Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge Last nights encounter with an Ural rider

Last night the family and I were driving home from one of our many summer festivals when a rider on a bike with a side car pulls out in front of us and then turns down a secluded road behind some factories running beside the river. Since it was taking me in the same direction I thought I would follow it and Adam thought a bike looked pretty cool with a sidecar. I think he's got visions of me adding one so that he and his dog can come for rides with Nancy and myself.

Nancy asks what it might be? I've only gotten a good look at the rear so don't even try to hazard a guess. The rider starts to pull into another road then decides to keep headed in the same direction. At this point I've glimpsed a cylinder head sticking out to the side by his left foot and think it's an old Beemer. Nancy at this point has pointed out he's got Michigan plates and must be lost.

By this point the road does a ninety degree turn to the left and he pulls into an old access driveway for one of the factories. I pull up to see if he needs help but not before seeing the name on the tank. URAL. God! How could I have not thought of that? I had all of the clues after seeing that cylinder head added with the side hack. But in my defence it's the first one I've ever seen on the road.

I ask if he's lost and he tells me he wants to take some pics of the Detroit industry skyline but can't find a spot that let's him get right up to the shoreline.

I give him a couple of ideas where he might find some then ask about the bike. How do you like it? "I think it's great", he says. "And the grand kids just love to go for rides."

"How about the handling, I noticed your weren't leaning much in that last turn", I say.

"No, you've got to steer it more than a regular bike. It's like dancing with the fat lady at a wedding. It's a lot of work but man is it fun."

I just loved that.

We have had one turn up at the local meets John, but they tend to rust very quickly in the UK, the guy also told me that the spare wheels fits all three positions on the bike.

He seem to love it, and says they are easy to fix..

I did the same thing the first time I saw one on the highway. Since then I've seen them at bike shows and will think twice before saying beamer. I think I'd shy away from dancing with the fat lady though.

mike

This one was at the Cedar Bluff Liberty Day Celebration, the rider is very satisfied, both with the bike and the availability of parts:

Quote:

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It's like dancing with the fat lady at a wedding. It's a lot of work but man is it fun.

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Exactly how I felt about my sidecar rig. It's work to drive but it sure can be fun.

We have a local Triumph Scrambler owner who has an olive green Ural with sidecar. Looks like it rode right out of WWII. I saw him at the Triumph dealership a couple of weeks ago and commented on the mud caked on his bike. He grinned and told me that he had just washed it and he thinks that the mud that is left is just holding crucial bolts in place. He also said that the owners manual has a list of bolts that should be checked before EACH ride.

I've only danced with 1 fat girl & must admit that it wasnt too bad!

I saw one at a tiny little "almost " dealer twelve years ago. I liked the old timey look. I'd consider one, just for fun. It DID look like it just came out of a 1040s time warp. The engine cases, the castings, the general styling, very old school.

I have a friend that drives his to work. His came from Poland and it was a German Army bike used during the war. It is all black and has the plate number or whatever number on the front fender. Everything is original as he can get it. It even has the Rifle Holster on the side car for whatever typeweapon the germans carried on those things. I will get some pics next time he drives to work.
Steve

The Ural Wolf: