I keep getting the urge to get a Ural with a sidecar, one of the Rangers would be my pick I think. But should I look at the option of putting a chair on my '09 ABS Wee-Strom instead? Yes, I know many will say the 1000 Vee is better but I know my Wee from brand new and bulk power is not my need. I'm really keen on having some good dirt ability as I would be using it for camping trips as well as touring. I like the basics of the Ural with the "fixable" mechanics [but then the Wee just doesn't break down in the first place ]. The other thing I like about the Ural is the reverse gear, makes it easier when I run off the road to get back out Opinions from Ural owners and others with similar experience of chairs on Stroms [both Wee and Vee] would be welcome. Ock.
Why not get the Ural and keep the wee as is? Don't know about your neck of the woods, but here it costs about the same to have a chair put on a bike is it does to get a Ural.
I also have a '94 Kawasaki KLE500 which is getting more use than the Wee at the moment, I'm doing a lot more dirt road/trail riding and the KLE is capable of long distance road touring as well. The Wee seems to be getting relegated to long distance and interstate trips these days and that is what a hack would be used for as well. The Wee is set up for handling dirt already and I'd want to do the same with a hack as well. Oh,,,,,, and of course, money is always an issue.
The wee is fine for power having half as much again as a ural does. Things that will be needed are. A sidecar, bought or made. Skills and gear to make up subframe or money to buy same. Heavyduty rear shock or at least a spring. Leading link front end or one of the variations to reduce trail. Change in gearing to make life easier on the clutch. My outfit is currently not complete in some areas but still great around town with enough power to run at the state limit easily. Check my build out. There will be other things as well to do but thats a start. Fabrications skills will save a lot of money or mates that are willing with same. But there are lots of ways to spend money here. Cheers, Bruce
A Ranger (Ural Tourist with a "military" paintjob) costs A$18,300 here plus on-road costs. With the A$ being about US$1.05 that's US$19,215. Take off 10% GST (VAT/Sales Tax) it's US$17,293.50. Must be awfully expensive to put a chair on a bike in the US.
My 2 cents worth, I am a newbie to hacks having just owned my Ural for a little over a month and 2300 kms but would not want it without a reverse gear. No serious off pavement for me yet but that is coming. Reverse is needed even on my two dinky 250ccs ATVs and my two UTVs.
That's about 1 1/2 times the price of a Tourist here in the USA. To have one of the known builders do a one-off rig and set it up will be at least clost to the same price, and that's with very few options. Cost of adding a sidecar to a 2 wheeler depends on what you want. For a Vee/Wee, set up for touring, you will want $1k to $2500 in suspension and steering mods. While a used and older chair might cost under $1k, having somebody else build a subframe and brand new tub will cost $3500+ (Cozy Sidecars) to well over $10k for a custom rig with electric suspension adjustment, sway bars and luggage racks and spare tire. this in addition to the steering and suspension mods to the bike. Bang for the buck, a Ural is cheaper if you're not doing your own build.
Just my 2cents after owning both at the same. If you can't afford both, sell the Wee and get a used 1 or 2 year old Ural. It's going to cost about $3000-$5000 to get the Wee set up where you will enjoy to ride it. Leading link front wheel set up, 2wheel drive and reverse gear is a real plus on the Ural. You are correct in saying that your Wee has the "power" and the "not breaking down". After riding the Ural for a while, it's was priceless to jump on my Vee and ride it like I stole it. Be warned, you will miss riding your Wee, if you do decide to sell it. That's why I say "get the Ural, keep the Wee"
I'm not either, but just wanted to chime in about reverse gear. Lots of guys on here extol the benefits of reverse. I think that's wonderful for them but I'm not one of them. I've got a big heavy 1150GS rig - it tilts the scale at 1500 lbs when me and the dog and the camping gear are on board - and I can roll it backwards by reaching down with my left foot and pushing. That's on the flat. If there's an incline, or rocks to get over, I can dismount and push on my left pannier to back it up. I have never been stuck while actually on a road. On a narrow track if I need to make a U-turn, even on an incline, I go as far right as I can then I crank it hard to the left until my front wheel climbs up onto the shoulder, hit the front brake hard, then crank the bars hard to the right just as the suspension rocks back, and let the front wheel slide back down to the road. At this point, I can normally crank back to the left and gas and go. If not, I repeat the maneuver. Sure, reverse wold be nice, but it's certainly not a deal-killer for me if I was shopping for a rig. As I get older and more decrepit I can see where eventually I'll have to have reverse, but by then I'll probably be in a CJ-7. OK, rant over.
