Ural vs Sportster w/sidecar?
Tourer
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 276
Likes: 43
From: Spokane, WA
Go to http://www.sovietsteeds.com/forums/index.php and do some reading. Lots of helpful into there ... that site is the Bible for Uralists.
My trip to AK was memorable and it's the most fun I've ever had on a 2 or 3 wheeled trip. I have a ride report on soviet steeds but u have to become a member to view the pics which is very simple.
Owning a HD is easier than owning a Ural. Ural ownership works best if you know the basics of m/cycle maintenance. Simple machines, easy to work on, but they do ask for more frequent attention than other rigs.
Ural also makes 1 WD rigs but I opted for the 2 WD model as I do venture offroad some. Reverse really comes in handy and I consider that more important than 2WD.
Good luck!
How many people can pile on a Ural? ........ 23.
My trip to AK was memorable and it's the most fun I've ever had on a 2 or 3 wheeled trip. I have a ride report on soviet steeds but u have to become a member to view the pics which is very simple.
Owning a HD is easier than owning a Ural. Ural ownership works best if you know the basics of m/cycle maintenance. Simple machines, easy to work on, but they do ask for more frequent attention than other rigs.
Ural also makes 1 WD rigs but I opted for the 2 WD model as I do venture offroad some. Reverse really comes in handy and I consider that more important than 2WD.
Good luck!
How many people can pile on a Ural? ........ 23.
Last edited by Norms 427; Feb 5, 2014 at 09:01 PM.
Cruiser
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 220
Likes: 0
From: Madison, Mississippi
Personally Rob, I think a sidecar on Sportster would be killer! I'd love to have one on my 48! And while the Ural motorcycles do look cool as hell and not priced to badly, I've heard horror stories about the reliability. I don't know that first hand, just from what I've read.
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 45,429
Likes: 2,897
From: Bedford UK
Thank you Norms 427. Very helpful info. The type of riding I plan to do is with my wife in the sidecar ( she's light weight compared to most) mostly day trips on winding back roads to the mountains & the coast. Where the speed limit is usually 55 mph or less and light traffic if not a weekend. I wouldn't need two wheel drive as we wouln't ride in rain, ice, snow. I wouldn't be off roading so I assume that'd save some weight? I like the idea of it coming ready to ride. Whereas the Sportster sidecar build would take time & money & no reverse, as you point out. It would have more power for the mountain roads + the Harley wow factor. Then again the Ural probably has it's own following & wow factor, from what I see. If you took yours to Alaska & back without a problem then it should handle anything I'd throw at it mountain wise. The only other factor I've got to consider is that Harley dealership is 10 minutes from home and nearest Ural dealer is 5 hrs away. But after reading your post & thinking about it I'm leaning towards a new Ural. Again Thank you
Tourer
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 276
Likes: 43
From: Spokane, WA
Old reputations die a slow death.
Harleys leak oil.
Urals are unreliable.
etc.
Here's what a well-known former Ural owner had to say about his rig:
My previous full time ride happened to have been an IMZ classic 2WD model. Not a shiny new one. It was a total RPOC.... russian- piece- of- crap ....
for the entire 467 THOUSAND K I rode it , every day, every season, every climate, every kind of terrain .....
Never had to walk home.
Never blew up.
A VERY reliable ride with tremendous utility... If ya happen to be relatively happy with antique-military-sidecar-rig technology and don't mind stayin off the big slabs.
_______________
I have 20,000 km on my 2011 and have had only 2 minor issues covered easily and quickly by warranty. My trip to Alaska was without incident. Harleys are more reliable than Urals. But then, Hondas are more reliable than Harleys, so why aren't we all riding red? Because Harleys have soul ... and Urals have soul.
Urals will never be popular. They appeal to people with quirky tastes and to many who have grown tired of riding ordinary bikes. And they ARE different! Ural has one foot in 1942 WWII and the other foot in 2014. But they'll never change their basic WWII appearance just as HD is reluctant to change some of their bikes' looks rooted in history.
Harleys leak oil.
Urals are unreliable.
etc.
Here's what a well-known former Ural owner had to say about his rig:
My previous full time ride happened to have been an IMZ classic 2WD model. Not a shiny new one. It was a total RPOC.... russian- piece- of- crap ....
for the entire 467 THOUSAND K I rode it , every day, every season, every climate, every kind of terrain .....
Never had to walk home.
Never blew up.
A VERY reliable ride with tremendous utility... If ya happen to be relatively happy with antique-military-sidecar-rig technology and don't mind stayin off the big slabs.
_______________
I have 20,000 km on my 2011 and have had only 2 minor issues covered easily and quickly by warranty. My trip to Alaska was without incident. Harleys are more reliable than Urals. But then, Hondas are more reliable than Harleys, so why aren't we all riding red? Because Harleys have soul ... and Urals have soul.
Urals will never be popular. They appeal to people with quirky tastes and to many who have grown tired of riding ordinary bikes. And they ARE different! Ural has one foot in 1942 WWII and the other foot in 2014. But they'll never change their basic WWII appearance just as HD is reluctant to change some of their bikes' looks rooted in history.
Last edited by Norms 427; Feb 6, 2014 at 09:01 AM.
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 45,429
Likes: 2,897
From: Bedford UK
Urals will never be popular. They appeal to people with quirky tastes and to many who have grown tired of riding ordinary bikes. And they ARE different! Ural has one foot in 1942 WWII and the other foot in 2014. But they'll never change their basic WWII appearance just as HD is reluctant to change some of their bikes' looks rooted in history.
Around that time we had a tv programme about life in the USSR. In some parts of Siberia the children were not allowed outdoors when the temperatures dipped below -13 degres F and the ponies were not used when they dropped below -40 F. That was when the skidoo got dragged out of its wooden shed - and started up after just a few pulls on the starter cord. So Russian stuff works! They also came with a very comprehensive tool kit, because owners were expected to be self-sufficient.
I don't recall that '70s Ural ever giving trouble and it got ridden a lot off road, despite being only single-wheel drive.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 13,402
Likes: 941
From: Illinois
My 12 Ural Patrol is very reliable and built to handle off road. I plan on a ride to Yellow knife this summer. Sachs shock absorbers, Nippon Denso alternator, Ducati ignition, Herzog gears, Wagner light and bulbs, US sourced wiring harness, powered coated and for 2014 fuel injection from a firm in Detroit.
The cruising speed for the 14's is 70 mph. for the last few models it was 62. before that when it was a 650cc it was 60 cruising speed. The fastest Urals side cars were the ones without 2WD. They had a 3.69 to 1 final drive and the rig could handle 75 mph for cruising on the super slabs. the 2WD have a 4.62 to 1 final drive. A 4.12 to 1 is available. I went ahead and put a 3.69 in mine. So, I can cruise on the Interstates. I don't need the tractor gearing as I don't go off road.
I have been on a couple of Ural get together's and the machines were mostly from the 80's on. Rode through many Wisconsin back roads. Not a one had any problem.
Two wheel drive, reverse, 33 mpg all for only a little more than the cost of a side car kit for a bike.
Most set ups need to get new triple trees to increase the rake for better steering. Adding a steering damper is a must.
The cruising speed for the 14's is 70 mph. for the last few models it was 62. before that when it was a 650cc it was 60 cruising speed. The fastest Urals side cars were the ones without 2WD. They had a 3.69 to 1 final drive and the rig could handle 75 mph for cruising on the super slabs. the 2WD have a 4.62 to 1 final drive. A 4.12 to 1 is available. I went ahead and put a 3.69 in mine. So, I can cruise on the Interstates. I don't need the tractor gearing as I don't go off road.
I have been on a couple of Ural get together's and the machines were mostly from the 80's on. Rode through many Wisconsin back roads. Not a one had any problem.
Two wheel drive, reverse, 33 mpg all for only a little more than the cost of a side car kit for a bike.
Most set ups need to get new triple trees to increase the rake for better steering. Adding a steering damper is a must.
Last edited by lh4x4; Feb 7, 2014 at 08:24 PM.
Ih4X4 Thanks, lots of good info there. 2014 being able to do 70 mph is good as I might occasionally have to ride the freeways here in Calif & limit is 70 out on the open road & cars generally go 80 mph & 18 wheelers do 65-70! I can see needing the steering damper & would definately make mods to it as I've done to every bike I've owned. I'd have to have one before I'd know what to change but would upgrade interior of sidecar for my wife.
Norms 427 signed up to sovietsteed site & reading thru it. thanks for the info & link!
grbrown check'n out the united sidecar website Lots to read! That Sportster is about what I had in mind but I've seen that sidecar & like other designs I've seen better than the bomb shell look
I think If I got a used Sportster & new sidecar & do the work myself I could do it for about what it'd cost for the new 2014 Ural. I've been crunching #'s to figure it out. Ural warranty probably wouldn't matter since dealer is so far away that if I needed to use it I'd have to truck it over. I'd probably end up doing repairs on which ever one I go with as I do with my bikes now.
So I guess it comes down to; do I want to build a Sportster sidecar or buy a Ural ready to ride. Then ride capabilities, handling, comfort, looks? I think either one would look good & that's my problem now figuring which would be best performance, handling, & comfort for my wife
Anyone out there have a Sportster w/sidecar that can chime in about your performance?
Norms 427 signed up to sovietsteed site & reading thru it. thanks for the info & link!
grbrown check'n out the united sidecar website Lots to read! That Sportster is about what I had in mind but I've seen that sidecar & like other designs I've seen better than the bomb shell look
I think If I got a used Sportster & new sidecar & do the work myself I could do it for about what it'd cost for the new 2014 Ural. I've been crunching #'s to figure it out. Ural warranty probably wouldn't matter since dealer is so far away that if I needed to use it I'd have to truck it over. I'd probably end up doing repairs on which ever one I go with as I do with my bikes now.
So I guess it comes down to; do I want to build a Sportster sidecar or buy a Ural ready to ride. Then ride capabilities, handling, comfort, looks? I think either one would look good & that's my problem now figuring which would be best performance, handling, & comfort for my wife
Anyone out there have a Sportster w/sidecar that can chime in about your performance?
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 3,932
Likes: 45
From: Stockbridge GA
Damm yall, I pretty much made up my mind that when the time comes Ill get a sidecar for my standard. Now Im looking at Urals again 
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