer in Quebec. It'd be a 1300 km round trip to go get it. I'm aching with the temptation.
I'm back and forth between a build with a Triumph Speedmaster and a Watsonian, or a Ural. There's a new leftover Gear Up for sale for a decent price at a dealer in Quebec. It'd be a 1300 km round trip to go get it. I'm aching with the temptation.
My 2021 cT out on Sanibel Island Florida at our cottage destroyed by Hurricane Ian. The cottage debris out by the street is waiting to be picked up.
Sorry, can't "like"
We only had minimal damage at our home in Polk county, some vinyl fence panels blew out and no electricity for 3 days.
Hope Insurance treats you fair !
We only had minimal damage at our home in Polk county, some vinyl fence panels blew out and no electricity for 3 days.
Hope Insurance treats you fair !
Did you buy the new GU? It would be nice to get a 2020 leftover.
Last edited: