HORIZONTAL - Cossack Owners Club

Transcription

HORIZONTAL
VIEW
THE MAGAZINE OF THE COSSACK OWNERS CLUB
2006
Established in 1975 as the Ural Owners Club
www.cossaclownersclub.co.uk
Representing owners and enthusiasts of Russian, Ukrainian, Byelorussian & Latvian Mortorcycles and Sidecars
MX«URAL«KMX«DNEPR«RIGA«IZSHEVSK-PLANETA«JUPITER
VOSKHOD«VOSTOK«MINSK«COSSACK«NEVAL«UNRALMOTO
HORIZONTAL VIEW I Magazine of the Cossack Owners Club I Autumn 2006
WHO’S WHO
& EDITORIAL
YOUR OFFICIALS
Honorary Life President & Technical Advisor
Peter Ballard
9 Barn End, Marshfield
South Gloucester SN14 8PE
Tel: 01225 891 634
eMail: pjb.barnend@icdonline.co.uk
General Secretary
Tim Berry
9 Morely Close, Little Stoke
Bristol BS34 6SE
Tel: 01454 898 645
Treasurer
James Evans
27 Riverdale Close, Old Town, Swindon SN1 4ED
Tel: 01793 511 453
eMail: james.j.evans@bt.com
Membership Secretary
Nick Amor
63 The Avenue, Oalktree Park
St Leonards, Ringwood
Hampshire BH25 2RJ
Tel: 01202 872 161
Newsletter Editor
David Alexander
3 Drayton Green, Eaton Park
Stoke-on-Trent ST2 9NY
Tel: 01782 870 321
eMail: Wooster@ntlworld.com
Regalia Secretary
Dave Cox
Tanglewood, Romsey Road
Whiteparish, Wiltshire SP5 2SD
Tel: 01794 884 492
eMail: dave@russianmotorcycles.co.uk
Rally Co-ordinator
Cliff Russell
23 Arren Street, Bala
Gwynedd LL23 7SP
Tel: 01678 520 277
Magazine Editorial Team
Peter Ballard, Mike Stevens & Annemarie
Seager - all correspondence to Peter Ballard
When phoning your officials, please phone
before 9pm and avoid mealtimes etc.
PAGE I EDITORIAL
P J Ballard
I have taken the opportunity to include
in this issue a significant number
of photos extracted from the www,
from my collection and from other
documentary sources. I have thus
added some explanations to help. This
A4 format and full colour encourages
this type of content. We also have a
few articles from members, which is
always good to see and also from the
European importer. We try to process
images in such a way as to give
good reproduction in this magazine.
Sometimes quality is poor but if we
think the photo is worth it we will still
print. We are getting a lot more input in
digital format, both photos and text, but
we will accept anything.
The COC bought me a new PC this
year, this has helped me so much! I
can process the input so much quicker
– thank you all. Gives me more time to
play with my bikes, I wish!
Just a reminder as to how we put this
magazine ‘Horizontal View’ together.
Besides what I gather, you lot write
the articles and take the photos,
these are then sent to me in paper or
digital format. I then sort these and
might edit contributions, but only if
required typically to add explanations.
For instance if an owner writes in
complaining about poor brakes on a
MT9 I would wish to add a few words
to differentiate between poor condition
and poor design. I then pass this edited
content on to Annemarie who designs
and produces the magazine, adjusting
all the images (colour / contrast / size)
as necessary.
So what do I do when I am not working
on or riding my Urals, Dneprs or
Ishevsks, answering technical enquiries,
editing this magazine. I work as a
professional engineer for Horstman
Defence Systems Ltd, we design
and manufacture hydropneumatic
suspension systems for military vehicles
Armoured Personnel Carriers to MBTs
Main Battle Tanks. I look after product
development, thus I get involved in
component testing, vehicle trials and
developing new suspension concepts.
I live in a little Cotswold village just
eight miles from Bath where I work.
I don’t really like commuting on
motorcycles since I know how sleepy
the other car commuters are in the
morning and how much in a rush they
are on their way home. I have survived
so far and lost far too many friends; so
I try to minimise the risks so that I can
ride another day.
I have six motorcycles; a 1951 IMZ M72
(with the later KMZ short leading link
front forks), a 1971 Ural M63 (much
tuned & lightened), a 1976 Dnepr
MT12 (very original but up to MB750
spec with differential lock) and a 1975
Ishevsk Planeta Sport (very original)
and also a Kawasaki KLR650 green lane
outfit (very quick!) and a Honda TLR200
(very light at 93kg) 4 stroke trials bike
also for green laning. I try to keep at
least two bikes on the road at any one
time, but it takes time and space. I need
more space, a barn would be nice!
Due to work and family commitments it
is difficult to get to as many COC rallies
as I used to, last year was tough! I hope
to do better this year, at least ‘the Three
Magpies’ is only a few miles from where
I live!
We hope you enjoy this magazine also
let others look through it.
CONTENTS
CONTENTS
WHEN I WERE A
LAD
Members - Your News Your Views...........................................................4
Bob’s Bikes - Bob Linnell.....................................................................................4
Dave’s Ural - Dave Goodacre ..............................................................................5
ISH ATV & tracked ...............................................................................................6
The Wolf Man - James ‘Fonda’ Evans . ................................................................6
A Dnepr Find and REVIVAL - Phil Brown . ............................................................7
Terror Reduction - John Crags . ...........................................................................8
Tour of Russia - Vlad Turaev ................................................................................8
Russian Experience - Paul Newman ..................................................................10
Restored Minsk - Peter Ballard . .......................................................................11
ROVING REPORTER - MIKE STEVENS ...........................................................12
Vlad’s Bikes, New Russian Bike Factory, Russian Websites - Mike Stevens . .....12
Rick Rides to Riga - Rick Spratt ........................................................................15
Orpi Moroccon Rally 2005 - Hari Schwaighofer .................................................16
Ural Motorcycles GMBH - Hari Schwaighofer ....................................................21
2-Stroke Rally Down Under - Rod Knight ..........................................................22
A Sidecar Convert - Thirty Years in the Making - Steve Lyons ...........................25
EU Powered 2-wheel Accident Study - Peter Ballard . .......................................26
Technical & Troubleshooting ..............................................................................30
Altered Valve Timing Ural M63 1970 - Rod Knight .............................................30
Torque Sense - Peter Ballard .............................................................................32
Sidecar Suspension Height Adjustment / Single Carbs - Peter Ballard ..............33
Front Rear Drive Ural / KMZ Front Brakes / Timing Belt - Peter Ballard .............34
M72 Plate Heads / Twin Wheel Drive - Peter Ballard . .......................................35
Powering the Zimbabwean Queen - Alan Summerhill ........................................36
Living with K301s and Other Things - Phil Harcastle .........................................37
COSSACK BIKING NEWS ................................................................................38
Racing & Estern Block Bikes - Peter Ballard ......................................................38
Soviet Flat Twin Road Racing - Peter Ballard . ..................................................39
Ice Racing - Peter Ballard . ...............................................................................40
Off Road Motorcycle Sport - Peter Ballard .......................................................41
Popham 2006 - Peter Ballard ............................................................................42
Urals Round the World - Peter Ballard ...............................................................43
Know Your Bikes - Peter Ballard . .....................................................................44
Soviet M31 & East German AWO / EMW - Peter Ballard ...................................46
Ural M73 - - Peter Ballard . ...............................................................................48
COC Regalia - David Cox ...........................................................................49
Commuting on Russian Roads ..........................................................................52
PHOTOGRAPHS - from the top
PMZ 750
Mozharov - Designed PMZ 750
BMW R11 with Soviet Plate
ISH 750
PAGE I HORIZONTAL VIEW I Magazine of the Cossack Owners Club I Autumn 2006
MEMBERS - YOUR
VIEWS YOUR NEWS
BOB’S BIKES
Bob Linnell
When I bought a second hand Ural
Dalesman Outfit in 2003 I decided to
join the COC. I find your magazine quite
interesting. So far I have only been
to three rallies. Twice to the Popham
Sidecar Rally and to Penhafodlas in
2005. That was mid blowing, the
location is out of this world. It was a
shame I didn’t have more time as I
would have liked to look around more
and do some mountain walking, but
there is this year’s rally coming up.
I bought the Ural as a run around town
job. I’ve done a few camping trips to
the south coast and then decided to
go to Cornwall on it. Was a bit slow
but proved reliable. Got to like it more
now and I have got used to driving at
55mph. (ED - try getting into 4th and
opening the throttle! My old MT9 once
fettled would cruise as an outfit at 65
to 70mph) One thing I do like about it
is the vast quantity of junk that can be
carried about in the sidecar (ED - hence
the 55 mph, I understand now!), unlike
my other outfit. I have no hesitation
taking it anywhere now and hope to
do the Dent Rally this year. From your
magazines I notice there is a lot of
mention about fitting BMW engines in
Urals (ED and Dneprs). I have already
done this more than 20 years ago.
In 1983 I bought a red Dnepr for £100.
It ran fine, I went to Cornwall on it
PAGE I once, I thought it was dreadfully slow. It
had about the same performance as a
BSA A10 outfit (ED same power, same
weight?). It also had terrible 6v electrics
and brakes that either didn’t work or
locked up solid with the lightest touch
and the sidecar was on the wrong side.
Could never feel relaxed with the right
hand chair, so after a couple of years
changed it for a left hand one.
I had a Reliant axle with wide wheels. I
built this and had a few more years on it
before selling it. Never did find out what
happened to it, but I’m going to build
another one out of a Soviet Knight that I
have in the back garden.
In those days all I wanted to do was to
go as fast as possible, but I think now
that getting there on Ural power is more
class and also more of a challenge as
I purchased a BMW R100/7 of about
1978 vintage. BMWs have been poor
bikes for fitting sidecars to since the
1960s - I used just about everything
except the frame. From the Dnepr frame
I cut out the swinging arm supports
and fabricated my own to suit the BMW
swinging arm. Alignment was a bit of a
shot in the dark, by eye. It went well for
about 4 or 5 years. It would cruise at 89
to 90mph (ED German autobahns again
uh?) no problem and it stopped as well.
You could see where you were going
in the dark, shame about losing the
reverse gear. Eventually the bearings in
the bevel drive disintegrated and I had
been meaning to build a trike anyway,
do not know if you are going to get
there or not.
I am in the process of fitting a twin disc
front wheel to my Ural, I’ll update the
members when its done. Here are some
pictures of the Dnepr in its various
forms.
DAVE’S URAL
Dave Goodacre
My M66 was acquired in 2002 in a sorry
state. Deep thought and several cups
of tea led to drastic action and eventual
rebuild as a military/utility custom. A
rigid rear end and 2 into1 exhaust gave
a considerable weight reduction and
combines nicely with a high solo ratio
bevel. Extensive top end rebuilding was
finished off with a pair of Mikuni 28mm
flatslides and the electrickery benefited
from a new dynamo with a 12v
regulator and 35w halogen headlight
(PJB ED – with the12v conversion you
can run a 60/55 watt head lamp bulb)
THE COC MOTORCYCLE DISPLAY
TEAM GO DOWN TO THE COTWOLDS
Back in the good old days of the 1980s
we got 12 people on a Dnieper MT9
outfit, I think this was down on the
Broadway (Cotswolds) rally.
