The URAL is too good to be true.. (Disappointed)

[@AdventureDaily]

To everyone getting triggered about the Chinese comments I am well aware they don't use Chinese parts, it was more a reference to how the bike felt, which was CHEAP, and with a price tag that doesn't reflect that these things just aren't for me. I get the novelty aspect and can appreciate the appeal and history but I am not willing to spend that amount of money for something that is widely known to be unreliable and I was just pretty upset because I had higher expectations. As with everything online take this as you will and everyone has an opinion. Cheers and happy riding.

[@thra5herxb12s]

A fair enough point of view, and you have every right to not like it. However, this is one of the very latest versions and is not yet known to be unreliable.

[@byteme9718]

Like a Hardly Ableson then? These used to be dirt cheap and that was the only attraction.

[@mbaroneva76]

I have owned two of them. First a 2010 and then a fuel injected 2014. I had some fun on them for sure. Great for my kids doing some snow rides, some off road, etc. But I could just never accept how poorly the bike performed on the road where I spent most of my time. I did take it on a few 300 mile road trips and was able to do 60-70 mph for extended periods. I love sidecars, have a Bonneville rig now that is amazing. The Urals issue is the bike itself, it’s a farm implement.

[@tonydavage5437]

My Ural is 2008 77,000 klms ,and has been ridden in all weather's, great machine, tough , love it ,keep up maintenance ,just keep going , parts are easy to get for me in Australa ,

[@eddiealbin1095]

Don't let the Ural motorcycle get you down man, look for a BMW.

[@stephenmergner]

Your complaints about handling and "whallering" is applicable to virtually all sidecars. If you are not happy with Ural handling you will be displeased with all sidecars. That is just the nature of the beast. Modern Urals are NOT made with cheap Chinese parts. This is simply not true. They are sourced from all of the major motorcycle suppliers that everyone else uses. They come with a three year warranty and they honor it. DO NOT believe his massively misinformed idea that the "old Russian" bikes were better. He has NO IDEA what he is talking about. The opposite is true. These bikes are however an 80 year old design. If you are looking for a bike that is time warped out of the 1940's then this is your ride. There are exceptions of course with fuel injection, increased compression, disc breaks, etc.. With any 80 year old design you will find yourself working on it regularly. Short maintenance periods, greasing and lubing the way grandpa used to do it. Don't buy a vintage air cooled bike and complain about maintenance. The gears shift in a rough manner as they are non-syncronized. They slam together with the clunk of a tractor. That was the best tech in 1940s. The problems really arise with uninformed expectations, when people buy an 80 year design and expect modern performance and maintenance. You must do your research first! The fact that you were surprised by all of these "quirks" tells me that you didn't even attempt to do the minimal research before test riding the bike, let alone buying it. There are no shortage of lengthy diatribes regarding Urals. This is heavily covered territory by seasoned moto-journalists and vloggers and yet, it apparently is all completely new to you. Really??? Have you ever even Googled the phrase "Ural Motorcycle Reliability"???? You have every right to have your expectations with a modern designed motorcycle. Just don't buy this bike expecting it. These bikes are not only not for everyone, they are for THE FEW who are willing to tolerate the design and maintenance. Please see the Soviet Steeds message board for real world, if cultish, advice and experience. And the price? It's a hand-built, old school bike, built in very limited numbers. Of course the price is going to be high. This video review is a celebration of doing no up-front research and winging it the day of. That might have impressed your high school english teacher, but it falls flat in adulthood.

[@walterjohnson6357]

As an old man, I need my training wheels so my 2007 Ural is perfect for me.

[@gunfighterzero]

Amen you nailed it, I have a 2016 gear up. You can always tell the kids that didn't grow up working on old machines that will run forever with regular maintenance. That was one of my key reasons in buying it was the simplistic way its built. But it's definitely more like a tractor the seller was well informed

[@davidrochow9382]

I had a 2012 Royal Enfield 500 with a sidecar and I went riding with some guy that had Urals and they were both about the same ( including the top speed and except for the reverse gear on the Ural ). They are basically both 1950s style motorcycles with fuel injection. Great fun if you're not in a hurry though .

[@barneymiller7894]

I actually collect alot of soviet era ephemera/antiques/junk lol and I would 100% believe the old Russian bikes are probably not very well enginereed, probably not even really safe. If they made motorcycles like they made anything else, you couldn't pay me to ride one. Gotta be death traps! The only thing the USSR could make well was guns, because that's all they cared about making well. If you weren't an arms manufacturer you weren't gonna get the funding to engineer a good product, let alone produce it.

[@gunfighterzero]

@@barneymiller7894 like everything else they made they copied from someone else, they made some pretty decent cameras they copied from leica and Contax. ural bikes have come a long way after 80 years, they are easy to work on, half the parts are made internationally now days

[@Multheman01]

I have a 2016 ural ct and I have absolutely no complaints if you want a freeway cruiser don’t buy a Ural, if you want a bike to travel the back roads then get a Ural, that simple.

[@tuckersautter1832]

True, and that was the purpose of his review. He tested it, didn't really like it, and moved on. It's cool but I'll never own one either just because I have no purpose for it. It'd be wrong to buy one and not use it.

[@AmericanAdventuresTJ]

I bought my Ural new in 2011, still riding it. The Ural is not for everyone, but I love mine. If you can't tell if it is low on gas, it may not be the bike for you.

[@PhilQc109]

A Ural is simply not for you then. Its my commuter for work and week-end machine. I love my 2018, requires more maintenance than any normal bike yes but eh, it's not a normal bike after all! You shifted way too high in RPM, must be low, always! You don't have to be in a hurry on this bike, 41 HP for that weight and that top speed is just enough. I would have loved a 5th gear for sure. Not so fun on an highway but it shine on the back roads.

[@richardlilly2802]

True. Think always got 100 years to ride whereever you want to go. If possible take those byways and enjoy letting go of everyday life. Have riden up to now 46 years on Hacks..ride a Ural Ranger now, my 2nd Ural. Love it. No problems..mantinance sure..part of care taking.. Enjoy the time you have for the rig, when and even short, life is a precious gift. Take care, be safe.

[@ralfriess]

I get my brand new URAL Ranger end of march this year. I am from Germany. My first tour was with friends in Vogesen (France) 1500 km. In August I visited friends in Albania and Croatia with in total 6000 km. And four weeks ago I ride with my son the Netherlands and German TET. No failure, engine and bike are running propperly for more than 15000km this year.... I love my URAL

[@иванпетров-в1ы1я]

Gespann?

[@ralfriess]

@@иванпетров-в1ы1я yes Ural Ranger

[@vasiliynikiforov1976]

Wow, sounds crazy. I see you trust your Ural more than any Russian trust his Ural.

[@jdmcarandmotorcycle]

@@vasiliynikiforov1976Вася не паникуй😂

[@jdmcarandmotorcycle]

@@иванпетров-в1ы1яколяска

[@staryjanek]

Riding a sidecar outfit it totally different from riding anything else. It will "wander" , it has "quirks", ALL outfits exhibit these NOT just the Ural. It is more physically demanding than two wheels, you would develop a lot of upper body strength if you rode one regularly. The Ural requires 100% maintenance too, just as bikes used to in the old days, it's part and parcel of owning one. It is not a ride and forget thing, like riding it and parking it up until the next time, it is old school and nearly everything can be done by the owner. You are going back in time with these things.

[@sirgalah561]

Im thinking of buying one.. And what you said sounds like my Royal Enfield.. These bikes need care if you want them to keep going.. Just like old bikes from the 50s... I had one bloke tell me he had an RE but he sold it after only 2000km because it rattled so much.. Mine did too but after 15000km its pretty much stopped vibrating and making all kinds of weird noises.. I love it to bits... Id put a Ural in the same category.. Due care and attention and dont treat it as an offroad sidecar racer..

[@frankmarkovcijr5459]

All l do to my URAL is change the fluids and the filter. My 1998 is 25 years old.I did new timeing gears and I replaced the drive shaft myself. One cylinder broke on the left side,l fixed myself. When the other one broke it bent the rod so l had Holopaw URAL rebuild it. $1,500 to do the work. Of course I had 50,000 miles on the original engine. The Russian bike is more reliable and dependable than a new one. More solidly built like a tank. Hit a wild pig 🐖 with the bike and all it did was to chip the paint on the fender. Bam the 🐖 went flying 😂.

[@peterrussell798]

Riding a motorcycle in shorts and a t-shirt and no gloves. 🙄. Obviously a well-informed rider. I’ve ridden Urals for 20 years (‘04 and a ‘12) and when ridden within their limits (50-62 mph) and serviced properly, they run forever. Not the bike for you.

[@caravaggiosaccomplice7841]

A fella who takes a half naked girl on a bike at 80 miles an hour should have the living crap beaten out of him.

[@SheldonGoff]

He also thought it as made in China. So it's best he stick with the Helix.

[@sirgalah561]

First thing I noticed.. Riding along a highway on that scooter thing with his girlfriend on the back and the only protective gear they had was a helmet each.. And the only thing she was worried about was getting sunburnt.. What about if they had had an accident and lost a ton of skin especially at the speed they were traveling.. I know its the riders choice about what you wear, but you're doing a video review - at least wear some protective clothing..

[@jss-ue7ju]

I bought my ural a few months back, love riding it and my dog loves it to. It's not for everyone.

[@charlesbradley2943]

Can’t take anyone seriously who doesn’t wear protective gear while riding.

[@hankcuccina5260]

I was thinking the same thing.

[@jayalberts8894]

Here in NH, helmets are not even required. It's personal choice even if they want to ride in shorts, and flip flops. I do not care how they were dressed as it had nothing to do with the subject matter. Their choice and certainly off-topic considering this video. The guy was informative, methodical, pleasant and smart when it came to possibly purchasing this Ural. He helped in my decision as I pondered purchasing one. To condemn him because of the choice of gear worn seems like a superfluous off-topic argument that has nothing to do with the subject. To not wear protective gear is a Darwinian thing. We are not discussing philosophy or evolutionary theory. We are talking motorcycles.

[@vasiliynikiforov1976]

Protective gear for Ural driver is machinegun.

[@charlesbradley2943]

No condemnation intended. My opinion is as stated above. If you think the evaluation is accurate, that’s your opinion. Have you driven one ? I own one and they are a lot of fun. Not perfect, but what/who is ?

[@MrXanitos]

​@@jayalberts8894it shows that one is faulty in their reasoning from the start. It definitely detracts from a rider's credence.

[@BikerMage]

If it's not for you, it's not for you, but please stop lying. These are not Chinese, you complain about the transmission, those are Herzog (German) gears inside there. I have a 2021 that I bought new and ride almost every day, including commuting to work every day. I've had it up to 80mph, and no real issues save a couple of bolts managing to work their way loose. My bad back had me transitioning away from 2 wheels, my wife was more comfortable with a sidecar than the back of a trike (especially for our new daughter), and there was no other option for "from the factory" piece of mind. For me, a few extra oil changes and a quick valve check are more than worth the thrill of the Ural experience.

[@anthonyintrieri3329]

Glad to see i wasn't the only one to raise an eyebrow when he said it was made in China. There is a copy out there ( Chinese or Korean, i believe) but his wasn't it.

[@theukuleleclub]

Rode from Uk to Southern Morocco by myself on a URAL Adventure, 600 mile days, lots of maintenance but an adventure of a lifetime..

[@theukuleleclub]

@Biker Valves, oil changes, shaft oil leaks, blocked air filter giving really low mpg, didn't cope well with altitude.. Warped front disc and I got rammed by a truck in Maroc !

[@bamills6771]

Ural is Russian made. Well they just moved the factory out of Russia. SO they can continue to sell them. Chang Jiang is the cheesiness copy of Ural.. the copy of BMW.

[@JosipRadnik1]

Sorry, but like fortnine's review this was a rather badly reseached one. Sure, that thing has it's "quirks" regarding handling. But the feel of the parts isn't cheap but more or less something between old fashioned and agricultural. At it's core, it still is a 1930'ies military bike that survived to this day so what did you expect - did you plan to do revvbombs with it? The bike is made in Irbit which is a town in Russia, not in China - where did you get that from? And contrary to your statement, the OLD Urals have a reputation of great unreliability - not the new ones (the new ones are much more expensive though). Much of todays Ural has been improved by building in tested parts from other manufacturers. Mine for example has a front fork from Marzocchi, the brakes are Brembo, the tyres are german and the electronics is japanese. Furthermore, you CAN do longer trips with that one. I've just returned from my 1500 km roundtrip from Switzerland to Italy's sea coast and back over different stations with no problems (that was my second trip of that kind this year). I used my ural the whole year through for just about anything but to transport weather sensitive or large cargo. I even had to reload the battery of my car since I did not use it for months. Sure, this thing can not fully replace a car and a performance bike it is not. Furthermore, you'll simply have to love it's "quirks" in order to love the bike itself and that certainly is not for every one. But your review does not do that bike fair. It's probably not what you had expected, but that's not the bike's failure. Otherwise, you could show me someone else that does a better job of producing that kind of bike at a comparable price. Don't compare apples with oranges and complain, when oranges don't taste the same.

