Thanks Huey – I have though about what you stated & to be honest I am having a difficult time plunking down the dollars for a Ural – I do have a dealer within a couple of hours but dealers appear to come & go at a brisk pace! – I have also been thinking of adding a sidecar to my R100GS – I think if I could find someone who is qualified to do the mounting in my area I would get really serious about doing just that – mount a Ural sidecar to my bike – I called Chuck in Modesto – he said he didn’t mount sidecars, he just sold Ural’s – I would think there would be someone in Sacramento who could do the work but I haven’t found them yet (I live 40 miles North of Sac) – so thanks again for your post – it hammered in a few things I have had concerns about - tommy
Hey Tommy- Here on the other side of the country (Asheville NC) we have a great Ural dealer who would be full of info; Reeves at 828-274-3158.
The impression I get is that a Ural rig would make a great 3rd or 4th bike. Something to thrill the grandkids with, make your suburban neighbors smile at your eccentricity, etc. Great for hauling wood on the estate. The Russian equivalent of the Royal Enfield only with an even older engine design. Royal Enfield guys either sell them fast or end up being great mechanics.
Herb Caen (San Francisco Chronicle guy) said it well; "Why do we worry about Russian missiles when they can't even make a decent fountain pen?"
Hi Ernie - it's been difficult getting people to open up about the Ural - but i have finally been geting some e-mails and post on the subject - i think your right about it making a great 3rd or 4th bike - you see allot of them that are 4 years old with 17 hundred - 2 thousand miles on them - i don't know if i have seen one with high mileage - thanks for the reply - tommy
PS - you live in a very special place on this earth - Ashville is very beautiful - t
These guys are pretty honest about Urals. They love them sure, but they aren't blind to the little "personality quirks" that come with Urals.
Do a search on Google, for "Iron Butt Ural Paul Pelland". Lots of stories of Paul, who rode a two wheel Ural in the Iron Butt Rally in 2001, 11 days riding about 11,000 miles. He did go through two motors, and had to fabricate push rods from some drill bits to finish. He did finish on the Ural.
My solution to your dilemma was to purchase a used Honda GL1100 - EML rig, and keep the BMW as a two wheel rig. There is a BMW-EML rig for sale right now on IBMWR.org in the classifieds-sidecar section.
MikeS
only 2 engines - not bad for 11,0000 miles - i was reading the other day about a guy on a Ural going on a 1,000 mile round trip - along with his tool kit he had a couple of extra pistons along with some extra cabs - but he didn't take an extra block -
If you need to have a dealer nearby to feel good about buying a ural don't buy one,if you have some tools and your not afraid to get your hands dirty you might be ok.Mike 03 tourist.
i was considering a ural rig as a way to save $$$. my freind is from the ukraine and very familiar with them, which as an owner of one you WILL become very familiar with them. i however will not become familiar with the stolen ruski tech. i found a pristine '98 harley flhtci "electro glide"w/ '00 hd tle sidecar for a steal of a deal. glad i don't have to buy new tool set to use on ural. looked at dnepr, ural, royal enfield and was just discouraged at the research on their quality and performance. the new rocket3 from triumph will be one to watch as soon as they strap a hack to it. happy hunting hope i convinced you to look at quality and reliability so you can ride more than you repair!!!
i bought a new 2005 Ural Tourist - very pleased with it so far - it now comes with a 2 year unlimited mileage warrenty - looks is a personal thing but the Ural had the look i was looking for - i like old school - the hack is easy to get in & out of some of the cars out there you need a boom truck just to get in & out of the dem thing - - some here don't feel a reverse gear is anything to get excited about - well i liked the idea of it & now that i have it i wouldn't be without a reverse - again personal taste - i have a couple of BMW's i test drove a couple of BMW's with hacks - found them boring - ran great but not the look or the feel i was after - i almost put a hack on my R100GS - that would have made a nice combo but again no reverse - anyway i'm very happy with my choice - handles great - so far mileage around town has been 44 MPG - tommy