Gavin, the bike’s owner, suffered on the
return journey – the rims had deflected
so much under the load that the spokes
had pushed through the rim and rubbed
on the tube causing punctures on two
wheels on the way home!
Keep your day jobs boys! We’ll be in
touch....maybe!
The dented Dneiper tank fitted was
ousted by a shapely early BSA twin
item and the whole bike pained in
suitably subdued green.
The resulting one-off has proved rugged
and dependable, from touring Wales
to foul weather commuting. Lately a 2
leading shoe has been fitted to combat
the maddness of town traffic but mainly
the bike (Christened ‘Boris’) sees fair
weather exercise exploring the back
roads and by-ways or rural Derbyshire
and direct feel to the back end gives
a vintage motorcycling enjoyment that
equals any of the ancient Britbikes I
have owned.
Dragons & Cossacks by Byronski
Back from the Dragon, the rain is descending.
Hell, it feels like this road’s never ending.
The engine it growls like a hungry bear.
How I wish I was nearly there.
Steamed up visor, I can’t see a lot.
Every year I lose the plot.
Russian rubber on tarmac, a continuous hum.
Services soon, to ease my sore bum.
The rain it saturates every bit
This bike handles like a bucket of s_ _ t.
Chester Services, these AutoRoute planners.
The engine now sounds like a bucket of spanners.
Up the slip-road for a hot Burger King.
Big cloud of smoke - I’ve dropped a ring.
Out with the sockets and off with the head.
No use, the bugger’s totally dead.
Out with the phone and ring the AA.
Two hours wait, it’s always the way!
Cossack’s loaded on the back of the truck.
LIFE IS STRANGE
I’d like to see a parking attendant slap a
ticket on this!
What does the Deputy Chairman of
the Russia Parliament do when he’s
not fighting in Parliament, or drunkenly
calling George Bush a “f***ing* cowboy”!
He poses on the bonnet of the latest
Ural truck of course.
ISH ATV & TRACKED
P J Ballard
There is obviously a great need to get around in Russia over bad roads and cross
country. ISH produce various ATVs using motorcycle engines.
The top photograph shows the ISH ATV and uses the Planeta Sport 340cc two
stroke motor that produces in this installation 32bhp at 6,700rpm. The unladen
eight is 280kg. Hardly the thing for plonking gently through the forests in search of
timid deer!
The ATV is 4x4, with disc brakes on both front wheels. As you can see there is also
a belt driven alternator up front. The belt comes off the LHS of the crankcase and
drives the remotely mounted alternator, presumably required with the two head
lamps. You can also see what looks to be a temperature sensor in the fins of the
cylinder head, to feed the display on the instrument panel.
The left foot kick start is still utilised, keeps you warm on a cold winter’s morning!
The bottom photograph is the tracked ISH and looks to be either a prototype or a
very good special. The tracks probably use parts from the snowmobiles that are so
popular in a country of winter snows. Presumably the machine is steered by skid
turning - should be fun.
This will be available at your local Garden Centre or B&Q soon - ideal for chewing
up suburban manicured lawns and joining the 4 x 4s at Tesco’s car park.
THE WOLF MAN
Played by James ‘Fonda’ Evans
Well ‘ard
Custom Strumpet ~
Born to be Flatulent
A DNEPR FIND AND REVIVAL
Phil Brown
I’ve only been a club member for a few
months so far but I reckon it’s time I
sent something for inclusion
(hopefully) in the magazine. Maybe
some of the other readers would
enjoy/endure a brief account of my first
encounter with a large piece of Russian
[actually Ukrainian, but we’ll let you off!
– Ed] machinery. I was also wondering
whether it was possible to find some
history of the machine through the
membership as my attempts to contact
the listed previous owners shown on
the VS drew no response.
HERE THEN IS THE STORY...
SO FAR
Way Back In The Mists Of Time,
Well Last November Anyway, While
Browsing In A Local Bike Breakers’
Barn I Spotted Three Separate Large
Heaps Of Corroded Metals, Rubber And
Traces Of Paint In The Vague Shape
Of A Motorcycle And Small Boat, On A
Little Trailer Tucked Away In A Corner.
As The Previous Restoration Had Been
Moved On Quicker Than Planned,
There Was Room In The Garage For
The Next Job. I Mooched Around The
Cobweb Covered Things For A Bit And
Finally Worked Out What They Were,
Something Less Run-of The-mill For
Sure. I Dragged The Project Financier
And Fellow Fettler, Dad, Down To
Look At The Stuff And After A Period
Of Umming And Ahhing, The Former
Combo Rider Was Persuaded That It
Should Become The Next Challenge. As
The Song Says, ‘I Get By With A Little
Help From My Friends’.
SEVERAL HERNIAS LATER
But several hernias and aching muscles
later as the MT 11 stood on our bench
I think the friendship was almost as
strained as their backs. I had no clear
answer to the questions about picking
that particularly shabby item, there was
just something about it y’know ?
We knew as much about Russian bikes
as the White Star Line did about
icebergs and it’s been a similar
learning experience. Can’t help
thinking the Dnepr would have survived
the collision better than the Titanic did
too. Once the strip-down was underway
we were amazed by the amount of
metal used in even the smallest of
parts. It must weigh twice that of a
`normal’ bike, no offence intended to all
you long term owners out there!
THIS HEAP OF METAL ACTUALLY
FIRED UP
To its’ credit it did actually fire up okay
though you can understand that it didn’t
exactly run too well in that condition.
With more than a little trepidation I
realised I’d have to fettle a pair of carbs
about which again, I knew nowt at all.
I farmed out the painting of the tank
to a mate at work but tackled the rest
myself. Confession time. The
mudguards do rather resemble
corduroy in parts yet are somehow in
keeping with the rustic nature of the
beast, so won’t be getting done again.
Most of the frame was done by the owd
feller, but before painting I filled around
some of the welds and joints. This may
all be very familiar to many of you but
every stage of the job brought new and
often unusual things to us.
THE ELECTRICS - WERE THEY
MEANT TO BE LIKE THAT?
realised that although it’s a nearside
chassis, the tub is clearly an offsider,
perhaps in’89 they all were. I’m hoping
to get the whole plot legal and
roadworthy before what is laughingly
known as this summer is over and no
later than mid August. All that remains
then is to practice driving the thing... a
lot. Reverse it, who me ?
IT WAS JUST TOO SCARY EVEN
COMPARED TO TIGHTROPE
WALKING OVER NIAGARA
In almost thirty years biking I’ve never
ridden a combo so it should prove
interesting.
I tried riding the Dnepr solo but it
was just too scary even compared to
tightrope walking over Niagara. As a
new boy to the field of these amazing
machines I’m looking forward to
showing the thing off around a few
places where they’re so seldom seen
and I know it’ll turn some heads, as well
as my passengers’ stomachs. Anyone
with any useful riding or maintenance
tips out there please feel free to impart
your knowledge and if you see a large
black motorcycle and sidecar heading
your way in the Southport area don’t
wave, just jump out of the way, cheers.
The electrics, my God! were they meant
to be like this or was it all a bodge by a
previous owner ?
The wheels took a great many of
fathers’ hours to sort and while not
exactly concourse are also in keeping
like the mudguards. We fitted slightly
larger than original Avon S&Ms (ooer)
and they certainly weren’t cheap
alternatives either. I also noticed that
when I rode around the block to test
the brakes, they didn’t seem to flatten
even at only l2psi. No officer I won’t do
it again, honest.
With the bike now 99% done and
barking out through a pair of replica
BSA A10 silencers, work is well on
with the chassis and tub. However, it
wasn’t until we started on them that we
TERROR REDUCTION
John Craggs
I am one of the – so far – ‘silent’
members. I got hold of a slightly bent
but otherwise reasonable 1990 Dnieper
just before Christmas, planning on a
fairly quick rebuild, and was promptly
struck down with an illness for a few
months. Never mind, I fully expect to
be able to attend a few rallies etc next
year. In the mean time, the following
may be suitable for ‘Horizontal View’.
I thoroughly enjoyed the ‘towing tale’ in
the June/July issue, but for those who
wish to reduce the amount of stark
terror the following may be helpful:
}
Pass end of rope once around the
inner fork leg/shroud above the
mudguard. You may need to rethink
this a little if you have ludicrously
high mounted mudguards, but
there’s enough room on a Dnepr.
}
Run spare 2 feet (approx) up the
back of the fork leg and behind the
left handle bar and back over the
front. Wind a loose spiral, one turn
only out along the bar to the grip.
}
Voila! You don’t tie it on at all. You
hold the loose end against the
grip with your hand. After all, you
won’t be needing your fingers for
the clutch, even though instinct will
make them twitch.
Towing an outfit (like piloting one of
those wonderful beasts) is something of
a ‘dark art’.
Obviously you have no say in the
location of the towing point on the other
vehicle, but the whole business can
be manageable by taking the following
steps.
}
Secure rope firmly to the towing
vehicle and allow plenty of slack for
setting up.
BENEFITS OF THIS METHOD
}
So much safer than being tied
permanently to the other vehicle.
If you need to let go, the rope
will snake free. But just holding it
against the grip will lock it quite
solidly under tension around the
fork and bars.
TOUR OF RUSSIA
Vlad Turaev to John Denny
Many thanks for the magazines and especially for the letter. My life has changed
again; now I go to live in Russia, but in a half year I shall come back to Ukraine
with my wife and children.
My wife Inna is pregnant and we await the birth of a son in April. She can’t go to
Ukraine now and I go to Russia for some time.
I leave my business, but work in my garage business proceeds. My friends Vlad and
Alex work there.
I have made a big circular tour across Russia before last year. It was a
magnificant travel! I have passes 11,000 km through Donetsk, Rostov on Don,
Stavropol, Elista, Astrakhan, Volgograd, Saratov, Samara, Tolyatti, Ufa, Zlatoust (my
native city), Chelyabinsk, Ekaterinburg (Formerly Sverdlovsk), Nizhni Tagil, Irbit.
This city was a rotary point of my travel and I have gone a long way back though
Revda, Chaikovsky, Izhevsk, Naberezhnye, Chelny, Kazan, Cheboksary, Nizhni
Novgorod, Ivanovo, Yaroslavl, Vologda - this city too became a rotary point and I
have gone to Moscow, Stary Oskol and I have come back home. Travels lasted one
and a half months.
PAGE I }
As the towing vehicle will be pulling
on the bike rather than the chair the
handling characteristics power on,
will be similar to those your instinct
expect.
}
Why not just tie the rope in the
middle of the bars? Because
the anchor point on most towing
vehicles will be lower and the angle
of leverage will do interesting things
to the handling.
MAY I SUGGEST YOU TRY IT
BEFORE YOU NEED IT?
ED - This is sound advice; it is indeed
very dangerous to have the tow rope
tied to your bike or outfit. The driver or
rider of the towing vehicle will always
seem to go faster than you want, they
have engine braking and their brakes,
you just have your brakes!