[@andrewgiordano5275]

No matter how long you've been riding, short pants on a motorcycle is the most amateurish thing a rider can do.

[@yesmichaels4571]

i agree and it looks stupid as well

[@MollysPa]

You repeatedly and incorrectly referred to it as 'Chinese', and your proclamations about quality were based on a 30-minute ride. Yes, they are not built to Japanese standards and likely never will be. They are improving. As of 2019, Ural's 1940's engine architecture has been upgraded with improved metallurgy, a redesigned top-end (higher compression pistons, and cylinders and heads redesigned for improved cooling and flow efficiency), Keihin fuel injection, Brembo front brake and Ducati-sourced switchgear. The transmissions have straight-cut gears; hence, the 'whine' and the requirement for finesse when shifting. The engine has a heavy flywheel and does not require high revs. The smoothest shift points occur at 12, 21 and 33 mph. The handling is "squirrely" because of the vehicle's asymmetry. That's not a flaw of design, it's a characteristic of sidecar motorcycles. You want ignore-the-dipstick Honda reliability? Then I suggest you buy a f$%^ing Honda.

[@tylenol_jones]

a little less seething, a little more coping pls

[@MollysPa]

@@tylenol_jones Noted.

[@fuller0126]

You missed out. Once you get used to the quirks a ural is a proper travel bike on side roads not interstate. I've done 400 mile days on my 06 tourist and it never skipped a beat. I've taken mine up to 75 for short blast on the expressway and she still is a top runner. My Ural is the one bike in my garage (out of 6) that will never be sold unless it's for another Ural.

[@revspyder]

I own a 2006 2wd 750 and my first ride was summed up as "Just squirrely enough to make every ride an adventure" but that's a side car, and i got very used to it, very quickly and now of the 5 bikes i own, it's the most ridden! As for dependability , i've no issues other than, Yeah, they shift hard and make scary noises doing it. But they are tractor tough. Owning an older model, i've had to replace a lot of the original rubber components, fuel lines, manifold rubbers etc. But everything else keeps going just fine.

[@saloonno1232]

This review is uninformed. You ride a Ural for the first time, with a passenger, and ride it at top speed? That’s reckless. You need to get used to the bike, and it becomes less squirrelly for the rider. You accelerate, and it pulls right. Decelerate, and it drags left. Your loss, Pal. Riding a Ural is exceptionally fun. Oh, one more thing…made in China? What the heck?! It was made in Irbit Russia, and almost every part, except for the frame and body, is outsourced from other countries. I’m so disappointed with His review.

[@ОлегЧупрун-ь6ы]

Я вибачаюсь, но после нападения росиї на Україну производство Уралов вивела в Казахстан Американская компания. Україна. Урал моя мрія.

[@HotCarl73]

I bought a 1995 Tourist in 2005. It had a lot of problems at first, but all I had to do was strip it down to the frame and replace or repair almost every part and rewire it from scratch. Been going great since then. They just need a little tweaking.

[@seannash4695]

I myself am currently disabled and therefore retired (dangit) and still enjoy the occasional repair/adjustment/tweak and would very much enjoy having a Ural.

[@J1957ohn]

I have a 2019 bought new. I agree it's not for everyone. I think if you were to fine a newer model with all the upgrades. I'm sure that you will gain a different perspective. I would love a bit more power. With the steering damper and alignment properly adjusted the handling is much better than your description. It will never ride like a street bike but it can be and is enjoyable. Ural are like and old Timex watch "it takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'". I hope you do try out a newer model with some off-road fun stuff included. This rig is a blast! Whatever you do may God bless you and keep you safe.

[@nelsonphilip4520]

Ahem to that!

[@ОлегЧупрун-ь6ы]

Моя мрія урал. Україна. Дуже дякую.

[@djsomers100]

Sidecar rigs handle in a totally unique way and it takes getting used to. I have had two Urals since 1998 and love them. Simple to work on and reliable if treated right and maintained and most issues are easy to work out. Dont expect another sidecar rig to handle all that differently. You have to stomp on the gear shifter. You are right, it is like a 1950's tractor. Also, trying to fly the chair before you have really mastered the bike is a bit nuts. Thanks for the video though.

[@sidecarmisanthrope5927]

I had a Kawasaki GPZ1100 with a sidecar and an Earle's Forks front end. It was the best handling rig I have ever owned (and I have owned a few). When I was selling it, a clown who had never ridden a sidecar rig in his life got a mechanic to look at it. The mechanic said that it didn't track right. When asked, the mechanic said he had never ridden a sidecar rig before. I could ride this anywhere one handed and never had a problem. People who don't know should just shut up.

[@rogereverett9095]

interesting review, you made the right decision for you though. The ural, or dniepr or cj750 , is after all an 80 yr old airhead, you will have to tinker, constantly, that's the fun. handling ...well it's a side car outfit ...that's how they handle ..you get used to it...you have to ride with a healthy respect for it biting u !! I guess you have come to the realisation that a sidecar is not going to work for you. Maybe a trike, a Morgan 3, or even some sort of quad bike and rack combination would work for your situation.. btw , just done 450mile round trip today on my 1981 dniepr 70mph...myself , wife and child ..no issues

[@DoubleDaneLife]

Man I miss my gear up. Bought a brand new 2014, first year model for a bunch of stuff. Never had a single problem with it.

[@azlin0077]

Curious why you no longer have it? For anything negative or just moving on to something else?

[@sirgalah561]

Whats a "Gear up" ? Im new to thr Ural thing but have been thinking if getting one for years..

[@frankmarkovcijr5459]

I have owned my Ural sidecar outfit for over ten years and fifty thousand miles and it handles beautifully. If a sidecar is not setup properly then it is a handling nightmare. When one encounters a sidecar outfit that is difficult to operate it is usually set up incorrectly.

[@dalekristinarush2930]

Interesting review. I agree that it's probably not right for you. Not for many actually. It is an acquired taste not accomplished in 1 or 2 hours. Riding 2+ hours on a scooter 2 up wearing t-shirts, shorts & sneakers suggest you're probably not dedicated enough to m/cycling to acquire a true understanding of something as different as a sidecar rig let alone a Ural. It will require a relationship that you probably don't give vehicles (ex; expired truck sticker). A relationship requires invested familiarity & knowledge. Ie; Ural isn't Chinese. Yes, I own a Ural. My 3rd. A '22 Gear Up. It is so much improved over the '13 Retro I had for 2 yrs with no issues. Even more so than the '05 Troyka I had for 10 yrs during which on 1 occasion rode 550 miles 1 way cady-corner across Oregon, 12 hrs @ approx 55mph on back roads. Two days later rode 12 hrs back same route. Thoroughly relaxed, 1 hand on the left grip @ times enjoying the scenery. Paid respectable attention to them & in 12 yrs total replaced 1 relay on the Troyka. There are other m/c's in the garage & I've had many others but as stated earlier, this '22 is my 3rd.

[@jayphelps1536]

Hi! I've owned Urals for many years. I had one as my principle transport for 6 years, and you are right if you have only Honda style experiences they are a bit different! They do require very regular checking and maintenance, but most little snags are easily fixed with the worlds greatest toolkit. I'm from UK and been to Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Britany Normandy, Belgium, Germany and Austria Ural mounted. It a bit like owning an old Landrover or any Classic bike, ( Old Harleys, Triumphs, BSAs etc). They are not the perfect modern Motorcycle! learning the quirks is part of the deal, and they are not for everyone. They do ride better than many other outfits, ( They are the only sidecar outfit made in the factory). Gear ups are pretty pointless, as the opportumity to use the sidecar wheel in gear is rare, and the ordinary Urals will go just about anywhere anyway! ( Ive taken mine up and down some pretty hairy places!) Nowadays they are very expensive, and you are better spending your money on a classic R75/5 or /6 with a chair, (cheaper than a new Ural).. you might not want to give money to Russian Production...( US and German Investment brought them out of the 1950's during the late 90's and 00's) I currently own and ride a Dnpr outfit wih Ural parts and a BMW R80 engine and Ukranian gearbox. Enjoy your Scooter! Peace. Jay.

[@ОлегЧупрун-ь6ы]

Я вибачаюсь , сейчас их производство в Казахстане, а компания Американская. Урал моя мрія, но для нас єто очень очень дорого. Україна.

[@flyinbiker2001]

I've been into Ural's for 25 years and I've heard of problems but never seen a breakdown with my own eyes ( my Harley's have ) but there aren't many in the midwest and mine is the old 650 a simple 1 WD 2000 model , love the rude thing

[@bb-ballistics1706]

Right so "made right out of China" erm no it's not. "1980 china build quality" no it's not. Again it's not Chinese. And it's 95% metal. "I think the front wheel just lifted" no it definitely didn't. The quirks you're referring to are apart of every side car motorcycle. It takes alot of practice with them to be able to ride them well. The gear shifts take practice. It's old technology. It took me a while to get used it. You question it's reliability when it didn't even break down on you. They will hold 50mph all day long.

[@bebekadventure]

Buying Ural is like buying Harley Davidson motorcycle . I said it because i ride Harley Davidson for over 40 years and owned different kind of HD from 1942 to 2007 . No matter what year , Harley Davidson motorcycle is about to fix no matter it is old bike or new bike . Ural is about the same , you have to love the bike and have patience to do self maintenance or fix things .

[@amezcuaist]

I rode the original Ural when it first appeared in London for 5 years . Before that I had a Panther 600 cc and you just study how to start a Panther 600. So the Ural after that was a holiday on wheels .

[@iamyankee4661]

I bought my first sidecar rig a couple of months ago. A 2015 Ural Gear up. Yes, it is clanky sketchy, and at first, is all over the place. I learned real quick that you have to just go with the flow. I refer to my HD Streetglide as a cadillac to this being a 68 Volkswagon beetle. (which i had driven). The previous owner had a fuel pack on this" for top end", but i removed it and the Ural came alive. i have had 2 riders with me and reached sustainable 70+ MPH. It seems to get smoother at higher speeds (45 & up). Regular maintenance, and learning to loosen up on the controls,(not trying to fight with) is a must and has really made this an enjoyable ride. Hope you find your rig!

[@jajan625]

I live in Poland and I have Ural M63 from1967. Reality is that russian motorbikes (old, because here no one buys new urals due to fact that plenty of old ones are still easy available and "pimped out" ural costs 4kUSD) are like tank T34, easy in production, easy to fix, comfort is the last and in ussr it was always looking like that. Buying russian motorbike You are half mechanic half driver. When in Germany was popular to have russian motorbike they buy new bikes, bring to Germany disassembly and exchange bearings and everything what was possible to improve bike. Here after one season of driving You always have to repair something in ural. Here You can check what for ural is use kzbin.info/www/bejne/gIbPemujqqx1Y9E BR

[@pekkajokiniemi3087]

Ahhhh good old KZbin. It never disappoints . Remember folks it's entertainment not reality and youtubers are content creators not real people.

[@frankmarkovcijr5459]

Most Ural sidecar outfits you pick up second hand generally have very little mileage. People either like them or they don't and you can pick up one at a good price and give it a good home. When I go to Harley event on mine people buy me drinks just so they can have their picture taken in the sidecar. People tell me I have the coolest bike there and I tell them I already know that. I hit a wild pig with my front fender and sent him flying and there was just a piece of paint missing from the fender where it hit the pig 🐷. The bike is built like a tank.

[@Mespera3011]

Nice. Free food!

[@MotoTvWoodsFarm]

the Ural are a proper bike - they can be repaired with the tools on the unit - they are not a modern Japanese machine - however at what they do which is travel humble dirt roads in far flung rural countryside in the harshest conditions they do a fantastic job. If you have a good logical engineering mind, don't intend thrash the engine, and a nature to preserve and care for your machine then get one you will be happy for life. If I drove modern bikes in the conditions I expect the Ural to cope with these modern bikes would breaking down but they would not be repairable. they would be waiting 8 to 12 weeks for some unique special part to arrive to repair it. The Ural after a bit of cursing would be going again after a few minutes or hours but you will complete the journey. If your not happy with Urals handling then your not going to happy with a side car combination. Do you need to travel on rough poorly made dirt tracks? carry a load? then there is nothing made on the planet that does it better.

