callison Posted January 20, 2006 Posted January 20, 2006 DId someone say OLD STYLE? I think Urals are more like what style. No matter. I just got back from riding mine through some 8" deep dust and gravel. Can't do that with the Guzzis. They're reserved for actually getting somewhere. The Ural is for putzing around. Let's see, the Guzzi is a modern classic (pushrods, etc). The Ural is a modern copy of an antique (1938 BMW) and a Harley Davidson is a modern antique.
mdude Posted January 23, 2006 Author Posted January 23, 2006 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. <_ src="%7B___base_url___%7D/uploads/emoticons/default_knownothing.gif" alt=":huh2:"> 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 74951[/snapback] good point, mr R. Hack. And some you other guys too. You almost won me over there....
Guzzirider Posted January 23, 2006 Posted January 23, 2006 I quite like the look of the military Ural combinations. In any case, I won't criticise anybody for what they ride- its their choice and good luck to them. Guy
mdude Posted January 23, 2006 Author Posted January 23, 2006 I quite like the look of the military Ural combinations. In any case, I won't criticise anybody for what they ride- its their choice and good luck to them. Guy 75475[/snapback] indeed. but it makes for a pretty good discussion...
Steve G. Posted January 23, 2006 Posted January 23, 2006 indeed. but it makes for a pretty good discussion... 75479[/snapback] Ah yes, there's quite a difference between criticising and having fun. You have to grow thicker skin sometimes when owning something that's not the norm. The price one has to pay for not being included in a flock of sheep!! Ciao, Steve G.
Guzzirider Posted January 23, 2006 Posted January 23, 2006 I agree a good bit of banter livens up the day! I have rhino skin because I ride a Harley too, and I get the piss taken out of me by my Guzzi riding friends on a very regular basis. Guy
Frenchbob Posted January 23, 2006 Posted January 23, 2006 The strange thing is that Urals, Dneiprs or whatever, were not the worst. Long ago, when Triumphs were Triumphs, men were men and trousers had flares for the first time ever, an English mate had a Russian 350 two-stroke single the name of which I have, happily, forgotten. Its single interesting feature was that, when kicked over, the engine would frequently misfire, spit back and then run backwards, and the first the unsuspecting pilot would know of it was when he let the clutch out and set off in reverse! By the way, we always referred to Urals as "Urinals", in the bad, old days. No offence intended, of course.
Murray Posted January 24, 2006 Posted January 24, 2006 The urinal term might not of orginated in Australia but the story goes that because the urals were designed to run in extremely cold climates the carbes and intakes were heated in some way to stop the fuel freezing. Bring it to a warmer climate and you have a recipe for vapour lock obiously, some hardy soul wandering back from a rallie in the dazed and confused state decied to cool them down by doing the buiness on them. Dunno sounds good to me.
Guest Nogbad Posted January 24, 2006 Posted January 24, 2006 The strange thing is that Urals, Dneiprs or whatever, were not the worst. Long ago, when Triumphs were Triumphs, men were men and trousers had flares for the first time ever, an English mate had a Russian 350 two-stroke single the name of which I have, happily, forgotten. Its single interesting feature was that, when kicked over, the engine would frequently misfire, spit back and then run backwards, and the first the unsuspecting pilot would know of it was when he let the clutch out and set off in reverse! 75517[/snapback] IZH Planeta
pete roper Posted January 24, 2006 Posted January 24, 2006 The strange thing is that Urals, Dneiprs or whatever, were not the worst. Long ago, when Triumphs were Triumphs, men were men and trousers had flares for the first time ever, an English mate had a Russian 350 two-stroke single the name of which I have, happily, forgotten. Its single interesting feature was that, when kicked over, the engine would frequently misfire, spit back and then run backwards, and the first the unsuspecting pilot would know of it was when he let the clutch out and set off in reverse! By the way, we always referred to Urals as "Urinals", in the bad, old days. No offence intended, of course. 75517[/snapback] Marketed here and in Western Europe as the 'Jupiter' I believe. Not even I, who have a perverse admiration for bizarre and horrible bits of shit, can really find anything nice to say about a Jupiter. They were in almost every way known to man, absolutely vile Pete
mike wilson Posted January 24, 2006 Posted January 24, 2006 Marketed here and in Western Europe as the 'Jupiter' I believe. Not even I, who have a perverse admiration for bizarre and horrible bits of shit, can really find anything nice to say about a Jupiter. They were in almost every way known to man, absolutely vile Pete 75578[/snapback] A badly maintained Bantam (or, indeed, almost any other piston ported two-stroke) would play the same trick. Soviet designs were OK. It was the execution of the design that caused the problems. m
callison Posted January 24, 2006 Posted January 24, 2006 A badly maintained Bantam (or, indeed, almost any other piston ported two-stroke) would play the same trick. Soviet designs were OK. It was the execution of the design that caused the problems. m 75609[/snapback] The Ural isn't even a Soviet design, they stole it from BMW. They didn't copy German quality though.
Guest Nogbad Posted January 24, 2006 Posted January 24, 2006 Marketed here and in Western Europe as the 'Jupiter' I believe. Not even I, who have a perverse admiration for bizarre and horrible bits of shit, can really find anything nice to say about a Jupiter. They were in almost every way known to man, absolutely vile Pete 75578[/snapback] Not quite. The Planeta was a 350 single. The Jupiter was a 350 parallel twin. The Jupiter is still made, now with water cooling, but you can't get one in the EU as 2 strokes are way out on emissions now. Planeta 350 single Watercooled modern Jupiter twin early Jupiter twin
docc Posted January 25, 2006 Posted January 25, 2006 Is the Jupiter what McGregor bought for his cameraman in Russia on LWR?
mike wilson Posted January 25, 2006 Posted January 25, 2006 Is the Jupiter what McGregor bought for his cameraman in Russia on LWR? 75740[/snapback] I think that was a single. It was in either Siberia or Mongolia, can't remember which. Neither of them are Russia.... 8-)))
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