List of Photographs
From previous page starting at the top
}
}
}
}
}
}
His friend Vlad and Alex working at
his garage
Vlad’s garage business
His native home
Alex at the garage
Before the start of the trip
Forest road of Zlatoust
Ukraine
500 miles
Russia
RUSSIAN EXPERIENCE
Paul Newman
Some 19 years ago whilst an active
member of the Guildford Motorcycle
Club I meet a very interesting man
called Terry Dobney. Now Terry was the
sort of man that had been everywhere
and done most things you could do
on a bike including some epic trips on
Urals. He had been a technical advisor
to Neval to try and help the factory
improve quality and was currently riding
a 1973 M63 military outfit in a
horrid blue colour. After several months
of listening to his fantastic stories he
offered to let me buy the bike for £250
With borrowed money the deal was done.
Estate – aghh and always regretted it.
A few years passed and I bought a
brand new Dnepr MT11 from Neval
in black. Despite of all the stories I
received excellent service from Neval
(Alan and Olga) and also from the bike.
I had it eight years and again it never
missed a beat and even the crank
stayed in one piece – a novelty I hear
from many owners. I sold the bike to
a friend and I replaced it with brand
new Ural Gear-Up from Uralmoto. That
spring both my old Dnepr and new Ural
went to the first Mad Hatters Rally run
by F2’s Dave and Lizzi Angel, with help
worn out at 10,000km and the
alternator was on the way out – again.
MORE PROBLEMS
So after a couple of years of endless
problems I gave up and sold the bike , I
know there is no logical reason to want
a twin wheel drive outfit on the road but
there’s just something about them and
that’s not even getting into the very
boring legal issues. The main problem
was that my bike had its PDI done by
the importer rather than an expert like
Dave Angel at F2. Most of my problems
would have been eliminated if the bike
had been prepared properly.
You live and learn so I bought another
new Ural but this time from F2 only
a week or so ago and I’m striving to
run it in before this years Mad Hatters
Rally. This time it is a single wheel
drive Dalesman with all the bits off a
Gear-Up eg jerry can, spade, spotlight,
gun mount etc. The phrase chalk and
cheese spring to mind and the bike
is fantastic and is a tribute to Dave’s
knowledge and time taken to prepare
each bike. As I prepare to enter my third
decade with Russian bike I wonder
what strange events the future holds
there is never a dull moment with
these bikes.
HAPPINESS & GRIEF
And that’s it, simple really but that
simple deed got me hooked on Russian
bikes and has had the result of bringing
me much happiness and much grief – a
typical story I suspect! I used the bike
as daily transport to get myself and my
equipment to college and back, a return
journey of nearly 30 miles. The bike
performed very well never letting me
done except for the famous clutch
screw in the casings scenario. I battled
through snow for weeks and strong
rain and although the engine miss-fired
it kept going. The next year I made a
swap with a friend’s Hillman Hunter
PAGE I 10
from Buffy the dog. What a great rally
that was; so many Russian bikes and
interesting people.
The bike was another story, I had had
a flywheel and electric starter strip the
teeth of each other, an electronic
ignition unit fail (The Dnepr’s point
lasted 8 years on one set!) and loads of
nuts and bolts falling off. This
culminated in the drive shaft to the
sidecar coming adrift at some speed
– very interesting I can tell you. The
bike made it to one l more MHR and
finally got very sick returning from the
Isle of Wight rally last year. One little
end had seized up and I think damaged
the con-rod. Also the timing gears were
RESTORED MINSK
P J Ballard
The little 125cc Minsk that is still made
in the capital of Belarus was derived
from the DKW RT125 of WWII, and
arrived in the USSR probably as war
reparations. The later Minsks lost a
lot of their character, but the early
ones have an attractive appearance,
functional yet attractive in a Soviet
sort of way.
The ones I worked on in SATRA that
were sold as ‘Cossack 125M’ in the
1970s were OK. However when, not if,
the fork seals failed the oil ran down the
fork legs into the brake, not clever, but
the engines were unburstable.
Remember the racing MZ125 of the
1960’s was also derived from the
DKW; it was the first engine to achieve
200bhp per litre, and Barry Sheene’s
Suzuki square four 500cc, achieved
100bhp and was developed by a
defector from MZ!
This well restored and usable example appeared featured in MOTO and I like it.
Now where will the sidecar bolt on, mmmmmmmmm?
MEMBERS’ CONTRIBUTIONS
P J Ballard
We are pleased to have contributions from 4 members this issue, we do apologise
to the authors for any delay in printing these.
We always welcome input from you out there, whether it is:
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Rally reports, home and abroad (IoW?)
Photos of your; trips, bikes, adventures, family, broken piston etc
Modification suggestions.
Road tests of your new bike
Snippets of history
People have fascinating suppositions about how the Russians managed to get
copies of the bike designs, none of them true, but very appealing never the less.
One man described how his Grandad had joined some Russian soldiers riding
BMWs back from the frontline in WWII and this is how the Russians got the bike
designs. So we have the British Army to thank for the Ural and the Cossack Owners
Club - I wonder if they know! Pity their current equipment isn’t as reliable.
We can process most stuff – we like challenges.
Send in photos as: conventional prints or digital images. If you use a digital camera
use the highest resolution you can and get CLOSE UP – either see the ‘whites of
their eyes’ or the type of spark plug fitted.
If you scan a photograph go for at least 150 dpi. But better 300. Then send on a CD
or disk. Send in text on CD or disk, or if not, on paper as printed text. Failing that in
good GCSE hand writing.
I look forward to the deluge!
PAGE I 11
OUR ROVING REPORTER - MIKE THE BIKE
Mike Stevens
Vlad’s BIKES from
Pavlograd
This is rather disappointing news as it
does give a comprehensive picture of
the former USSA range of machines.
The ATV [Raketa 1] and the scooter are
produced at the Raketa Motorcycle
Plant in Dnepropetrovsk. The plant
makes other motorcycles and scooters
as well but Vlad says that they are too
expensive for most people to buy.
Julian (of the USSR Unloved Soviet
Socialist Register) went to the Moscow
Motor Show and while he was there
visited the owners of the Mcasta web
site. Apparently it is no longer updated
which proably accounts for some of the
entries. It will be left on line however so
long as it receives hits.
This nice red machine was once a
MT16, but has been derated to MT11
with the loss of the sidecar and sidecar
wheel drive. ED – this happened a lot
due to early demise of the
differentials, Nevals also converted
MT16s into MT11s and sold the sidecar
wheel drive bits, I know as I bought
one of the sidecars off a MT16 that was
being derated.
The action shot [modern Ukrainian MX]
is of a Ukrainian motocross stadium.
Also are pictures from Vlad in the
Ukraine. [vlad’s ural hamster], this has
a lot of neat screen and huge secure
luggage carrying equipment on it.
Vlad’s business is motorcycle repairs
and maintenance.
The Jupiter is an interesting mix with
its flared mudguard, coiled rear shocks,
late model silencer and engine unit.
PAGE I 12
Also is a MT12 that has been converted
into what is I suppose a MT11 since it
now has an alternator and not the
dynamo as on the MT12. MT12 is 750cc
sidevalve and MT11 is 650cc OHV.
Yuri has fitted an oil cooler out of
cooled tube, painted silver in this
picture, a useful addition for an outfit
or on a hot day, looks neat.
EAST EUROPEAN 2004
List of Photographs - from previous column starting at top
} His f
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} For
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NEW RUSSIAN MOTORCYCLE
FACTORY
A new Russo – Chinese venture is to
start producing a full range of
motorcycles, scooters and quads at
Kalliningrad.
The governor of the region Vladimir
Yegorov visited the site in April. It is a
large-scale operation planning by the
end of 2004 to be producing 10,000
units per annum.
The Baltmotors Group is part of the
Chinese Qingqi Corporation who
manufacture some 2 million motor
vehicles every year. (No shortage of
money here then, they mean business.)
Suzuki, Yamaha and Hondas, produced
under licence.
Baltmotors plan to be the leading
motorcycle manufacturer in Russia with
models ranging from 500 to 2500 USD.
At these prices it will be interesting to
see what is available, I suspect only
small capacity machines, but at the
moment there are no details of the
model ranges.
It seems that the struggling domestic
manufacturers will have even more
problems surviving.
The models planned are based on
PAGE I 13
OUR ROVING REPORTER - MIKE THE BIKE
Mike Stevens
Russian Motorcycle
Websites
I read with interest Dave`s article in HN
Dec 2003 on V.A.Degtyarev the
Russian conglomerate with an interest
in motorcycles. This is non other than
the manufacturer of the famous
Voskhod; in fact the ZID 200 is the
latest incarnation. The V.A.Degtyarev
web site does not make this clear.
For anyone that is interested in
looking at pictures of most current
Russian motorcycles, see:
www. mcasta.ru/eng/motorcycle/html
it covers most models and gives you a
pretty good idea of the machines
manufactured in the former Soviet
Union. However some of those
manufacturers are no longer in
existence, but I will return to this
subject later
If you look at the mcasta site, you will
see the Voskhod 3M-01 listed. Those
familiar with the early Voskhod 2`s will
see striking similarities. Although
re-styled to give more of a trendy triallie
image the tank, side panels and carrier
are all very much ‘a la Voskhod 2’. The
engine however does look different;
more MZ in appearance.
Comparing the major manufacturers
IMZ, IZH and ZID they all seem to be
following the same trend with a basic
motorcycle, then variations on that
Russian roads in WW2 ~
A German Dispach rider on a R1 }
An M72 in Red Square }}
PAGE I 14
theme with three and four wheel
derivatives, even IMZ offer a ‘Tryzikl’.
I fear they are all trying to squeeze the
last drop out of shrinking markets now
that Mother Russia is finally opening
her doors.
IMZ are probably in a better position
than the others are with their American
interests. IZH soldier on with their two
strokes and one ‘Yunker’ – chopper
offered with a Suzuki 4 stroke engine if
requested – the web site does not state
which engine though.
They also have their small arms and car
interests i.e. old VAZ and even older
Moskvich, models for the Russians.
The only really modern looking
motorcycle, (although not plastic rocket
style or size), is the little ZID Frant
listed with a 125cc four stroke engine
of I know not, what origin. I very much
doubt that it is an original Russian
design, more likely an import – now
there is a project, I wonder what it is?
The mcasta site also lists RMZ, the Riga
Motor Works, of some dubious interest
to those who remember Cossack days
and the ubiquitous Riga moped – yes
there`s even a picture of it folks. Fear
not - it will never grace our roads again
– indeed if it ever did in the first place,.
I am fairly reliably informed that RMZ is
no more, the site is occupied by a
supermarket. I actually saw one of
these in an old Cossack dealers
premises in Manchester about 5 years
ago, it had been there for about 20
years and was still unsold.
The Tula range is interesting, even more
so if you look up:
http://digilander.libero.it/cuoccimi it
gives a history but you have to play
with the site to find the English version.
A ‘Krasny Oktober’ range of mopeds is
listed; there is even a cycle motor, the
ZIF20.
For really old stuff look at:
www.autogallery.org.ru
and click on the motorcycle section, if
you are interested look on the cars
section, there is a picture of Stalin
taking delivery of his new ZIS in the
1930`s.
I have to confess to not particularly
enjoying ploughing through web sites
looking for things, if I don`t find what I
want fairly quickly I tend to get bored
and give up after about 20 minutes.
You’re amazing Mike, I give up after
about 20 seconds - Annemarie!
However, these sites are relatively easy
to locate and are well worth a look.
There are many more but the ones I
have mentioned will give you a good
illustrations of Russian motorcycles
past and present.