[@elobiretv]

lol difference is you wouldn't have to fix a modern Japanese machine because it wouldn't break down. Never had to wait 8 weeks for a part either, just order online from a parts supplier and its here usually in a couple of days.

[@nelsonphilip4520]

@@elobiretv I beg to differ. I've had a much different experience with owning Hondas vs. Ural. My 2006 Ural has never left my stranded and while I've never had much of a need for service (local bicycle repair shop service my Ural)so waiting for parts was never an issue. On the other hand, concerning my Honda experience, I've had issues with qualified service. Many authorized dealers tell me they will not service my 1998 Honda Valkyrie because it's too old!

[@ОлегЧупрун-ь6ы]

Хочу настоящий Урал. Україна .Дуже дякую.

[@hankwojo]

I understand that the Ural factory is in Irbit, Russia not made in China.

[@stephenmergner9888]

This was correct for over 80 years but they are now being assembled in Kazakhstan because of the war embargoes.

[@hankwojo]

@@stephenmergner9888 Has the quality gone down due to this assembly location or has it always been sub par? I understand that the later models were starting to utilize better parts from reputable manufacturers. I don't know, just wondering.

[@mechanicalcanvas]

@@hankwojo Early models suffered from inconsistency because Ural did everything in house. If your bike was put together on a Friday, it may not have seen the same care as ones assembled on Monday (or the same soberness). Literally every part of the bike was manufactured in their factories. When the current owners purchased it in the early 2000s, they started outsourcing parts and making things more standardized and modern. Each year has its improvements over the last but riders that are use to the newest Yamaha or Honda aren't going to get the same feel from a Ural. I wouldn't recommend buying one new as they too expensive for my blood but I bought my 2010 in 2015 and its given me no troubles (and I've even neglected some stuff for quite some time).

[@stephenmergner9888]

July Update: New Set Up In Petropavlovsk, Kazakhstan Dear Friends, We are excited to share with your the latest operations update. The process of setting up our new assembly facility is very near completion (!) We are now in the last phase of the set up: bringing in the necessary pieces of assembly equipment and filling warehouse shelves with parts and components. We’re moving some old (refurbished) assembly fixtures from Irbit, however most of the equipment, hand tools, work benches, test stands, compressors, quality control “tunnel” and other pieces are brand new. The trial shipment of spare parts has successfully made its way from Kazakhstan to IMWA in Redmond. Factory is now putting together two large air shipments to fulfill backorders and warranties, and also gearing up to restore “normal” way of supplying parts to our distributors with the shipments of bikes. We received the first two shipments of production parts from our Asian suppliers in Petropavlovsk last week. There are more production parts on their way to Kazakhstan from other Asian suppliers, as well as from Europe. We’re very close to completely restoring all incoming logistics. Most importantly: the first truck with motorcycle assembly sets has arrived at IMZ-Kazakhstan from Irbit. We’re expecting the second shipment from Irbit to arrive in Kazakhstan next week. The team of workers from Irbit is going to Petropavlovsk to assist with the assembly of the first shipments of bikes in the next few days. If everything goes well, we expect the first shipment of bikes from our new assembly shop to depart around July 25th. It will be heading to the US with ETA sometime early to mid-September. Following production orders are booked for Japan, Australia and Europe.

[@ОлегЧупрун-ь6ы]

​@@stephenmergner9888висилайте один. Україна.

[@trevorzzealley2670]

Honesty is what I wanted to hear . I`ve been looking at Ural since 1971 ( 650cc) never bought one though I have been close on several occasions . My thoughts pretty much are in line with what you said re price , reliability etc . What I have been doing for the last ten years is fitting sidecars to cruiser bikes . My present daily is an old Ural chair fitted to a Kawasaki Vulcan 900 classic . It carts my dog around good .

[@nelsonphilip4520]

That's a great way to go. That being said the Ural has some advantages to consider; 1)Dedicated frame for ready-built sidecar attachment. 2)REVERSE! Once you've experienced the reverse, you won't want to operate a rig without one IMHO. Reverse is what makes bikes such as the Gold Wing and now the BMW R-18 or Yamaha Venture so attractive motorcycles to mate a sidecar. Although I guess it could be argued that ascetically, like your Vulcan 900, the BMW has the style for a sidecar complement. Sticking to the Kawasaki line-up my dream-ticket would be to mate a sidecar to the W-800. Now in my eyes that's a winning combo!

[@jasras5003]

@@nelsonphilip4520 Ok, but what about 2WD? I'm confused because you state advantages but one of, if not the major advantage and selling points is that this thing can take you anywhere in the back country on some rough terrain in 2WD. I could be wrong and maybe you have a reason for glossing over that major advantage. I would think it's THE advantage.

[@deney54]

I have a 2020 gear up and anything over 55 you need to have God in the sidecar. I use mine for just around town ... do I love it ?? No ... I'm going to go back to two wheels. I don't trust it.

[@martinblizard1882]

In the UK you can get a Ural sidecar fitted to a BMW. What more can you want. Incidentally I have friend that have 2 Russian Urals and they go all over Europe on them.

[@Brian-om2hh]

Jeez, you ride at up to 80 mph without gloves, and you wear tee shirts? If you get knocked off you'll be skinned to the bone.....Crazy.

[@AdventureDaily]

Live2ride

[@bb-ballistics1706]

@@AdventureDaily you dress for the slide not the ride. Take it from me. Skin grafts aren't fun....

[@sylviavanheumen9473]

Shame.....but it is not trustfull.

[@jimjim5491]

For a guy who said he was getting rid of stuff and going to live a minimalist lifestyle you constantly buy lots of stuff you don't need. How many bikes, vehicles, trailers is it going to take to make you happy? Also as a dog lover myself, big dogs and motorbikes don't mix. Your dog just wants hang out with you, spend time taking him hiking, on walks, swimming and camping and he will love it and you. With life comes sacrifice and compromise, spending months away from your old dog to fix up vans you don't use and trying to make him do something dangerous and unnatural for him so you can "have it all" seems selfish to me. I like your videos and think you are a pretty good guy but just be real build a compound to do an house all your fun stuff, don't pretend to be a minimalist , just buy a bunch of toys and have fun and most important spend as much time with your dog and loved ones as you can. Life is short.....

[@suicidesidecar6363]

I bought my Ural Gear Up new in 2021 and riding with my dogo. The driving experience is just great i love it, when you drive past people, they all wave at you.

