My review of Ural Motorcycles (2012)

Anyone who flaunts this as a good trait or a measure of reliability hasn't spent much time in the military. Military vehicles are notoriously unreliable. Rugged, yes. Reliable, no.

Hell, I've put more trouble free miles on my Ural than any military vehicle I've ever had.

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Your first sentence is a down right lie! Your second one is your opinion supported by a lie and we all know what opinion are like.
I have been around Urals, Chang's and Dnepr's for over 10 years and Urals are light years ahead of what they where in the 1990's. I have read over and over how a CJ flathead [with 43,000k] can't do more the 45mph without overheating. I do 60 on it all the time, ask the Ural guys I ride with. Until recently my CJ had more miles then the Urals I ride with, Now it pails in comparison to 3 of the new Urals I ride with, Tom, John and Scott. My point is a lot of people don't know what these bike are capable of AND a lot of people don't know what they are NOT capable of.
As a side note I belong to Three groups of people that would bend over backwards to help you if needed.
1 URAL OWNERS [That includes the company and dealers]
2 CJ owners
3 Stock outboard racing

Chris Jordan
1997 Chang Jiang
1997 Ural 2WD with a Chang OHV engine

I have a 2006 Ural Gear Up with about 50,000 clicks on it. Had to replace a piston & rings a few years back but it was no big deal. I think the wrist pin might of been tight, not sure. These rigs require maintenance but I like wrenching so it is a good fit for me. If you're looking for gas and go then an old Honda is better to have.

The Ural is an old school putt that has a character all it's own. It is made to get off the highway and run through the woods.
I have a Belarus Russian tractor as well. It is fifteen years young and I love it also.

Simple Soviet machinery is not for everyone. As long as I can get parts I will keep mine.

Awesome. Those should be titles for 10 new threads

Maybe a little fluffy in the way sales hype always is regardless of product, but certainly not inaccurate.

How many rigs were actually delivered to Iraq? I have seen several numbers thrown out there.

Howdy Bill,

It is NOT my custom to disclose PM's but I will share with you the jist of one that I received from bokad. bokad pm'ed me asking about advise concerning climbing steep hills, IIRC he also asked me about gear swaps and clutch disks. I receive so many PM's its hard to keep all the facts straight so if bokad disagrees with this post so be it.

I replied to the affect that climbing the grades he described with load he described was beyond the design parameters of the machine. In my personal opinion and I dare say that of most experienced Uralista's the most limiting factor in the off road ability of the Ural is its LACK of a super low gear in the transmission. This lack of a super low gear means that in order to get through or over some terrain you have to ABUSE the clutch again to a point beyond its designed use.

Because the Ural is a GEAR driven machine it is difficult and from a practical stand point cost wise next to imposable to change the gearing, its not as simple as swapping a couple of sprockets. To climb some of the grades I have, I have had to unload some of the stuff I carry, climb the grade then reload my gear, when I do the type of off road riding that I enjoy with my Ural I only carry what is nessisary for the day, I am not packing around everything it takes to support two people in a hostile environment.

Some have commented on the advertising that promotes the Ural as a military vehicle, does this mean that it is unstoppable, bullet proof and made to the highest quality? NO it simply means that it is a rugged machine built simply so that it is easy to service in the field by men who have little training and simple tools. Go to youtube, there you can find endless films of the old BMW's used by the Germans in WW2 many show the rigs attempting to drive through deep snow and mud men are pushing and pulling them, many of these rigs had not only two wheel drive but a locking differential and in the case of the Zundap a hi-low transfer case.

For decades I was in to extreme off roading with my Jeep's, being able to change gears in the differentials made possible some incredible climbs, this also took the strain off the clutch. If I had MY way about it, the Ural would have a 1,000 cc engine, at least a five speed transmission with a SUPER LOW first gear, a hi-low transfer case and locking differential. That said I can't afford what it would cost to build such a machine and so I do what I can to improve what is available to the general public and work WITH IMWA to improve the production rig by testing some would call it thrashing stock and experimental parts many of which have made into production.

This is a no win thread. Most opinions will not be changed by it.
I'm going to stop wasting my time with it and go ride my Ural somewhere.
Have fun boys.

Howdy madeouttaglass,

You are probably correct, I mean you of all people should know that Ural's are nothing but a RPOC, your recent cross country ride report detailing thousands of miles many at modern highway speeds must surly be a fabrication as many "experts" in this thread have testified that to do such things on a Ural is an impossibility. All of your photos detailing the trip must have been the work of someone who has fantastic photo-shop skills as again we have been told by the "experts" that a trip like yours couldn't be done.

