How difficult is it to remove the side car from the new Ural models? Or is it even possible?
One of the guys at work has a Ural and I asked him that same question last year. He commented that the bike wasn't designed to be ridden without a sidecar. Your guess is as good as mine. My problem with a Ural (from riding with this person) is that riding a Ural is liike watching paint dry on a barn.
I have never actually ridden one...though I have seen them putting about.
The thought of buying one has crossed my mind just because of the simplicity of getting a cool vintage looking bike with a sidecar already on it.
It gets pretty complicated when you are just getting into sidecars and you dont know how to install them yourself or where to get one or what bike to put one on.
It is not an easy thing to get into.
As a novice in the San Diego area, be sure to save the dates for Griffith Park in LA. October 22 will be the main day. It won't cost you anything and you'll get to see a ton of sidecars and talk to the many many folks who own them. This is the 35th year!
The factory sidecar rigs have a reduced trail for easy sidecar handling and are not meant to be ridden as a solo motorcycle.
Some leading link front ends have an alternate axle position which will increase the trail and this is used for solo operation of the bike.
Originally written by wondermonkee on 7/28/2006 7:10 PM
How difficult is it to remove the side car from the new Ural models? Or is it even possible?
I would guess it's no more difficult on the new ones than the old ones. I had a '97 for a few years and removed the sidecar once to make the bike easier to haul to Raceway Services in Salem. It had LL front end. Before I loaded it, I just had to try it as a solo. Once. That was enough for me. The actual removing and reinstalling the car was about as simple as it gets though. So to answer your question, it's pretty easy. Just be sure to block under both ends.
Listen to Hack'n. If you are talking about a factory prepared rig, do not remove the sidecar. Steering will be almost impossible. See if a provision has been made to change the trail at the front or on the steering head..
To put things in perspective, IMWA just announced that, except for the special-order-only, payment-in-advance Wolf, Ural is ceasing making ANY solo bikes.
Urals with LL front forks are extra-dangerous and cannot be converted. Models with conventional forks can be run w/o the sidecar but will still act squirrely due to the trail. Lastly, if you pull the sidecar off any sidecar rig, no matter what the brand, you are taking your life in your hands if you don't immediately remove the tires and replace them. Remember, sidecar tires wear flat in the center. If you try to lean on those flat tires you are going to get brown undies at best and possibly a lot worse.
My $0.02
Sarge
I think it depends which model Ural. As some of the replies indicate, some models have the leading link forks. Others, like my Retro, do not.
I have been advised the Retro would be fine without the SC.
I was also advised that for me ( non mechanical) that taking it off would not be too difficult, but that re attachng it correctly (and aligning it, etc) could be difficult.
If none of the lengths are changed on the mounting struts or collets, there will be no change in alignment when the sidecar is reattached. If it was in alignment before removal and nothing has been changed, it will still be aligned when reattached.
Someone (your advisor) was stroking you.
Lonnie
Originally written by Hack'n on 8/2/2006 10:11 AM
If none of the lengths are changed on the mounting struts or collets, there will be no change in alignment when the sidecar is reattached. If it was in alignment before removal and nothing has been changed, it will still be aligned when reattached.
Keep in mind I don't change my own oil.
Tried to adjust the headlight on my 1200GS and broke it (thank god for warranties).
I asked the dealer where I purchased the Ural if I could take the sidecar off the Retro and put it on my 12GS, then swap back and forth. That prompted their response that step 1 would be easy......
From reading some of the problems other newbies seem to have, i have no intention of trying it myself,
Someone (your advisor) was stroking you.
Lonnie
I think you added something to my post. Mine was addressing taking the car off a Ural and putting it back on the same bike later. Many people will do this (once or twice).
No mention of taking it off a URAL and on to a 1200GS in your earlier post.
They are completely different animals. You're starting from scratch here. Most who are very handy with tools will have problems just hanging a URAL car onto the 1200GS without a lot of sidecar savvy.
Lonnie