RICK RIDES TO RIGA
RIck Spratt
I just thought I`d write a few lines to the club following my recent trip to Latvia and
of particular interest the Riga motor museum. For those who don`t already know
the Riga museum is the only motor museum in the former Soviet union (ED – there
are others in Russia). As a result they were able to collect all the interesting bikes
and cars that no one else wanted. These include a large collection from the Kremlin
garages when they were having a clear out. There are several Soviet president’s Zil
limos.
These include Stalin’s bullet proof Zil 115 and a wax model of Khrushchev stands
besides his 1965 Zil. Brezhnev had a Rolls Royce in his collection which was a
present from Richard Nixon. This was involved in a crash with a truck, from which
he escaped unharmed. The car is on display unrestored.
As a result of war booty there are several German cars, including Herman Gorings
Horch limo. A 1937 Packard belonging to King Carol of Rumania is another trophy
car on show. For me the best one is an Auto Union racing car of the 1930`s,
the rear-engined car that cleaned up in the grand prix before the war. This was
saved from the cutting torch in the 1970`s, after the Russians had copied all the
technology. I don`t know what they did with the technology, my Ladas never went
like a racing car!!!. Talking of Ladas there are several models as well as
Moskich etc.
But the real interest to us is the collection of Eastern bloc motorcycles, a mecca!
There are several wartime combinations including Zundapp, BMW`s and that thing
that is half bike, half tiger tank, the NSU HK 101. There are several Ural / Dneiper
combos, some military, and even some racing versions. There are several Jawas,
but at the moment they are stored behind some furniture so it’s a bit difficult to see
them. The exception to this is an immaculate Jawa 350 1960-ish with sidecar and
matching trailer .
Another bike that I thought would be fun was a Ural fitted with outrigger skis, so
you couldn’t drop it in the snow.
Unfortunately the two ladies I was with didn’t share my fascination with all things
Eastern, so my visit was far to short. Far too long for them I suspect - Annemarie!
PAGE I 15
URAL GESPANN IN THE RALLY ORPI MOROCCO 2005
Hari Schwaighofer - Ural Motorcycles [ Driver - Hari / Crew - Claus / Machine - IMZ Ural 750 SWD
On the first day, we start with good
spirits on the first connection stage,
and we are glad that the road
corresponds with the Roadbook.
Obviously we don’t know how to read
a Roadbook but we did have a good
teacher the evening before, Carlo de
Gavardo, the 450-er Cross Country
Rally World Champion on a KTM.
Carlos, a star in his home country,
Chile, is the most sympathetic and
sociable type out of the entire field of
the drivers. Every evening he gave us
valuable tips on how to survive the next
day’s stage.
THE CONDITION OF THE ROAD
IS INSANE
After the first connection stage, under
the jubilation of the journalists and
officials, and in photo-op position,
we start with full throttle in the real
event, the first special stage. We come
back to our senses at once and drive
at walking speed, still in sight of the
onlookers’. The condition of the road
is insane and not driveable, with rough
horrible stones, a trek that mocks any
description of a road. Unfortunately, it
doesn’t get better the entire day.
The official bulletin states that the first
special stage is the shortest one with
62 km (39 miles) and an ideal warm up
with slightly sandy passages along the
Atlantic Coast to the South. Light sandy
passages are a real pleasure after the
steady gravel stretch. Finally, the never
ending shaking, pushing, and tearing on
the handle bar stops for a while, but as
soon as the sand gets a little bit deeper,
it’s the end of the fun. The sand slows
the sidecar rig right away forcing me
to shift down into first gear. With high
rpm’s the rear wheel digs into the sand.
Claus and I have to jump down, and
we push and push and push. Luckily,
the sand stages are short, and we get
between them on solid ground where
the tires find some grip.
It takes us one hour for the first 20 km
(12 miles) of the first special stage. I try
to calculate in my head how long it will
take for today’s destination. Another
PAGE I 16
42 km (26 miles) special stage, then 68 km (42 miles) connection stage on asphalt,
then again 180 km (112 miles) special stage and on the end, a 56 km (35 miles)
connection stage, in total today 409 km (256 miles). With the laughable average
speed we are doing, we would have to hurry up to arrive at today’s destination
before the next day’s start time.
We arrive in the first
the limit is 50 km’.
GPS records our
the speed limit,
Laughable, if ever
km/h today on this
50
township,the Roadbook warned, ‘Don’t speed,
There are secret radar speed controls, the
speed, there are very high fines if we exceed
and possibly disqualification from the rally.
we would be able to reach a speed of 50
appalling stretch of road, or track.
The Roadbook shows a dangerous situation: End of a township (and the speed
limit) in capital letters it shows “SABLE SAND.” The evening before, Claus marked
it with a red shiny marker so we wouldn’t miss this passage. A small arrow left
upwards means steep grade, and last, but not least, a PH in a circle means
photographers are waiting for prey. We take a run at the mountain. The Ural looses
power and we are stuck in the sand. We both push, and I give rpm’s to the clutch,
but it doesn’t reach the rear wheel. From all sides, boys from the village come
running with more than 30 hands in all. We somehow bring the Gespann halfway
up the mountain. The clutch stinks and smokes so bad that I shut off the engine to
let it rest. It then comes to mind that the rules do not allow us to get help from the
native people under any circumstances, as it could result in disqualification. A hot
flash runs down my back because I also remember what Carlo de Gavardo said the
evening before, “You have to be extremely careful because after one hour, the race
cars will come from behind, and they are very serious about the race. To them, you
and your Ural are big obstacles.”
THE JOURNALISTS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD ARE LAUGHING
Here we are, more then an hour en route, hanging in the sand in the middle of a
steep hill, which also is a bottleneck. We must move out of their way right away
and let all the rally cars pass without hindering them. Far away, I already see dust
out in the plain, followed by a helicopter. These must be Schlesser, Peterhansl,
Kleinschmitt, Roma, and others, with their HP-Rally monsters. In my mind, I already
see the news on the Eurosport-TV: After 20 km (12 miles), the race was interrupted
because of two delinquent Austrians with an Ural rig who took place at the Morocco
Rally against all reasons, that they manoeuvred a Ural rig in a steep hill against
better knowledge and pitifully failed. Therefore, Schlesser, Peterhansl, Kleinschmitt,
Roma, and the others had their race interrupted and the race had to restart. I look
in front of me and still see 150 meters (166 yards) of the south hill we have to
master. On the upper edge, I can see the journalists from all over the world,
laughing down at us. It doesn’t help. We have to get up there. I start the engine.
I leave Claus at the handle bar and the throttle, and here he holds on better than by
pushing the rig. Besides, Claus is to blame for it if we kill the clutch. I stand in line
together with about 15 Moroccans behind the rig, and together we somehow
manage to get the rig over the edge.
Just in time. Covered in sweat, we are able to watch the rally cars dance over this
hill without any problem. The stars are waving nonchalantly out of their windows
leaving us in a cloud of dust. In this moment, I realize that we are totally out of
place in this Moroccan Rally. The racecars have a weight of 480 kg (1,056 pounds)
and 400 HP. Our Ural rig weighs, including driver and co-driver, 480 kg and has 40
HP!
PAGE I 17
Nevertheless, to the Moroccans here in this village, we are the stars. Curious and
excited, they touch our Ural and us. After the first 10 cars pass, we also keep on
going. Gratefully, we have gravel again. It is a lot more comfortable constantly
being hit by the handle bar than pushing in the deep sand. Somehow, we
manage to finish the first special stage. The officials at the finishing line of this
stage laugh and slap us on our shoulders. We pick up our first stamp in our
timetable. Of course, we are the last ones to reach this checkpoint. After us, they
take the point down. For the next 68 km (42 miles) of connection stage on asphalt,
we exchange tasks. Claus rests at the handle bar of the rig, and I take my place in
the sidecar. Claus thinks it’s easy to be on the handle bar in contrast to his job in
the sidecar. I think it’s a joke just to sit in the sidecar in contrast to the hard work
at the handle bar. We don’t speak a lot during this connection stage. Again, with
enough time to think about why we are doing what we are doing and that we don’t
have the answer. We can’t expect wisdom anyway.
BEFORE I EVEN TOUCH THE HANDLEBAR MY WRISTS HURT
We start the second special stage of 180 km (112 miles), and before I even touch
the handle bar, my wrists already hurt. It’s a killing stage, with 180 km of
uninterrupted pain. Of course, everything is possible to do with time. We are in
a race, and we can’t just drive along the way the Ural and we would like it. That
means we have to give up going easy, on people and machine, and accelerate so
the day ends. The technically difficult passage, like crossing the Queds with the
especially nice valley drives, and subsequently hill drives, are good for us. One
can’t drive fast with the best of intention. It is more like feeling one’s way. Water
fords we take with great respect, which means that Claus first wades through the
ford and finds out how deep they are. I wait for his signal to go ahead, and then
close my eyes and go.
For hours, we slave away. I soon realise that the GPS hangs almost down to the gas
tank. The mounting of the GPS is loose. An ultra light, extremely expensive
part from Touratech and already broken after 150 km (94 miles) driving the rally.
We fix the GPS to the handle bar with plastic fast binders.
After some time, a car appears in the rear mirror. We are glad and stop, it’s good
to talk to someone in the middle of the desert. It is a follow-up car of the rally, the
medical assistance car. It consistently stays 100 meters (110 yards) behind us for
the next 100 km (62 miles) and gives us security.
Our Ural is running rich, and we use an enormous amount of gas, so we have to
fill up the tank. We have two extra Jerry cans with us. My hands are so numb and
weak that I don’t even have the strength to open the lid of the tank. I have to ask
Claus to do it. Two kilometers (1.2 miles) after refuelling, I feel something cold and
wet on my thighs. The gas tank cap is missing. We lost the tank cap. Obviously,
I am even too weak to close the gas tank properly. It doesn’t help that we have to
turn around and look for the cap. But our personal escort, the medical assistance
car, brings us the gas cap. How great!
We arrive at end of the special stage. Here we should get a stamp in our timetable.
Nobody is here anymore, as the checkpoint cleared long ago, the people gone for
dinner.
THE WHOLE BODY IS HURTING
After the last connection stage, we arrive at the drivers’ camp. The cars prepared
for the next day are everywhere. The driver conference for the next day is over long
ago, and the Roadbook for the next day already handed out. The results of the
day posted on the board, but they change with our arrival. We are, with 14 hours
driving time, the last ones, but we are on the board! We survived a whole day in
the race…in a World Competition Cross Country Rally, and noted on the next day’s
starting list. It is a good feeling, but everything hurts. The whole body is hurting.
PAGE I 18
Carlo de Gavardo advises me to go to
the medical tent. There you get
massages for the tired bones. I follow
his advice after dinner, and Angelique
made it possible so I was able to walk
again after half an hour.
I fall in to a deep sleep right away.
Claus learns the Roadbook for the next
day by heart. Kurt tightens all screws
on the Ural, cleans the air filter, and
adjusts the valves. Other rally
participants exchange whole engines,
axles, mount new wheels, and take the
gearbox apart in their carriage
stronghold consisting out of workshop
trucks. Yes, they said the Ural would
fall apart in no time. Not so, as the
motorcycle runs, and we didn’t have
any damage. We are astounded about
the quality of our vehicle.
We are now in the second day of the
Orpi Rally Morocco, and to some, a
miracle we are still here. Some had
said that we wouldn’t even make the
technical test with our Ural Gespann.
This day is a pleasant day compared
to the first day of the rally. Today it is
a partially good track, where one can
speed up quite well on a gravel course.
We are well prepared and in good
spirits. The Gespann makes noises.
Today, Birgit, our team manager rubbed
and bandaged my hands and forearms
with Franzbrandwein (kind of rubbing
alcohol). Our camel bags are full with
energy drinks. Red Bull does not
sponsor Heineken or us, so Birgit
makes us a special drink out of black
tea, honey, salt pills, lemons, and
brandy.
At the start, the officials nicely greet us,
but ask us to drive a little bit faster than
yesterday. Today there are no
connection stages only one 409 km
(256 miles) long special. The day will
bring us deep into the interior. There
are really fast stages in this part.
The second day soon claims tribute.
We soon pass a motorcyclist who is
working on his Enduro. The ignition
failed. I think about our own electronic
ignition and am glad that our only
electronic thing on the bike works
properly. We pass another motorcycle
that parks in the middle of the desert.
Under the small shade lays the driver.
He doesn’t remember how he broke his
shoulder, as he fell and blacked out.
The Rally is over for him. We pass a
Nissan who has overseen a hole in the
course. The front axle looks
unnatural, and not usable, out of the
frame, impossible to repair. The race is
over for him.
What’s the official description of today’s
stage? To begin this special stage,
the competitors travel 60 km (38 miles)
along the Qued Chebika on a highly
enjoyable, technical, but never
damaging track, which demands a great
deal of navigation. This translates to a
stony, painful, terrible track…
catastrophically (sorry about the
expression) B.S., just like the whole
day yesterday.
Then, it becomes extremely fast, and
for the first time we can enjoy the rally.
We arrive at a plain. The track becomes
wide and is relatively driveable. It is a
good gravel track, which allows high
speed. As far as you can see, there is
nothing: no tree, no brush, no hill, no
deepening in the tract of land, only an
infinite plain. For me as an Austrian
mountaineer, it is somewhat unpleasant
with nothing to orient yourself. We ride
along and everything goes well. We look
at each other, grinning and satisfied.
THERE IS A DANGER TO HIT
LAND MINES
After a short time, our trip master falls
out. That’s a catastrophe and a small
shock. The trip master is important. It
shows exactly how many meters we’ve
driven. We absolutely need the trip
master for orientation in the Roadbook.
Without the trip master, we don’t know
where we are. How can we survive the
next 300 km (188 miles) in the desert
without navigation? For the time being,
it is no problem. We are riding straight
ahead in the desert. The track shows
no difference between the track and the
area beside the track, but it is marked
with little stone men, left and right in
irregular distance. They advised us the
day before always to stay within these
stone men. Outside of these markers,
there is a danger to hit land mines.
Last, but not least, we are within a war
zone. The conflict between Sahauris
and Moroccans about the sovereignty
of the West Sahara isn’t settled yet.
WITHOUT THE TRIP METER WE CANNOT USE THE ROADBOOK
Here, at full speed of almost 100 km/h (62 m/h), into the stony desert in the South
of Morocco, I miss a deep depression, a rough hole, a crater. It comes totally
unexpected. The Roadbook warns about such dangers, but I haven’t used the
Roadbook today for quite some time. I can’t use it because our trip master fell out
and without the trip master, you can’t read the Roadbook. And so this crater
suddenly appears. First, one tries to slow down…. that is the instinctive reaction…
but the wrong one. Claus, my co-driver, recognizes the mistake and screams loud.
I scream back even louder! Claus and I stop breathing at the same time.
Immediately before the abyss, at full throttle, together we pull the Gespann up in
the front, I on the handlebar and Claus on the sidecar handle. I stand firm in the
foot pegs and put my behind as far as possible to the rear. Claus stands firm on the
sidecar platform and hangs his butt out as far as possible. Like question marks, we
leave this side of the edge of the crater and after a short flight, land with the front
wheel on the other side of the crater. My hands try to correct the terrible blow to the
handle bar, but somehow the uncontrollable Gespann climbs into the air again. Now
the hit to the sidecar, yes - unpleasant, but this time it hits mostly on Claus. Then
the rear wheel strikes out at the edge of the hole and catapults the rear of the
Gespann full force at my backside. Unfortunately, my vertebra is an unsuitable
shock absorber. Like a miracle, I avoid going down headfirst. Slowly we get some
feeling back in our hands, and we can feel our headache from our neck being
jammed into our skull. We’ve had this feeling once today but the second time is
even more intense. We land, a very harsh landing, but we dare to breathe again.
Thanks to Haslacher Hans, we survive! Our ‘White Power’ chassis guru equipped
the Rally Gespann with first class springs, costing good money. High tech springs
on a low tech Gespann.
In the future, we have to work with the daily trip counter on the Ural. That didn’t
work well, we learned, when we almost overturned twice because we didn’t
recognize the holes in the track. One can’t get accustomed to the 100-meter (110
yards) wide freeway without two-way traffic. Construction sides are not marked
with colorful traffic signals. It isn’t very good for the Ural to speed over this gravel
after almost overturning. The Gespann suddenly pulls to the left. I shout at Claus
that we probably don’t have enough air in the front tire. We stop. We check the
tire, but nothing special to see. We take the high tech air pump, from Kurt, our
mechanic, out anyway. We play quite a long time with this thing until we realize
that it is defective. We have a broken air pump on-board. It doesn’t matter though,
as there is enough air in the front tire. So, we keep driving. Soon I start to realize
that the handle bar pulls to the left side. The Gespann pulls very hard left. We stop
again and look at the front wheel. Suddenly I see the cause. The lower bolt on the
earl’s fork is missing. The swinging arm is holding on only by the shock absorber.
The left side of the fork is already 10 cm (4 inches) away from the holder on the
earl’s fork. It doesn’t look good. I search in the spare nut and bolt box even though
I know I won’t find a long 10 mm (3/8 inch) bolt. (ED - front bolt from the saddle?)
That means we have to find a bolt somewhere on the Ural that is not too important
and that we don’t necessarily need. The closest we can find is the bolt from the
center stand axle. It has the same length, but unfortunately has no thread, only a
hole to put a cutter pin in. It has to work, as we have no other choice. So, we bury
a nice green painted center stand with the springs in the west Sahara Desert. With
four hands and big effort, we get this piece in position and are able to get it through
the holes on the fork, put a cotter pin in, and use lots of duct tape. It works! The
Ural runs straight again. What a relief! I drive slower. Repeatedly, I look at the
bandaged fork, but the bolt holds.
We are out of gas again. We have to fill up the tank. Only now, we realize that we
lost one of our two jerry cans. Panic arises because we are not sure if we will make
it to the next fuel stop with 10 liters (2.5 gallons). We fill the tank with 10 liters of
race gas, which we got the evening before from the KTM team. Kurt, our mechanic,
told us the Ural probably won’t appreciate the 100-plus-octane race gas, and he
was right. It stutters and spits and the performance is bad…then…sometimes it
PAGE I 19
works well, and then sometimes the
Ural doesn’t like this race gas at all.
Suddenly, we get to another checkpoint
in the middle of the desert. We are
relieved. We get our stamp for the time
card. We look for the checkpoint in our
Roadbook and put the daily counter to
zero. By the checkpoint lays a broken
down French buggy. We ask the pilots
for a 10 mm screw and nut. Indeed, the
co-pilot takes a suitable screw, even
with a self-locking nut, somewhere out
of the broken buggy and mounts it on
our Ural. We put the screw from the
center stand in our spare box. You
never know, we may need one again.
It’s still 80 km (50 miles) to go to the
next checkpoint and to the next fuel
stop. It should be okay. The 80 km
are murderous. It continues straight
ahead and becomes unbearably hot.
Somehow a real hot wind blows.
Sometimes the Ural has less power, as
it doesn’t like this high-grade gas. I
become
unable to concentrate and fall in a flow.
Finally, far away, we can see a rise on
the horizon and some outlines in the
wasteland. Some single plants show
up, and the track becomes narrower
and curvy. We get closer to a town,
which is also the second checkpoint.
IT IS 113oF IN THE SHADE
I am very exhausted. It is intolerably
hot, 45 degrees C (113 F) in the shade.
I squeeze myself in the little shade from
the official’s cars. The hot wind feels as
if you are in a sauna pouring water over
the hot stones. The officials are glad
to see us because for them it means
they can leave this horrible hot place
and can go to the camp. I get a pastis
(anis drink). I feel the alcohol right away.
The drink also influences my decision
to leave out the next checkpoint and to
drive together with the officials to the
bivouac on a paved road. So far, we
never missed a checkpoint, so we can
allow ourselves to beat the time a little
bit. Our justification is the broken down
trip master and for this last stage it is
very important to be able to navigate.
And so it happened today, for once we
are not the last one to arrive at the camp.
The stars also use some tactics. Cyrill
Despres, the star of the KTM
motorcyclists, comes in first on the
PAGE I 20
second day of the race. One hundred meters (110 yards) before the
finishing line, he goes down off his bike and waits for the second drive, Marc
Comar, to come in. Why does he do that?
DESPRES THROWS HIS TEDDY OUT THE COT
The winner of the second day starts first on the third day of the race and on this
day, it goes in to the sand dunes where you need very good navigation skills. It is
easier to start second because you can follow the tracks of the bike in front of you.
Marc Coma sees Cyrill Despres waiting in front of the finishing line and gets down
as well. Both are waiting for the third to arrive. He laughs and crosses the finishing
line first. The jury doesn’t laugh, and both, Despres and Coma, get a 15-minute
time penalty for non-sportsmanlike behaviour. Coma accepts the penalty, but
Despres, the star, doesn’t and decides to end the rally. The number one is
eliminated. But, the number 35 isn’t and appears proudly at the start on the third
day. The number 35 is the Ural Gespann with Hari at the handle bar and Claus in
the sidecar.
We fix the trip master so it at least shows digital zeros. However, if we drive 80
km/h (50 mph) or 20 km/h (12 mph), or even if we drive in reverse, it makes the
trip master wonderfully useless. Today is the day of the dunes. In the middle of
the dunes is a checkpoint. Carlo de Gavardo advises us not even to try to reach
this checkpoint because it’s unreachable for the Ural. He said we should try to get
around the dunes and start with the second checkpoint. We decide to look at it
first, so we ride to the dunes. On the way there, we cross a very large dry salt lake.
Wonderful, very smooth ground. We leave our marks in the salt lake. We are able to
ride as fast the Ural goes. It’s real fun, but it doesn’t last long because at the end
of the salt lake the sand dunes tower upward. The first rise we are able to master
with the built-up speed from the salt lake, but in the deep sand of the middle of the
plateau, it ends. We are stuck. We manage to get the Ural by the journalists’ cars
on the side of the track and park it there. The photographers are waiting at the
abyss of the first dune and gesture towards us that we should go down the dune.
No, no, not us. First, we want to see what’s awaiting us over there. We walk over
to the first dune and there, down in the gully lays a buggy on his roof, overturned.