Howdy All, I recently rode a Ural in Oz covering 9,000 klicks with the only problem being a clogged petcock, easy to clean and a LOT of worn out tires. "IF" the OP can afford it I would suggest keeping the wee for when you want to get someplace in a hurry and getting the Ural for when you want to go to the outback carrying everything to include the kitchen sink. In Oz you blokes can't get the two wheel drive Ural so thats not open for discussion, but it will come with reverse. Now some say reverse is not needed, I am here to say BS. I as DRONE, have a BMW GS with a very nice sidecar on it, the beemer does NOT have reverse and I curse the darn thing every time I ride it because "I" have to push the rig while on my lowly Ural all I have to do is move a small lever and it backs itself under "ITS" power. If I hadn't have been a Ural rider for five years before having the beemer hacked maybe I wouldn't feel this way but for my money especially in rough or in any way nasty terrain having a sidecar rig without reverse is going to be a whole lot of WORK, and I hate work it is a four letter word after all. Cheers mate's.
I am in the process of mount a dnepr hack to my dl1000.. i dont have an opinion yet but look 4ward to some backroads ridin here in idaho.. i will prolly look for a good deal on another one or a wee for my 2 wheel enjoyment.
Ockrocket, send a pm to inmate BBJAY (Bernie) he lives near me and has made his own chair fitted to his 09 (I think) DL650. Dave.
We (BRO & I) ride a lot of off pavement & at times we like to ride the old mining roads. Some of these old mining roads were put in over a 100 yrs back. They started out as mule pack trails. I would not call these trails, '' single track'' yet at the same time a VStrom hacked or any forward only drive should not tackle these kind of trails. No county nor club keeps these trails open. Fallen trees, rock slides & wash outs are common. They are narrow, some w/ room to do a trun about w/ a foot or pushing. However more will be guarded on one side w/ a steep drop off & a steep rocky shoulder straight up. When mother nature has added an interesting slant to the drop side, you better have power to better control your rig. We are not super go anywhere riders. We do like to ride to sometimes ''trails end''. Going backwards under motor power is not a mere pleasure but a real need to have. If you are not old or in poor phyical health, you will be trying to get out of these areas w/o reverse. Backing up a trail is possible only w/ reverse. In the wilds you learn on every ride some different & glad you have the right equipment to not require o/s recovery help. One wheel drive w/ the right power tire mounted can do a very fine job of getting you into & out of all kinds of fun trouble. But your motor power back up gear will keep you from getting stranded w/o having to play rotate positions w/ a power wench for your escape. Urals have come a very long ways. We are on our second one in 7 years. You're at a neat time now. Thinking of adding a side car & still wanting to ride the wilds. Not going to tell you what to do until you need a reverse....& it is only a matter of time before you will, if you enjoy riding the wild. Very best to whatever you do & post up some pix.
If you do want to go with a sidecar, our M72DX is offered in left side mounting, we do make left side mounts for the V strom as well as our "leading" legs to reduce trail thus reducing steering effort. Jay G DMC sidecars www.dmcsidecars.com jay@dmcsidecars.com 866-638-1793
And get a Ural. The Ural is already designed for a side car and offers more than just a bike with a chair. I had to make the same decision and went with a Ural for its uniqueness and versatility understanding what its limitations and strengths are and accepted it for what it is; something that is old style and will require some routine maintenance which I find as a connection with the machine and something that is not so common place.
Thanks for the feedback so far guys. The Ural is still looking the goods. However.....today I was offered the chance to take a chair for a ride over the weekend, it is attached to a, er, ummm, er, Yamaha V-Max :huh I've been told "throttle on" to turn left, "throttle off" to turn right, no actual steering input required :eek1 Luxury chair fitted to it from what I'm told, didn't take the tonnue cover off to look as I was in a rush at work today. The weekend can't get here quick enough.
... if it's your first spin on an outfit ... can I have first dibs on your avatar ? ... probably not as fast as the first corner ... .
My avatar is how I often look on a Friday or Saturday night, late in to the evening Never ridden an outfit so I'm planning on being REAL gentle with the throttle If it is raining I'm not going near the bloody thing at all.... I may be silly, but I'm not stupid.
