mdude Posted January 18, 2006 Posted January 18, 2006 I feel I have to insult someone today Ural. Wot is it with this ancient, slow, heavy and fugly tractor that fascinates over in the US? It isnt even for sale over here cause no one wants it (you probably couldnt get it through the registration process either), and us her in Norway have common borders with Russia and could probably drive it home from the factory, thats how close it is.... We suffered badly with all these rapidly-deteriorating russian/eastern fiat-clones in the seventies and want no more of the eastern build quality. Fascination for vintage bikes I understand, and I love old bikes too, but to buy this little runt of a bike new and then throw even more money at it? Is it a hillbilly thing (did I just hear the sound of shotguns being loaded ). And whats the connection that makes Urals so apparantly frequent among MG-owners? Have I unawarely been caught in some strange and sinister cult here? Someone even said in this forum that he wished his Ural had a MG engine. Well, thats one dangerous machine for you if it had. I'll take any other nicely developed 5-10 years old modern bike any day, or a 60s Beemer. Gentlemen. Take aim. You'll find me in my bomb shelter. With a nice cup of cappucino.
Guzzirider Posted January 18, 2006 Posted January 18, 2006 Wot is it with this ancient, slow, heavy and fugly tractor Hey stop insulting my Guzzi!!
docc Posted January 18, 2006 Posted January 18, 2006 Is it a hillbilly thing (did I just hear the sound of shotguns being loaded ). 74776[/snapback] Ahem . . . due to the world trend in political correctness, we are to be referred to as "Appalachian-Americans." And we hardly ever use shotguns outside of weddings anymore. Some traditions die hard . . .
dmoon64 Posted January 18, 2006 Posted January 18, 2006 If we have to explain you won't get it..........
Alex-Corsa Posted January 18, 2006 Posted January 18, 2006 I feel I have to insult someone today Ural. Wot is it with this ancient, slow, heavy and fugly tractor that fascinates over in the US? It isnt even for sale over here cause no one wants it (you probably couldnt get it through the registration process either), and us her in Norway have common borders with Russia and could probably drive it home from the factory, thats how close it is.... We suffered badly with all these rapidly-deteriorating russian/eastern fiat-clones in the seventies and want no more of the eastern build quality. Fascination for vintage bikes I understand, and I love old bikes too, but to buy this little runt of a bike new and then throw even more money at it? Is it a hillbilly thing (did I just hear the sound of shotguns being loaded ). And whats the connection that makes Urals so apparantly frequent among MG-owners? Have I unawarely been caught in some strange and sinister cult here? Someone even said in this forum that he wished his Ural had a MG engine. Well, thats one dangerous machine for you if it had. I'll take any other nicely developed 5-10 years old modern bike any day, or a 60s Beemer. Gentlemen. Take aim. You'll find me in my bomb shelter. With a nice cup of cappucino. Amen brother!. Should I bring some coffe with me>?
richard100t Posted January 18, 2006 Posted January 18, 2006 I dont get the Ural thing either, but owning a Guzzi I cant talk about other peoples unusual bike choices. Its been said that people dont buy motorcycles for good rational reasons...they buy what they feel passion for or they dont buy it at all.
pete roper Posted January 19, 2006 Posted January 19, 2006 Like everything else, if assembled correctly, out of decent parts made of the right materials and then used within it's design brief there is nothing wrong with these old Wermacht designs. The problem with the Russisn bikes, especially during the years of the old Sov Un. was inferior materials and a disinterested labour force. Not entirely different to Guzzi in the '90's! No, they aren't fast, no they aren't stylish, but they can be great fun! Back in the early '80's me and me mate Nige used to roam around Brixton, Peckham and Dulwich on/in a grey Ural outfit dressed in grey greatcoats with a broom handle stuck in the Klashnikov mount hurling abuse at coppers and the yuppies who were moving in! If we tried it nowadays we'd end up getting shot!!!! Pete
Murray Posted January 19, 2006 Posted January 19, 2006 Its really simple they are upgrading thier Harleys! Sorry couldn't resist!
Dr Gil Posted January 19, 2006 Posted January 19, 2006 Come on now, a two-wheel drive bike that you can ride in the snow, has a reverse and you can bring a friend along in semi-comfort (or shop for groceries)! Sounds like fun to me!
Guest ratchethack Posted January 19, 2006 Posted January 19, 2006 Come on now, a two-wheel drive bike that you can ride in the snow, has a reverse and you can bring a friend along in semi-comfort (or shop for groceries)! Sounds like fun to me! I'm with you, Gil. There's something philosophically attractive about the Ural. Maybe it's because - even moreso than a Guzzi - it flies squarely in the face of the unrelenting commercial trends toward performance and styling that IMHO have little or nothing to do with what used to be qualities that once made motorcycles a practical pleasure to own and ride on the road. It sure ain't the "fashion statement" that so many have evidently been conditioned to believe they have to make with their hyper-powered plastic techno-monuments to something incomprehensible. I suspect that more Urals are still on the road and driven regularly 10 and 20 years after they're built than your latest garden-variety plastic crotch rocket or 2-wheeled Winnebago - by a factor of 10 or so. Over the same period, many if not most of the latter tend to either get wadded up and parted out or sit collecting dust and corrosion in the back of garages with low mileage... FWIW, here's a link to the Web site of ex-Guzzisti, formerly Forum regular, Seat-Meister Extraordinaire, and current Ural enthusiast Rich "Your Ass Will Thank You" Maund: http://www.geocities.com/rgmaund/RichsCycl...33040109?200619
docc Posted January 19, 2006 Posted January 19, 2006 Wot is it with this ancient, slow, heavy and fugly tractor that fascinates over in the US? 74776[/snapback] This is a rather strange conundrum here in the US. And other places in the civilized world as well. I believe it is at the heart of the "Whole Harley Thing." For the past 50 or 60 years we have had it so new-and-improved, prepackaged, disposable and engineered-and-refined that a dull and grey complacency has fallen over the ownership and use of things. This has pervaded our lives with a predictable reliability which has , in turn, degraded our skill levels, self-reliance and esteem. The Japanese plastibikes are the pinnacle of this near-perfect-yet-no-character achievement. The Harley perhaps has become at least a token statement, or symbol, of the antithesis. Those of us who ride, risk and wrench on our Guzzis are an anachronism in this day of deference. Adventure riding , and the Ural, are surely at the extreme of a few people's desire to have a tangible, personal connection to their exploits. Like the V11 Guzzi, if your Ural is in a decent state of tune you are a 'real biker.' The Ural, and yes the Guzzi, appeal to those who seize upon doing and being over having. "We few , we lucky few . . . "
tikkanen Posted January 19, 2006 Posted January 19, 2006 The Ural, and yes the Guzzi, appeal to those who seize upon doing and being over having. "We few , we lucky few . . . " 74956[/snapback] Good point, Docc The Harley scene here in Denmark is exactly as you describe (and this comes from an ex-Harley rider). It's not about the bike - it's about being seen and to pose like a badass biker although you're an attorney or a dentist. It was the same reason why I skipped the Harley and went the Guzzi way instead (I also got tired wearing sunglasses indoor... ) Søren
callison Posted January 19, 2006 Posted January 19, 2006 Ahem . . . due to the world trend in political correctness, we are to be referred to as "Appalachian-Americans." And we hardly ever use shotguns outside of weddings anymore. Some traditions die hard . . . 74788[/snapback] Only for formal weddings, but they have to be white shotguns...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now