What a photo opportunity for the waiting photographers. They really tried to lure
us into this sand hole! Maybe even at full speed over the edge so we could land on
top of the buggy! It would make for another great picture.
I take off my helmet, sit with the photographers, and end the race. I understand,
here and now, that the race is over for us. One of the officials is running to the top
of the first dune and waves wildly with his hands to warn the oncoming cars of the
obstacle down in the gully. The crew of the overturned buggy tries with help of a
4x4, to get the car on its wheels again. In the meantime, some of the following cars
jump left and right of the accident into their own ruin, as many are stuck in the deep
sand. Soon, trucks with towing ropes and shovels appear. It is all very entertaining.
After the last vehicle of the big truck class masters the dune and disappears behind
the next dune, it is time for us to go home. We try to get around the dunes and
follow for 10 km (6 miles), but we are not able to find a suitable spot to cross the
dunes. It seems there is no end to this dune zone, so we give up for good.
While the others slave through the sand, we drive to the next starting point of the
next special stage. There the officials convinced us to give up. There would be lots
of sand in the next stage and for our Ural Gespann impossible to overcome. Since
we also lost our trip master, we decide to give up. For the last days of the rally, we
travel with the assistance cars but still get enough time to do some off road riding,
without any pressure.
Now, Brigit (ED - Hari’s other half) rides the Gespann most of the time. She probably
would have been a better rider anyway.” (ED – Brigit is the prettier of the pair who
work to keep Urals rolling into and around Europe).
Thanks to: © 2003 - 2006 Irbit MotorWorks of America, Inc.
URAL MOTORCYCLES GMBH
Hari Schwaighofer - Linz Austria
Ural Motorcycles GmbH are the Ural
importers into the EU.
They supply new bikes and spares to
all the main dealers in the EU. There is
no longer a UK importer, all UK dealers
now receive support directly from ‘Ural
Motorcycles GmbH’ in Linz Austria.
Hari Schwaighofer is supported by Brigit and a team to carry out pre-delivery
inspection, maintain a spares stock and all the things that the dealers need to
support us.
This photography shows a Steib
or Royale
PAGE I 21
A JUPITER GOES DOWN UNDER ON A 2-STROKE RALLY
Rod Knight - Toowoomba, Queensland 4350, Australia
Back in July 2004 I was invited to participate in a one-day rally which was to be
held in an area north of Brisbane, Queensland. A friend and fellow Russian bike
owner had telephoned me to pick my brains in relation to a number of problems he
was having with his 1971 Jupiter 2. I have one of these, which I fully restored back
in 1998, so I was able to answer all of his questions to his satisfaction. Ian had
bought his Jupiter about 10 years ago and fiddled with it until he’d gotten it to run,
then parked it at the back of his garage as a future restoration project.
His interest in the Jupiter was rekindled upon learning that the Historic MCC of
which he’s a member was organising a special two-stroke rally (to be called The
Stink Wheel Rally - a less-than-complimentary name in my opinion) and that it
would be held on Wednesday 21st. Ian asked if I’d like to come along. Rallies are
not usually my scene, but I was immediately interested in this one so told him that
I would do my best to be there, should I not be required to work on that day. I’ve
always had a soft spot for two-stroke engined machinery, you see, having begun my
life on two wheels with a Vespa 150cc motorscooter in 1963 and progressing to a
number of Jawa and CZ bikes which I owned over a 14 year period. The last one of
these was a 1974 Jawa 350 twin which was coupled to a DJP sidecar, and I parted
with it only because the sidecar was a bit heavy for the Jawa and Velorex sidecars
were unavailable. The outfit was subsequently repowered by a new Kawasaki Z750
vertical twin, the only Japanese bike I’ve ever owned. Four years later, in 1982, I
was reintroduced to Russian flat twins when a friend’s Dnepr MT9, that I’d helped
set up when new, returned to Australia after spending more than 6 years of its life in
England. I’ve owned nothing but Russian machinery since then.
The day finally came. The weather was clear and cold, with the promise of a fine,
sunny day. I had to allow well over two hours to reach the venue from my home
in Toowoomba, and my route involved descending the Toowoomba Range to the
Lockyer Valley more than 2,000 ft below, then crossing it from west to east before
climbing Mt Glorious - a mountain range northwest of Brisbane which rises to more
than 2,400 ft in places. This was followed by another tortuous descent to the
picturesque village of Samford before continuing along much busier roads north
east to the Pioneer Village at Young’s Crossing, the starting point for the run.
It was still dark when I left Toowoomba, though the eastern sky was just
beginning to lighten. Sasha, the Jupiter, was running like a charm (as usual) and
looking very shiny, as I wanted it to make a good impression. B eing in the middle
of winter and with a clear sky the overnight temperature had dropped to a quite
low figure in Toowoomba, but it was nonetheless warm compared to the freezing
air down in the valley. Coasting down the range in the neutral between 3rd and 4th
(sometimes known as angel gear, or Mexican overdrive) with the engine idling was
PAGE I 22
akin to being slowly lowered into a deep
freeze unit with a fan inside blowing an
80 km/h blast of air into my face! Of
course, Sasha loved the frigid
conditions but I became progressively
colder as I droned on across the 90 km
wide valley before reaching hilly country
on the other side. What impacted upon
me the most were my freezing feet and
ankles! Usually I’m riding either my
Dnepr MT9 or Ural M63 on long runs
and tend to take the warm air provided
by their horizontally-opposed
cylinders for granted, so I was made
really aware of the absence of this
feature on the Jupiter! I ended up
having to get off the bike, choosing a
small picnic spot situated a few kms
before the long twisty climb up
Mt Glorious. I could barely walk at first,
but I needed to thaw out somewhat in
order to more easily make the many
necessary gearchanges further on.
Why did I coast down the range instead
of using the engine as a brake, like
everybody else would have done?
Well, two-strokes possess next to no
engine braking for one thing, plus they
tend to send shock waves through
the transmission due to their uneven
firing impulses when running on an
almost-closed throttle. Another thing
to consider, is that because they’re
lubricated by oil mixed with the fuel
they tend to ‘run dry’ on long descents
as closing the throttle not only cuts
off almost all their petrol supply, but
their oil as well! It’s a habit I got into
during my very early years of riding
two-stroke motorcycles - particularly
big singles with their very jerky overrun
- and although it places more strain on
the service brakes this can be offset to
a certain extent by lightly applying and
releasing each brake separately to keep
them from becoming too hot.
I arrived at the rally site to see a
number of old two stroke machines
waiting quietly for the coming event.
Ian was already there to meet me as he
lives in Brisbane and therefore didn’t
have very far to travel. His Jupiter (Old
Blue) is unrestored but it runs very
nicely, which is far more important.
Running briefly through the attendance
list, there were three DKW 250 singles
dating back to the 1950s, two Adler
250 twins, an MZ 301 single from the
late 1980s and therefore the newest
bike participating, an early Sixties Ariel
Arrow 250, a 1967 Jawa 250 single, a
1929 Scott Flying Squirrel 600cc
water-cooled twin, a 250cc GTP
Velocette from the same period, an old
DOT with single-cylinder Villiers engine,
a 1964 Vespa 150 (this being the only
scooter) and, to complete the European
lineup, the two 1971 Jupiters.
Japan was represented by a Yamaha
250cc trail bike (I think it was a DT2
model) a Suzuki 550 triple and a ‘full
dresser’ 750cc Waterbottle from the
same manufacturer. And because there
always has to be a rebel there was also
a four-stroke machine participating, this
being a beautifully restored 200cc LE
Velocette water-cooled sidevalve flat
twin, which gave a very good account
of itself - particularly as this model
produces, if memory serves, only 6
HP and it had to carry two quite large
people!
The route chosen by the organisers used
predominantly sealed back roads,
although it did include a stretch of
some 6 km of extremely rough and
dusty dirt road which made a mess of
everyone’s bikes - particularly those
unable to keep their lubricating oil on
the inside! They wound back and forth,
up hill and down dale through quite
pretty countryside - some of which I’d
not previously seen. A morning tea
stop had been organised at Beerburrum
Lookout, reached after a steep, winding
climb. It offered spectacular views of
the valley below as well as some of
the Glasshouse Mountains first seen
by Europeans when Capt James Cook
navigated his way north along the east
coast of Australia in 1770. These rock
monoliths look every bit as spectacular
today, and are very popular with rock
climbers. One of them, Mt Tibrogargan,
can be climbed without the use of ropes
or other climbing equipment. I know
because I did just that back in the mid
sixties when I was a member of a Motor
Scooter club and Mt Tibrogargan was
the destination of one of our Sunday
rides.
Morning tea gave us all an opportunity
to properly meet one another and to admire the various machines, with many of
us getting the cameras out. There hadn’t been any breakdowns (a trend that was
to continue) although the Scott required coasting down the steep road for a short
distance to encourage it to restart
afterwards!
The run continued northwards, with the country becoming more hilly. We seemed
to be forever climbing laboriously up a steep incline, only to coast down the other
side before doing it all again! Naturally this was accompanied by lots of blue
exhaust smoke - a reminder of days gone by when emission laws were non-existent
and most small and medium capacity motorbikes were two-stroke powered. The
big difference this time was that nobody suffered the embarrassment of fouling
a sparkplug, a phenomenon quite common back in the 1960s when specially,
formulated two stroke oils had yet to be invented and everyone ran their engines on
a diet of ordinary SAE30 or SAE40 mineral oil and super - ie leaded petrol!
There were no set positions in the lineup. I tended to stay back towards the rear,
watching the other riders and admiring the scenery through the haze. Eventually
I settled in behind the old Scott. This bike looked lovely, having been carefully
restored by its owner. It sounded lovely as well, with a smooth bass purr that was
a joy to listen to. Obviously it was being ridden sedately as there was no hint of the
famous Scott ‘yowl’. I’ve read about in various classic motorcycle magazines over
the years, but every once in a while it emitted a savage puff of thick blue smoke on
the overrun which puzzled me immensely. It wasn’t doing this because it was
being followed by a Russian bike - surely! I mean, I could understand the Scott
being somewhat less than happy had Sasha been in front, but not the other way
around!
Eventually we emerged from the winding back roads onto the main road which
connects the township of Landsborough with Maleny, a small tourist village perched
on top of the green, picturesque Blackall Range. We rode down to Landsborough
and then on for a few more kilometres to the larger town of Beerwah for our lunch
stop. This was held in the garden of a club member’s house, set on a few acres of
land just north of the town. There were a few old stationary engines on display, plus
one or two old bikes sleeping in the big machinery shed out the back. A few more
photos were taken here, and riders’ past experiences exchanged. The owner of
the MZ301, an Englishman, was particularly interested in Sasha and asked so many
questions I thought he had intentions of tracking down a Jupiter for himself!
I learned that this particular MZ was the only one of its kind in Australia and that
he’d ridden it up from Lismore, NSW, in order to participate in the run. This meant
that I hadn’t ridden the longest distance, but I did nonetheless ride the longest
distance that day as he’d ridden up to Brisbane the day before to overnight with
friends before coming to the rally!