I have been riding Harley's all over and across the country for the last 50 years and have met many "experts" who say that they can't go more then 1,000 miles with out needing a rebuild, that they can't travel all day at freeway speeds and are slow ponderous beasts incapable of going around a corner or have brakes that actually work. I have listened to this shite for decades most of it spouted by folks who have never even sat on a Hog let alone ride one; the same can be said of the majority of Ural detractors, these folks are "experts" with vast sums of knowledge gained from years of hands on experience so they must be right after all they are saying it on the internet so it must be true.

Forums and threads like this ARE educational for those wise enough to read between the lines and separate the bullshite spoken by the "experts" from the real world experience of those who own and ride the machines. And so I participate in them in hopes of one day becoming an "expert" so that I too can proclaim knowledge of something I know nothing about.

Nope no lies here. When Urals were first imported to the UK I was a mechanic in one of the stockists, they were total rubbish and I was embarressed to admit I worked on them. The Dneprs and Nevals were eaqually as bad. I go back 30 years with these hunks of junk and I shit on your 10 years. I hadnt mentioned CJ's, but I know them to be shit as well.
60 mph on a 650 or 750 and you feel the need to be pleased?? I wouldnt shout too loud. I also own a 1957 500cc Matchless (G80) with a large Watsonian attached and that cruises at a easy 80mph.

I think you need to slow down and put your mind into gear instead of coasting along in neutral.

Ahh Mr Cob, Harleys, they too are crap AT THEIR PRICE POINT!! I have recently sold mine, a 1974 FXE, yes a Shovel I knew and loved every inch of that bike and I was told all the things you mentioned. Yes it broke down, yes I fixed it but even back then it was expensive (In the UK at it's price point)
This is what I have been trying to say about the Urals, they are expensive for what they are at their price point. If you compare them to equally priced machines, they are woeful.

I remember reading about the same statement in a bike mag around 1984 about a niche motorcycle company named Harley Davidson. Could people possibly be buying these antiquated machines because they are fun?:huh

No, by advertising.

I agree with you.

You're implying the proper maintenance may not have been done on my machines or that it is being ridden outside of it's design spec.
That's just BS.
Here's the low down.
Both machines have had ALL scheduled service done by a Ural dealer.
Both machines only get premium fuel.
Both machines are never loaded beyond their weight capacity or driven beyond their rated speed
The M70 has been driven 2500km on paved Florida roads.
The Patrol has been driven 4500km on paved Florida roads, 2000km on paved Indonesian roads, 30km on rutted wet gravel roads, 10km on rocky mountain roads.
That's outside of the spec?

I'm not sure what you mean by take responsibility... am I asking you or anyone else for a handout? Am I asking for any special treatment? Nope! Just advising other people why they might not want to buy a Ural. I know that you're close to the Ural folks. I see that you it bothers you have their product insulted. Try to differentiate between the product and the people who sell it.

You keep focusing on my Indonesia trip. 2/3rds and most of the problems with the Patrol have been in Florida and all the problems with the M70 have been there. It's not about my personal problems. It;s about systematic quality issues with Ural products.

I went to the official IMZ/URAL website and used the web page feedback form in the contact section. They don't list an e-mail address or phone number on the contact page. They didn't respond to the submission. Not suprising, lots of companies don't. I contacted them one other time, not about this current trip, and it took them a week to respond and then only with the words 'Where did you buy the bike?'

I'm a consumer. I bought something. I think it's junk. I tell other consumers that I think it;s junk. Welcome to the internet!

I agree with you. Why do you keep repeating it?

Agree.

As I said, the words of "experts".

So, what in your mind does one have to de to become a expert? I have been riding and working professionally on bikes for over 30 years. I have owned over 60 bikes in that time and ridden hundreds more. I have solved problems that seemed to have been engineered into bikes from the very start and also solved problems made by owners.
I have numerous qualifications from unviersities and from factories as well, includong, but not limited to, Honda,Suzuki,Yamaha,Harley Davisdon,Hesketh and others.

At which point do I become a expert?

One other thing, when I started out in my working life, I was told by a time served mechanic of about 80 years old " A bike is only as good as the last person to have worked on it"

Anyone who thinks they know it all still has a lot to learn.

bokad,

I keep saying it in an effort to help you unload your RPOC, your NOT happy with it so SELL the damned thing. I have already suggested that you auction it off, some folks have posted that they are serious about buying the bikes so it would seem to me that if YOU are serious about getting rid of them then just DO IT.

I have no financial investment or incentive in the sale of Ural's, your opinion of them in no way impacts on me personally so I could truly care less what you do, I am just trying to help you out. SELL your Ural's use the money to buy something else and be happy, to do anything else is a waste your time. I'll give you this, at least you have some saddle time and have experience on the subject being discussed that's a hell of a lot more then most of the "experts" that have joined this foray into the absurd.

Seriously, ALL bullshite aside, you have made your point and to some degree I agree with you as have other HONEST Uralista's, the Ural is NOT the bike for you so rather then waste time and energy fighting it SELL it, buy something else and continue your journey. It is YOUR responsibility to either sit where you are and rant into cyber-space about your troubles or do what ever is nessisary to get the machine you need or want so that you can continue your trip.

Post your bikes on the "Flea Market" here on ADV-Rider or on the "Black Market" forum over on Soviet Steeds, ask a reasonable price and you will soon be RID of your problems and have cash in your pocket to continue your trip. To do anything less is to of your own free choice sit in your misery rather then continue your trip which most of us can only dream about.

I'll bow out after this post and we can all get back to our foil hat making or whatever...

(1) Ural has been making the SAME bike for 70 years. You think they would have worked out the bugs by now...

(2) Some people are saying "You should haven't have bought a Ural" or "you should sell your Ural" or "Ural is not right for you".
I agree! And that's exactly the advice I am passing on to other people, 'you shouldn't buy a Ural'. So why do you get so upset?

(3) Lots of Ural people agree the bikes are not reliable and require frequent maintenance, their motto is 'I like how this sucks!'. Why so angry when I say it then?

(4) Hubert, the round the world Ural traveller is a super guy and one of a kind. Literally. No one else wants to travel the world on a Ural. He also says the 2010-ish Ural compares favorable to a 70's or 80's BMW. No doubt. He gets lots of free stuff and support from IMZ/Ural the company. Think that might affect his opinion a bit?

(5) I'm going to sell this POS Ural. So you can stop saying 'you should sell it!'. 10 times was enough.

(6) Some people say "(IMZ/Ural, my dealer, the community) are great people!"
I agree! Their product sucks for the price though. Strange that some peopel can't separate a critique of the product from a critique of the people that work at the company that makes it.

(7) This thread is not called 'complaints about bokad's Ural'. Nor is it called 'you guys who already own Urals should decide to not like them'. It's call 'Why you shouldn't buy a Ural' It's not about my bikes. It's about Urals in general and their systematic low quality.

(8) I say again, Ural's, in general, have systematic low quality.

(9) Many people have private messaged me to express their support and that they wanted to say the same thing but without invoking the wrath of the foil heads. Thanks. I myself wish I had used another alias to post this.

(10) Some people are still clinging on to "but that could happen on any bike". Yep, could, but it happens more often on a Ural. Or do you think that there is no quality difference between brands, that they are all exactly the same?

(11) If you complain about Urals and don't own one the fanboys will say you don't know what you're talking about. If you do own one they say you are just whining about your bike. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

(12) Some people are trying to fault me for not doing proper service. All scheduled service on both my Urals has been done by a Ural dealer.

(13) Some people are upset that I have smeared the fine reputation of Russian manufacturing. None have stepped forward to claim it's not true. It's so backwards to see Americans defending Russian quality! What has the world come to? I'm going to guess that most of the fanboys know exactly 0 about Russia through first hand experience.
I've spent over a year in Russia. I own an apartment there. I have many good Russian friends.
I have a Russian girlfriend. She was the first person to tell me Urals were crap. Her father was the second. He's owned one too. Strange that it doesn't bother the Russians that I know when I say that Russian quality is crap but it seems to upset you guy alot. You want to hear some really creative swearing, ask a Russian what he thinks about the quality of Russian cars or anything else! You want to hear authentic Russian laughter, tell a Russian that you paid $12,000 (that 400,000 rubles!) for a Ural motorcycle. They'll be rolling for hours! You're a sucker. Think you're cool or unique because because you bought an overpriced off the shelf bike that can't even sell in it's own country? Even cooler because you cling to Soviet symbols and words? That's just sad. In America you're cool if you have Ural motorcycle. In Russia you're cool if you don't. Strange world.

(14) Ural has been making the SAME bike for 70 years. You think they would have worked out the bugs by now...

That's all.