[@endamccabe8895]

DOGO ❤ just got out 2nd He's got big paws to fill

[@KJD1984]

Mate, glad you didn’t buy it, it seemed like a heap of shit lol

[@mikew4801]

We have had a 2013 Gear up for 5 years, no issues , yes they are quirky, and require that the maintenance be done regularly. I take our dog in it all the time, it is simply so much fun . To each their own, we love ours, when you ride it you just need to remember you can’t ride these the same way you would ride a Honda, Kawi, etc. They are not for everyone.

[@werta5000]

I wish I had similar with my 2017 been chasing it for a year to get fixed, finally know what's wrong, unfortunately for me the parts I need have to come from the factory. spun the flywheel on the crack, took both the crank and the flywheel out. I love mine to death so its getting the parts. definitely an experience that no other bike is providing on the market today

[@dcxplant]

I agree. Mine has been 100% reliable. It is my daily driver most of the time in riding season.

[@GoneUraling]

They are not for everyone, this is true. Chinese? No, Russian, you decide if that is better or worse. As for us, we have two 2017's with Gen2 EFI and have been on 3000+ mile trips. We (my wife and myself) have well over 40,000 miles each on our previous and current rigs. The current rigs are approaching 25,000 miles each, most recent trip was about 1000 miles long. Wife rides hers more than I do, does her grocery shopping on it as well. That said, we have 1WD units (Retro and a cT) and having had and ridden a 2WD, just not as good on the pavement, but that seems to be what everyone wants to buy then complain about how hard it is to handle on the road. As for speed, we cruise 60 to 65 easily and for long periods, normally an hour or so if just in transit, but they are the most fun on back roads and mountain roads. We've even been through the Tail of the Dragon on them a half dozen times. Anyway, glad you got to experience it!

[@GoneUraling]

oh, and most parts are sourced internationally from well known reputable manufacturers, not from China.

[@frankmarkovcijr5459]

For what I paid for my Ural sidecar outfit it's like buying the sidecar and getting the motorcycle for free. Price and all metal sidecar with windshield and tonneau cover color matched to your bike and see how expensive they are. Watch sonian makes the cream-of-the-crop of shy cars and you get what you pay for. Everybody says Euros are unreliable yet when a second-hand one comes up for sale it is snapped up immediately. And it's funny for a bike that is so reliable you can't find anybody who has parts bikes to get parts for. I needed to get a cylinder and nobody had one but I ended up finding to so I have a whole set extra.. even with the cylinder casting being defective it's still lasted 10 years and fifty thousand miles and just broke off at the base. Still much better than a modern Harley-Davidson Milwaukee 8.

[@IanDinBC]

Urals are not made in China, the Chinese make a cheap copy of them though. You're not a Ural guy, -throttle modulation will cause the rig to cut left and right (that's the physics of a side car). Maintenance is essential, not suggested or optional, and must be done on schedule. As soon as you said you'd finally checked the oil on the Helix, I knew this wouldn't work for you. It's like a '65 Bonneville, it's from a different time.

[@coffinman5007]

Both chang jiang and ural are copies of bmw.

[@ronaldthomas9396]

Your not dressed to be riding anything! NO matter how safe you are riding there are many Hazzards beyond your control! Unfortunately I speak from experience!

[@johndeakin4840]

Firstly, ridding in shorts and T shirts isn't good.They may not be the best finished bikes but are definitely NOT chinese,domyour homework before you talk rubbish. They are very unique vehicle and even compared to other outfits.

[@АлександрБеденко-д1и]

На моём Урале 1994 года есть то, чего нет на Gear Up. Ручной переключатель скоростей на баке. Он не портит вид классического мотоцикла и делает езду на нём более удобной. kzbin.info/www/bejne/bZmyhZSoaaeVnaMsi=p8DlqAF0pTQIJDTw

[@danielc5205]

It would be a neat motorcycle to have, but it could never replace my Jeep CJ.

[@melrichardson2392]

Thankyou so much from the rider to the buyer great bike love it.

[@Mrdrivereight]

They look fun but yeah if your on the fence don't get it. The owner seemed cool though!

[@sidecardude]

I've put together about 25 or so sidecar rigs, and proper setup makes the difference. Currently rig is a 1996 Virago with a terraplane sidecar, put an extra set of scooter shocks on the front end to stiffen up the front end and I can ride with one hand. I also have a steering damper that I clip on for long straight highway trips, really makes it a much more enjoyable experience.

[@embreesmith7613]

Floating is a lack of SideCar toe in Nice Safety Gear yet wearing. 🙄

[@jimjim5491]

For a guy who said he was getting rid of stuff and going to live a minimalist lifestyle you constantly buy lots of stuff you don't need. How many bikes, vehicles, trailers is it going to take to make you happy?

[@Adv.Wannabe]

Why can’t they keep buying and selling bikes? I buy new bikes and sell them every 8-12 months. If that’s what they like to do then why not.

[@Baszilton]

what a shame! I was looking forward to some awesome offroad ural content :( You should really have a go on a newer one though, they are definately a lot better Gen2 EFI models and up :)

[@kjlahti782]

I agree with several posters who mentioned Fortnine here in you tube review of the Ural a person with motorcycle experience in all sorts motorcycles. He is funny, yet he is honest about his experience. Myself I have owned 3 of them, have about 50,000 miles on them. Country roads, gravel roads, dirt roads summer and winter, they are a blast in the winter. I rarely drive over 45mph, most of My travel is 20-40 miles long, I go for coffee, pancake and grocery runs. The most I have ever done is 200 miles in one day, I was sore for 3 days afterwards and I played rugby at the time. Is it like my Kawasaki 550 Ltd. Or my BMW motorcycle, heck no, but a lot more fun. I enjoy doing maintenance and repairs on it, plus fun to use Russian swear words lol. I have been trailered 3 times with my Urals, none on my current bike "crosses fingers".

[@rogerstevenson8068]

If checking your oil is an inconvenience then you shouldn’t own a Ural. Maybe a Jeep Wrangler Sport would be a better choice.

[@christopherchapman7453]

I just ordered a brand new 2022 ural, this will be my 4th ural. Absolutely love them. They are reliable if you maintain them and ride them leisurely. If you beat on them they will break.

[@AdventureDaily]

Awesome to hear!!

[@kevincraig8257]

I have too but not now thanks for the video we were thinkong about pur boy also

[@sramvokermvp278]

blud's yappin about how this particular tricycle is so bad. Wait till he grabs ahold of one of the tricycles being used in other countries such as like in the Philippines and he might pee in his underwear of how scary it could be LOL.

[@AdventureDaily]

I am wetting myself just thinking about it! You missed the point, and also proved mine in the same sentence! For $10,000 I could by ten of these "trikes" you speak of. The value just isn't there considering I can buy a used Africa Twin or Tenere 700 for the same price and have a way more capable bike.

[@michaelanderson3771]

It would be cool to see if you could get an original Russian model - I know the USA Russia trade embargo and the current tensions But I am sure there will be some Originals out there somewhere This looks like the Lada Niva of the bike world.

[@gunfighterzero]

The whole factory just moved to kazakhstan, the war interrupted shipping for awhile but it will be back to normal soon.

[@F-tt3xv]

This video is made by a wooden hat that not seems to know anything about bikes. Urals are not made cheap and for most are they working good. More owner related than quality in this case………

[@AdventureDaily]

He is quite a knob..

[@frankmarkovcijr5459]

Urals are opposed twin motors like BMWs and are smooth as silk. They do not have synchronized transmissions like a Japanese motorcycle but after a while you will learn how to shift them properly.

[@Domzheritcy]

Totally disagree with you man)

[@justincoull2166]

When I was young my uncle had a side car can’t remember what it was but was fun and he was a mad man in it lol

[@barrybaldwin5535]

Back in the 1980's my Uncle bought a "neo retro" BMW 650cc which came with a sidecar. I can't recall what the model was called, but it was named after a historical man's last name, maybe "Neville". Apparently it was well made & of high quality. He was quite happy with it, but he was always questing after the next greatest thing that he had heard of, so this bike didn't stay in his family for very long.

[@TheKernables]

There novelty bikes. Buy an old CB abs slap a sidecar on it.

[@9999plato]

Irode one of those Helix 250s back in the late 80s. Pretty cool. I have the Bergmann 650 now, it's larger cousin. The Helix was really capable and useful in NYC with it's lower road speeds (under 55mph). The Bergmann can cruise north of 80 so long as you do't put on the largest barn door windshield from Clearview.

[@kristijonas3985]

Its russia

[@westsussexbikers]

It's not made in china

[@michaelbevan3285]

I think you'd have to approach a Ural as being akin to owning an old VW van or a Land Rover; it will break down and it will require tool time.

[@sarahdell4042]

The Ural CT handles much better, and you eventually get used to how they handle. Weird machines that’s for sure. They are good if you know the limitations.

[@duaneleiker561]

The majority of this review is nonsense. Your expectations are a joke concerning an 85 year old design. The Ural can be repaired on the side of the road. Ninety percent of the newer bikes cannot. It's a military bike for men in combat. It is a take-off of the BMW R-71 motorcycle. It was designed to haul men, heavy loads and tow small canon. During testing, these were almost double loaded with weight like all military's do for strength analysis. Even with the few upgrades on these bikes now, the design is the same. You will not find any bike in the world using the same "2wd" design for 85 years. Is it worth the cost? Depends what you want the bike to do. If you want to stay on the roads, probably not. If you want to use it for hauling loads on the farm, taking off road, adventure camping and towing trailers, this is the bike. By the way, when I buy ANYTHING, I look at reviews and study what I want before I go look at a product or test drive a vehicle.

[@N1834J]

I purchased my ural 2012 new. I ride it everyday, and have put 52km on the rig. Me and my son enjoy riding it through country roads. Top speed is 65mph, but I have never driven it that fast as I don't want to stress the motor. Normally we stick around 45-50mph . This is my second side car rig , and this handles much much better than the first. The first was a sportster that me and a buddy attached a velorex side car to it. My son finally outgrew it after 10 years. It starts every time. I have broken down once, with a clutch cable assembly that got loose and fell apart, and have had a few flat tires. The donut failed at about 40k, and I replaced that myself. It is an old design that has some upgrades, the brembo brakes, are easy to replace pads; The old design is really a big part of its appeal. Parts are not an issue , the local dealer has them in stock. Its not designed to go on the highway or interstate, it is a slow moving / cruising machine.

[@jimmieporter3282]

Thank you for your honest review. I also walked away from the Ural for the same reasons plus some. Purchasing or building the rig is a big deal. I have test rode three units, all different from manufacturing systems. Plus I owned a 2018 Triumph Bonneville T100 (The T120 is a better choice for power and 6th gear and front brakes.) I sold the T-100 with 5600 miles. The T100 had a 2015 Velorex 653 car with a 1" dia. axle. I feel the Champion Avenger with the door would be a wise choice. There are a few things that I believe one should include in the rig and bike. The bigger the rig the reverse could be helpful. The goldwing is built with a reverse and starting in 2017 DCT is a game changer. I have ridden a DCT which was equipped with a special raked fork. It was like having power steering, super great in the twisting mountain roads. The DCT allows you to enjoy the ride without gear box management. Then add trim to raise and lower the rig for road crown adjustments For the rig brake use hydraulic no cables. I also rode a CVO with a Hannigan car. Great rig! The CVO ran too hot with those air heads and the reverse was a bit of a tick to change gears. The raked forks were a dream. The Ural is looks great Period. There are four builders that come to mind, Champion, Hannigan, DMC and Texas Sidecar. Also check the web and Cycle Trader. Good Luck. P.S. I now have a 2018 CanAm Spyder f3. My spouse likes it over the rigs. I am still a fan of rigs.

[@chuckspeer2163]

Thanks for the input I feel all bikes are cool not all bikes are for me , I still like , enjoy , love my 2005 honds vtx 1300s bent a valve , trying to fix it myself , I have a 2⁰7 yamaha royal star tour deluxe it is a nice bike but too big 850 to 900 lbs see ya good luck

[@magnificentbastard2311]

The fact that you don't know where or what these are made of is a real reason you shouldn't own it

[@Adv.Wannabe]

The Ural has been on my buy list for 10 years. After seeing this as being one of the only real reviews I’m not sure it’s still on the list.

[@pierrebuffiere5923]

This is NOT a realistic review. See my comment above and the comment by Stephen Mergner

[@Adv.Wannabe]

@@pierrebuffiere5923 Totally get what you are saying after reading your comment. I don’t mind older technology as long as it’s reliable. If they are still running older technology with reliability issues and just expect people to constantly be doing maintenance then that’s a problem in my eyes. I want something exactly like the rugged Ural designs with Honda fit, finish and reliability.