With lunch over everyone started getting ready for the return trip. This was to be
PAGE I 23
via a different, slightly shorter route,
thus enabling the participants to arrive
back at the Pioneer Village in good time
for afternoon tea and the presenting of
awards. I hadn’t officially entered the
rally and didn’t go just in the hope of
perhaps winning something, so decided
to part from the group and ride back to
Toowoomba by a more direct network
of roads. This had the advantage of
allowing me to arrive home before dark,
always a prime consideration with a 6V
electrical system, in this present age
of impatient car drivers who seem to
have difficulty seeing motorcycles even
in bright sunshine! It also meant that I
wouldn’t have to winch poor Sasha over
Mt Glorious again. That road, although
running through spectacular countryside,
is not only winding but very, very steep!
took me along a much quieter, little-known road which meanders through peaceful,
hilly country before the even steeper climb up the range. Second gear certainly saw
a lot of use this day!
I’d brought along 400cc of two-stroke
oil, which enabled me to add 10 litres of
petrol at Beerwah before setting out for
home. To my surprise this topped up
the 18 litre tank to almost full, so Sasha
hadn’t been using much fuel. I’ve
managed up to 400 km on this bike
before having to switch to reserve,
although the Czech Jikov fuel tap
fitted in lieu of the standard Russian
one (mainly because it doesn’t leak)
allows only a few kilometres of travel
before the tank runs completely dry!
}
I’ve always been attracted to simple systems that work - these being much
more logical to me than complicated systems that work - and the Jupiter would
have to be one of the simplest, most basic bikes ever made. There’s not one
bolt, one wire that isn’t absolutely essential to the bike’s operation!
}
It’s generally unloved and often ridiculed by most motorcyclists (to say nothing
of what other road users must think of it when they’re trying to get past!) and
I’ve always favoured the underdog. I guess this is an essential ingredient for
owning any Russian bike, come to think of it.
}
The Jupiter represents a lot of nostalgia as it’s very similar to the earlier models
of Czechoslovak Jawa and CZ bikes that reliably and faithfully carried me to
many parts of this vast country, some of these being thousands of kilometres
from home.
}
It flies in the face of the general consensus that one must have a machine of at
least 1,000cc and mega-horsepower in order to travel distances of more than
a couple of hundred kilometres. Low-powered it may be, a pain to ride in city
traffic it definitely is, perfect it certainly isn’t, but Sasha still occupies a very
special place in my heart.
The return route thus chosen took me
over a much lower mountain range
and onwards to the town of Kilcoy,
then continuing westwards for some
distance before turning south and
meandering through gently undulating
countryside via the small townships
of Harlin, Toogoolawah, Esk and on to
Gatton - the latter situated in the
Lockyer Valley mentioned earlier.
Another 40 km of pleasant riding
brought me home again, though I
decided not to climb the Toowoomba
Range via the Warrego Highway as
it’s the main arterial road inland from
Brisbane and therefore carries a lot
of heavy transport vehicles enroute
to the big southern cities of Sydney,
Melbourne and Adelaide, via the flatter
and more open outback highways. The
Range Road - as it’s locally known - is
also looked upon by many drivers of
cars and 4WDs as the local racetrack
(something to do with getting to the top
of the range before anyone else, I think)
so it can be very dangerous. Sasha
PAGE I 24
I arrived home late afternoon, much to the surprise of my wife who wasn’t expecting
me before dark, after covering a total distance of 468 km.
It had been a great day, enjoyed by everyone who attended. None of the bikes
broke down and I managed to listen to the sounds of most of them during the run
- especially Ian’s Jupiter which was missing its baffles and therefore made its
presence felt! This (inaugural) two-stroke rally took my mind back to the old
Scooter Club days when I was much younger and the world seemed a far less
complicated place. And although it catered primarily for scooters this club also
allowed light motorcycles up to 250cc, these consisting of many different makes
and models that are rarely seen today - particularly out on the roads!
There are several reasons why I still like riding something like Sasha when it’s so
blatantly obvious to everyone who knows anything about motorcycles that it’s
totally unsuited to the cut and thrust of modern-day traffic. In fact, it was regarded
as being well out of the mainstream 33 years ago, when this model was built.
Being a masochistic, oddball lover of strange motorcycles does have its
compensations if happiness and contentment are part of the package!
A SIDECAR CONVERT - THIRTY YEARS IN THE MAKING
Steve Lyons - wind-up bear and tricycle winner at the Three Magpies
I’ve driven some odd bits of machinery over the last 30 years; double decker buses,
dumper trucks, bulldozers, but there’s nothing on earth that could have prepared
me for my first time at the controls of a sidecar outfit. And the first thing that grabs
your intestine is that they seem to be governed by their very own laws of physics!
Outfits are to motor transport what googlies are to cricket, they look like one thing
but behave like something else. Needless to say my first outing onto the roads of
Britain was a very memorable affair.
Twelve months ago I was just a biker with a pretty and very red Harley Sportster.
A Sunday mornings and warm summer evenings toy, excellent for chugging through
the Cotswold lanes, by-ways or roaring down their Roman straights. With a
Sportster traffic is no problem and there is always an abundance of plate glass
windows for a bit of reflective thinking.
Then one wet winter’s evening, as I surfed the net I came across F2, C&C and MPC
and a whole host of other eccentric sites purveying weird and wonderful oddities.
At first I observed with wonder, they can actually make a living out of selling them?
Blimey! Whilst other dealers offer brain numbing rocket ships capable of mach 3
or nippy 125cc hoppers that bob & weave to infinity and beyond, these weirdos
proudly sell and boast about it too, machines that: with a following wind, a down hill
run and the aid of a tow truck regularly achieve speeds of ……….. 50mph!
“You’re having a giraffe!!!!” “Oh no,no, no, no, no, no, that’s
just the Chinese version; the Russian models are much
quicker. They can get to 60mph!”. “Golly”
So what’s their attraction? Who in their right mind buys a machine that needs a set
of oars and a spinnaker to get to full revs? Well there are lots of these strange folk
about, and I’m proud to say that now I’m one of them too. These machine might not
be super fast and with their drum brake set-up, they don’t want to be. After my first
canter down a steep hill, hurtling towards a sharp left hander I very soon
understood why. But what they lack in speed they gain in stability. How many
times this summer have you set out under cloudless sky only to get soaked on the
return, having to negotiate your way home along greasy dieseled carriageways or
muck-strewn lanes. At last with that extra wheel, a sunken manhole cover or dollop
of horse crap, always to be found at the apex of a bend (ED Horses get nervous
round fast bends too!), isn’t going to send you into a painful slide.
Those drums actually aid in the Ural’s uniqueness. Having such an antiquated
braking system enables quick wheel changing and the total interchange-ability of all
the wheels. Front to back, back to side, spare to wherever you want, and the tyres
are easy to change too, suddenly the Ural becomes the ideal adventure/expedition
bike. All you’ve got to do is outwit its strange laws of physics.
I think I’ve managed to overcome those strange laws now, though they still bite me
in the bum when my concentration wanes. Mind you that’s only after a couple of
hours in the saddle, as fatigue gnaws at your brain. ‘Coz sidecar outfits need a lot
of thought; they are a thinking person’s machine. For me, when fatigue does take a
grip, I’ve got 30 years of solo riding waiting to take control, and only the other day I
suffered one of those thirty year throwbacks. I was on my way to ‘Sidecars Galore’
at Popham. I was doing everything right, or so I thought, shifting my weight over
the chair on a left hander yet it wasn’t turning and the hedge was getting closer.
Panic was tapping me on the shoulder and I was able to pick out the different
species of hedge plants! Then it came to me in a leafy flash, ‘I’m on an outfit’, turn
the bars you dickhead, and I did and it did, phew panic over. I had a few moments
like that over the last nine months.
Classic things like bumping the sidecar
over the pavement or diving (right) on a
left hand bend because I used the front
brake etc etc. But I’m happy to say
these moments are getting less.
I’ve got a Dalesman, four years old, a
750cc engine, a bit of a hybrid. And like
its comrades it’s constructed from more
steel than Corus produces in a week.
An export batch of Urals is probably
equal to Russia’s gross national
product.! Yet despite their robust build
they are amazingly easy to manoeuvre
and the reverse gear certainly turns a
few heads,.
I’ve done two rallies over the summer
(2005) with a passenger, the Red Star
and the COC National Rally at the
‘Three Magpies’. Both times we
carried two complete sets of camping
gear and there wasn’t a spare inch of
space. The vehicle must have doubled
in weight, yet on both occasions it
pulled phenomenally up the steep hills
out of Stroud as I climbed the
Cotswold ridge, and speeds of 55ish
were achieved along a lovely stretch of
the fantastic Fosse Way. In September
I went to ‘Sidecars Galore’ at Popham
- of course it was raining as it always
does when you turn the key. But as
ever it pulled beautifully and stuck to
the road like a sticky thing.
As you can gather I’m now a total
convert - the 883 is up for sale and
I can’t wait for the next camping trip
which will be the Dragon. But it’s not
just the draw of the machine with its
weird characteristics; it’s the club, the
COC and the people you meet. The
friends you make, the shared
knowledge, the smiling faces out on the
road, the misty eyed ancients who want
to share a memory, the incredulous
expressions as you whizz backwards in
a car park or seeing how others have
made their outfits unique. It’s much
more than that though; Urals, Dneprs,
Cossacks call them what you will, they
are links with the good old days of
simplistic mechanisms and old
fashioned road-side fettling.
PAGE I 25
POWERED TWO WHEELER ACCIDENT STUDY
Powered Two Wheelers cover 50cc machines to superbikes but not sidecar outfilts
Executive Summary
The increasing role of Powered Two
Wheelers (PTWs) in transport policy for
sustainable mobility, particularly their
potential benefits for congestion and
cost of urban transport require solutions
for reducing PTW’s riders fatalities in
Western Europe.
PTW riders form one of the most
vulnerable groups of road users and
road accidents involving injuries to
them are a major social concern. It is
therefore essential that all parties work
together to understand and further
improve the safety of this valuable
mode of transport.
In order to better understand the nature
and causes of PTW accidents, the
Association of European Motorcycle
Manufacturers (ACEM) with the support
of the European Commission and other
partners conducted an extensive
in-depth study of motorcycle and
moped accidents during the period
1999-2000 in five sampling areas
located in France, Germany, Italy,
Netherlands and Spain.
The methodology developed by the
Organisation for Economic
Co-operation and Development (OECD)
for on-scene in-depth motorcycle
accident investigations was used by all
five research groups in order to
maintain consistency in the data
collected in each sampling area.
A total of 921 accidents were
investigated in detail, resulting in
approximately 2000 variables being
coded for each accident. The
investigation included a full
reconstruction of the accident; vehicles
were inspected; witnesses to the
accident were interviewed; and, subject
to the applicable privacy laws, with the
full co-operation and consent of both
the injured person and the local
authorities, pertinent medical records
for the injured riders and passengers
were collected. From these data, all the
human, environmental and vehicle
factors, which contributed to the
outcome of the accident were identified.
PAGE I 26
To provide comparative information on
riders and PTWs that were not involved
in accidents in the same sample areas,
data was collected in a further 923
cases. The collection technique was
specifically developed to meet the
circumstances of this study and is
commonly referred to as an exposure or
case-control study. This exposure
information on non-accident involved
PTW riders was essential for
establishing the significance of the
data collected from the accident cases
and the identification of potential risk
factors in PTW accidents. For example,
if 20% of non-accident involved PTWs
in the sampling area were red, it would
be significant if 60% of those PTWs
involved in an accident were reported
to be red, suggesting that there is an
increased risk of riding a red PTW. On
the other hand, if none of the PTWs in
the accident sample were red, it would
be an interesting finding, needing
further study.
