Francois_Dumas Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 ... or 'inseam-challenged' I should say? Reading various recent posts evolving around this topic of being too short for the Beemers (and yes, they ARE high!) I happened onto this website again ( I was looking for something totally different if course..... that's called 'surfing' I guess) http://www.ural.com I am actually going to make a test ride on the Gear-Up version after the summer holidays.. found a dealer in Holland. And no, with 6'11" I am not one of 'you' but just LOVE the old-fashioned military-style, almost-all-wheel drive Ural! And be honest, with THAT thing who cares how short you are... you can never keel over (unless you take a right-hand corner faster than good for ya!). The only downside is: it is EXPENSIVE here! (almost 12.000 Euros, that's some $ 7000 more than in the States ! Link to comment
Paul Mihalka Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 Some comments: If you get one, unless you stay on very rural (rimes with Ural) back-roads, you will be holding up traffic. Forget the autobahn. Test ride: Be VERY careful. A sidecar rig is not a motorcycle and not a car. You have to learn driving completely from scratch. They can bite you. They say mechanical quality has improved. I hope so. Link to comment
Francois_Dumas Posted July 11, 2007 Author Share Posted July 11, 2007 Yup, 105 km/hr max !! Heheh, not meant to replace my RT, Paul.. I was thinking more of a nice rig to put-put over French backroads, avoiding somehow cranky Renault 4 drivers with alpino's ! AND take off-road as well ! Indeed, riding them IS pretty different..... but looks fun ! The demo model is occupied now, however, and we're off to the Alps and Umbria first. I'll report upon return ! Link to comment
gettysburg Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 Too bad they don't mention the history of the bikes on their web-site. They were basically reverse engineered BMW-R71 bikes smuggled out of Germany prior to WWII. Ural History Link to comment
UberXY Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 . They say mechanical quality has improved. I hope so. They certainly allowed themselves plenty of room for improvement, to say the least. Link to comment
Francois_Dumas Posted July 11, 2007 Author Share Posted July 11, 2007 Word has it that they are now using more European parts in the bikes. The ones sold here also now come standard with the disk brake in front, which was an option before. Link to comment
russell_bynum Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 Sam (sgendler) has one. You might PM him about his experience with it. I haven't ridden it, but it looks like a hoot. Of course...I'd want the one with the .50cal mounted on the sidecar. Link to comment
TowJam Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 At the IMS show in Ft. Worth last November, I stopped by the Ural booth - intending to only spend a couple of minutes looking at the bikes. I didn't realize that the booth was being staffed by Ural rider's club members. I bet I was there almost a full hour. Let's just say that Ural owners are PASSIONATE about their bikes and will evangelize them with the same fervor as a Jehovah's Witness selling life insurance and Amway. But they are cool and the videos they had running in the booth showed fully decked out Urals w/sidecars doing some serious offroading. Who'dathunkit? Link to comment
Francois_Dumas Posted July 11, 2007 Author Share Posted July 11, 2007 Hey thanks Russel... I knew there was someone who bought one but forgot his name or he thread ! Old brains 'n all that Link to comment
Lineareagle Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 Horrible mileage on them only 33-36 mpg! Most of the baggage area would be to carry a spare gallon or 6. Link to comment
Francois_Dumas Posted July 11, 2007 Author Share Posted July 11, 2007 Heck I'm used to that.. the 4-wheeled Jeep does 22 mpg Link to comment
AZKomet Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 The N.A. site pic looks like something out of an Indiana Jones flick!! I want one...of course I want one of everything!! Nah....... Link to comment
Knifemaker Posted July 12, 2007 Share Posted July 12, 2007 MY Ural Rig....http://www.motocycle-addict.com/index.html If you can get one cheep a used Guzzi makes for a fine side car setup. Link to comment
Francois_Dumas Posted July 12, 2007 Author Share Posted July 12, 2007 Nice site Bill !!! Link to comment
baggerchris Posted July 12, 2007 Share Posted July 12, 2007 Jovial Henry from this site has one. Loves it and takes it everywhere. On road; off road, he treats it like a dirt bike. No problems, except I think he keeps it at or near 60 mph tops. He is the guy you want to go camping with, because he can bring the Beer! Link to comment
wrestleantares Posted July 13, 2007 Share Posted July 13, 2007 I am going to be getting a new (to me) bike in another year. I want one of these things so bad. Of course there are a lot of bikes I want so it is going to be a tough decision. Link to comment
Francois_Dumas Posted July 13, 2007 Author Share Posted July 13, 2007 They DO seem like a lot of fun.. within certain limits of use I suppose. Link to comment
Tippy Posted July 13, 2007 Share Posted July 13, 2007 I'm going to rush right down and buy one (not!) Link to comment
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