[@pierrebuffiere5923]

@@Adv.Wannabe If you want Honda finish and reliability etc., then expect to pay Honda prices. In Europe, about 50% of the Ural is of Western manufacture and therefore reliable. Part of the fun of owning an Ural is that is it basically a WW2 machine. I do not expect my Ural to have the sophistication of the BMW RT1200 that I had a few years ago. If you get a chance, you could have a look at the new Chang Jiang with a vertical twin engine. I had a look at one the other day and found it quite impressive. The factory that builds the engines apparently builds engines for BMW.

[@Adv.Wannabe]

@@pierrebuffiere5923 can’t get a Honda with a sidecar where I’m at. At least not from my local dealers. The only Ural dealer is 2 hours away. Just seems like if I were to be paying close to 30k for a bike I wouldn’t have to work on it that often lol.

[@pierrebuffiere5923]

@@Adv.Wannabe I don't know of any "western" bike manufacturer that builds sidecar outfits. This is done (at least in Germany) by specialist firms who do a professional and high-tech job... at a price. I have an example: BMW K 1600GT With an Orion sidecar. The conversion alone costs €24K, plus painting. Supply your own bike. The Ural is pretty good value for money. But get one soon because the prices are going up. Production in Russia has ceased and will be moved to Kazakhstan. An cheaper alternative could be a Chang Jiang CJ650.

[@dwayneharris3874]

I have a 1998 Ural, which my friend owned for ten years. I think the only problem he had was the ignition switch. He liked it so much he bought a new one, and I have the old one. It rattles and clanks, but it sure is fun. It is not hard to ride but it takes a while to ride and shift smoothly. It has taught me a lot about riding, shifting, reading the road ahead, and power management. I think you have unrealistic expectations of an non symetrical sidecar. Urals do not require a lot of maintenance. Setting valve clearances is the hardest part, otherwise it is just fluids and lubrication. If you like the Helix, you should try a Burgman 650, Yamaha Tmax, or Honda Silverwing 600. I have been riding since 1967 and have put 90,000 kilometers on my Burgman. An awesome, user friendly ride.

[@duaneleiker561]

I noticed no reliability problems in the video. Yes, you can repair these on the side of the road. Try doing that with a Can Am Spyder. These were designed (Pre-WWII) for hauling men, ammunition, heavy loads, small canons and into combat. These are and never were designed for precious little tushes and non callused hands. These were built for military men who were self reliant.

[@daverees9344]

Bang a BMW engine in there to get reliabilty,smooth gear changing and a heap more power. I heard the R65/R75/R80 and R90 engine fit with not much fettling. You will lose reverse and 2 wheel drive though.

[@bfarm44]

It’s like buying an old Royal Enfield then acting surprised when not all of the bike arrives with you 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@bogdanvelica]

Had one... a 650 model from 1992 (have a video in my profile). Everything what you said is true! This is not a 20k $ bike (I payed for mine like 800 $ back then.)... If you are not mechanically inclined and willing to put in the time to fix the little gimmicks this bike has then it's not for you my friend...

[@daweshorizon]

Buy a Royal Enfield Himalayan 411. Cheap to buy and run, loads of fun and reliable as funk. Love and peace.

[@TheKittySquisher]

A friend has a Ural and it is absolute garbage. I refuse to ride with him anymore. He invited himself on a trip and we waited at all the major intersections, for him to catch up. And the string of cars he piled up behind him, because it’s so slow. Once he caught up, we waited as he performed maintenance on it since things rattled loose, fall off, or turn purple (disc brakes). He wanted to prove it could do it, and it failed miserably.

[@coffinman5007]

Im buying an outfit soon, depending on availability either a Ural, Dneiper, Goldwing or Norton big 4. A velocette MSS would be ok too. I hope i can get a Ural. Dont think id buy a Chang Jiang.

[@uralpilot]

Thank you for NOT buying the Ural. Its far to good a rig to be subjected to helix expectations. I believe you will be much happier on the scooter.

[@zzskylarkzz]

Good video man, always enjoy your content and glad to see you pushing I remember you had some difficulties at the beginning with KZbin, so just wanted to let you know you’re great at what you do keep it up!

[@madogblue]

10K was a very good deal. Not a Honda. My 2015 has never left me stranded and never had any serious issues. It started and sounded like a normal Ural. Takes a lot of practice to ride a sidecar rig safely. Yes its like 1940's technology with a number of improvements like EFI. Luv my Ural, so visceral and thrilling. I would not personally recomend as a long distance trip machine, although many would disagree with me.

[@АлександрБеденко-д1и]

Каждый день езжу на работу. 80 км. в день. Мой Урал 1994 года. Карбюраторы, кулачковое зажигание, барабанные тормоза и только кик-стартер. Я купил его за 500$.Он постоянно требует заботы и внимания, но он меня возит и я его люблю.

[@MrJulianneave]

I understand that it's a fundamentally old design and that some drawbacks come with that. But to everyone criticising this guy for his complaints, saying how he "should have known" etc, like it's this obvious thing, I'd point you towards Urals recent advertising. The manufacturer isn't selling this thing as a remanufactured antique. They put it forward as a reasonably modern (EFI, electronic ignition, hydraulic disc brakes etc) machine that s prospective owner should be able to tackle the world on. It's not unreasonable to think that modern reliability and decent build quality would be possible, even within the constraints of a classic looking design. Maybe they need to take a leaf out of Royal Enfields book.

[@raycollington4310]

I bought a Ural in 1972 as an 18 year old. It was crap quality but I still have very fond memories of it.

[@petkoandreev7869]

As Eastern European I can tell you that aside from the boxer engine which was of course copied from BMW this bike is a total POS.I'd not buy anything Russian unless a firearm 😅.

[@charlesharnois3684]

I'm Interested in a Ural , Yes They are Quirky, But Simply To Much Money For A Product With Known Reliability Issues Think I'll Stick with My Yamaha And SUZUKI'S

[@peteacher52]

I did not know that these were no longer Russian. In 1973 I badly wanted one as they were as solid as the Rock of Gibraltar, bullet-proof reliable and do 55 mph all day over roads that only a rural Russian would understand. The tool kit even contained spare piston rings - as if you'd ever need them. And the price was still below that of a CB350. But made in China ? No, but if made in Taiwan, Yes. Once bitten, forever shy.

[@TheGrobe]

Wanting a sidecar, for my dog, is literally how I ended up here. Thanks for doing this video though, I have considered a used Ural but everyone always warn me about them. It seems like a lot of that stuff is actually true…