Findings In Brief
The PTW accident data collected in
this study indicated that the object
most frequently struck in an accident
was a passenger car. The second
most frequently struck object was the
roadway itself, either as the result of a
single vehicle accident or of an attempt
to avoid a collision with an OV [Other
Vehicle – Ed]. Whilst each sampling
area contained both urban and rural
areas, the majority of the accidents
took place in an urban environment.
.
Travelling and impact speeds for all
PTW categories were found to be quite
low, most often below 50 km/h. There
were relatively few cases in which
excess speed was an issue related to
accident causation. The cause of the
majority of PTW accidents collected in
this study was found to be human error.
The most frequent human error was a
failure to see the PTW within the traffic
environment, due to lack of driver
attention, temporary view obstructions
or the low conspicuity of the PTW.
Once all the data had been collected,
it was entered into a database for each
sampling area and compared with the
exposure data referred to above.
Statistical analysis identified PTW
accident risk factors by comparing the
accident data to the exposure data.
Thus, for example, the exposure data
indicated that whilst scooters
represented the majority of accident
cases, scooters were not over
represented in accidents in comparison
with their presence in the sampling area
(i.e., their exposure).
When the accident riders were
compared to the exposure population,
the data demonstrated that the use of
alcohol increased the risk of being in an
accident, although the percentage was
lower than in other studies.
Unlicenced PTW operators who were
illegally riding PTWs that required a
licence, were also found to be at
greater risk of being involved in an
accident when compared to licensed
PTW riders.
The data collected during this study
represents the most comprehensive
in-depth data currently available for
PTW accidents in Europe. It is expected
that this data will provide much needed
information for developing future
research in relation to public policy
issues. Recommendations for future
countermeasures and investigations are
provided.
Aims & Objectives
A need for a common
methodology
European statistical coverage of
motorcycle accidents is insufficient
and not harmonised, and causation
data and analysis of a full range of
standardised parameters are lacking.
Specific research studies of PTWs use
different data collection criteria and
different data collection methodologies,
thereby limiting the ability to compare
the different studies and to develop a
comprehensive European strategy for
the reduction of PTW accidents.
Previous in-depth research into PTW
accidents has been conducted in North
America (Hurt et al 1981, Newman et al
1974) as well as in the United Kingdom
and Europe (Pedder et al 1979, Otte
et al 1998). All of these studies have
shown the need for in-depth
investigations in order to provide a
clear, detailed and objective analysis of
the causes and consequences of PTW
accidents. This in-depth PTW research
has also shown the need to collect
information regarding the non-accident
PTW/rider population (ie a control
population) in order to determine the
relative risk of a given PTW/rider factor.
MAIN FINDINGS
Rationale for action
The 921 on-scene, in-depth accident investigations have provided a large volume
of data related to the general characteristics of PTW accidents; including accident
causation and rider and passenger injury information. The outcome of these
investigations can be considered in the identification, development and
introduction of countermeasures.
}
With the support of the European
Commission and other partners, the
Association of European Motorcycle
Manufacturers (ACEM) conducted this
extensive in-depth study of motorcycle
and moped accidents in five European
countries: France, Germany,
Netherlands, Spain and Italy.
Objectives
}
}
}
}
}
To identify and indicate the causes
and consequences of PTW
accidents in a well-defined
sampling area.
To compare the accident data to
a control population in order to
determine the risk associated with
certain factors (eg alcohol).
To apply this comprehensive and
reliable data source in the
development of proper countermeasures that will reduce the
frequency and severity of PTW
accidents.
The same methodology for on-scene
in-depth motorcycle accident
investigations, developed by the
Organisation for Economic
Co-operation and Development
(OECD), was used by all five
research groups in order to maintain
consistency in the data collected in
each region. A complete description
of this methodology is presented in
the ACEM report titled ‘MAIDS
Report on Methodology and
Process’ (ACEM 2003)
}
}
}
}
In 37% of cases, the primary
accident contributing factor was
a human error on the part of the
PTW rider. In some situations,
the human errors that occurred
involved skills that were beyond
those that typical drivers or
operators might currently have.
This is often due to the extreme
circumstances of some of the
accident cases, including an
insufficient amount of time
available to complete collision
avoidance.
Among the secondary contributing
factors, PTW riders failed to see
the other vehicle (OV) and they
also made a large number of faulty
decisions, ie, they chose a poor
or incorrect collision avoidance
strategy. In 13% of all cases, there
was a decision failure on the part
of the PTW rider.
The number of cases involving
alcohol use among the PTW riders
was less than 5%, which is low in
comparison to other studies, but
such riders were more likely to be
involved in an accident.
In comparison to the exposure
data, unlicenced PTW riders,
illegally operating a PTW for
which a licence is required, have
a significantly increased risk of
being involved in an accident.
PTW riders between 41 and 55
years of age were found to be
under-represented, suggesting
that they may have a lower risk
of being involved in an accident
when compared to other rider age
categories.
When compared with the exposure
data, 18 to 25 year old riders were
found to be over-represented.
}
In 50% of cases, the primary
accident contributing factor was a
human error on the part of the OV
driver.
}
OV drivers holding PTW licences
were less likely to commit a
perception failure than those
without a PTW licence, ie, they did
not see the PTW or its rider.
}
In about 1/3 of accidents PTW
riders and OV drivers failed to
account for visual obstructions
and engaged in faulty traffic
strategies.
}
Traffic control violations were
frequently reported, in 8% of the
cases for PTW riders and in 18%
for OV drivers.
}
Amongst the wide diversity of
PTW accident and collision
configurations that were observed
in this study, not one configuration
dominated.
}
90% of all risks to the PTW rider,
both vehicular and environmental,
were in front of the PTW rider prior
to the accident.
}
Among the primary contributing
factors, over 70% of the OV driver
errors were due to the failure to
perceive the PTW.
}
The roadway and OVs were the
most frequently reported collision
partner. In 60.0% of accidents, the
collision partner was a passenger
car.
}
Tampering in order to increase
performance was observed by
visual inspection in 17.8% of all
moped cases. This value is lower
than those reported in other
studies. The exposure study only
shows 12.3% of tampering.
PAGE I 27
MAIN FINDINGS CONTINUED
}
}
Only modified conventional street
motorcycles were found to be
over-represented in the accident
data. There was no evidence of
an increased risk associated with
riding any other PTW style.
There were PTW technical
problems in less than 1% of the
accidents. Most of these were
related to the tyres, illustrating the
need for regular PTW inspections
by the owner. There were no cases
found by the teams in which an
accident was caused by PTW
design or manufacture.
}
In over 70% of the cases the PTW
impact speeds were below 50
km/h.
}
In 18% of all cases, PTW travelling
speeds were greater than or
less than the surrounding traffic
and this speed difference was
considered to be a contributing
factor.
}
}
}
73.1% of all PTW riders attempted
some form of collision avoidance
immediately prior to impact. Of
these, 32% experienced some
type of loss of control during the
manoeuvre.
90.4% of the PTW riders wore
helmets. However, 9.1% of these
helmets came off the wearer’s
head at some time during the
accident, due to improper
fastening or helmet damage during
the accident. Overall, helmets
were found to be an effective
protective device to reduce the
severity of head injuries.
55.7% of PTW rider and passenger
injuries were to the upper and
lower extremities. The majority
of these were minor injuries,
eg abrasions, lacerations and
contusions. Appropriate clothing
was found to reduce, but not
completely eliminate, many of
these minor injuries.
}
Roadside barriers presented an
infrequent but substantial danger
to PTW riders, causing serious
lower extremity and spinal injuries
as well as serious head injuries.
}
For PTW riders, a roadway
maintenance defect caused the
accident or was a contributing
factor in 3.6% of all cases.
} For PTW riders, a traffic hazard
caused the accident or was a
contributing factor in 3.8% of cases.
}
Weather-related problems either
caused the accident or contributed
to accident causation in 7.4% of
PTW accidents in the study.
5 DIFFERENT WAYS TO ABUSE A 2CV
Now, I always liked the 2CV. I think of it a little bit like the Ural - cheap and very practical. OK, so driving it was a bit like
crossing the Channel in a force-8 gale - you felt a bit sick, but it was the first real MPV. You could take different seats out and
fit different things in, including a sheep! I progressed from a 2CV to a Citreon Visa. Same engine (I managed to get a fully laden
car up to Scotland on one cylinder) and same lack of cornering finesse. The Visa though, had this extraordinary hand grenade
attached to the steering column, housing all the controls for lights, wipers etc. At least the mechanic didn’t need to search the
entire loom to find an electrical fault - he went straight to the grenade, and it was probably just as dangerous! He solved all the
electrical faults by wedging in a 20volt fuse - excellent!
The yellow bike featured here with a
2CV engine has another common feature
with the 2CV - it’s nauseating! The 2CV
sidecar can be driven via the sidecar
or the bike - very ingenious. Both the
Dnepr and Ural have 2CV engines whilst
the Escargo has kept the essence of
the 2CV shape and lines with this cute,
3-wheeler. I don’t reckon you’d get a
sheep in it though!
PAGE I 28
FIRE SAFETY
UNUSUAL OUTFITS
I’m sure these examples will be in your
local showrooms by the Spring!
As these disressing images show, it is always advisable to carry a Fire Extinguisher
whether you are on your bike, combo or in your car. In the worst case scenario, it
can make the difference between life and death, if not for you and your passengers,
for someone else involved in an accident.
I listened to a TV broadcast where a man described how he was unable to help in
any way, whilst a woman perished in her burning car, following a car accident. He
said himself, that had he had an extinguisher he would have had time to get her
out of the car. Buy a Fire Extinguisher for someone this Christmas - it could be the
present of their lives.
PAGE I 29
TECHNICAL &
TROUBLESHOOTING
ALTERED VALVE TIMING - URAL M63 1970
Rod Knight
Back in 1992 I met the parents of a then-new friend, Bill, who had purchased a
1974 Dnepr MT9 sidecar outfit on my recommendation. I’d gone to visit him to
see if everything was OK with his new acquisition, and to ask whether he’d had
any regrets about launching himself into the sometimes dark, forbidding world of
Russian motorcycle ownership. I’d driven my own MT9 outfit there so that Bill could
make some comparisons, and it was at this time that his Dad - another Bill - made
mention of a bike which was languishing in an old barn in a village some 30 km
north of Toowoomba that looked somewhat similar. Bill (senior) is another keen
motorcyclist, his current mount being a 1985 Moto Guzzi California that I get to ride
occasionally.
The suggestion was made that we both ride up there one day to see this mysterious
machine, but somehow we never got around to it and the weeks and months
passed. It must have been more than a year later that I called in on one of my
occasional visits, arriving just in time to see a shabby, rusty old black motorbike
being wheeled into their garage after having been unloaded from Bill’s ute. It was,
as I suspected, the aforementioned bike from the village and it was a Russian bike
- a Ural M63, in fact.
It was in a dreadful state, and I didn’t think it was worth doing anything with.
However, I did take the trouble to check the rear drive unit to determine which
crown wheel/pinion gearset the bike had been fitted with when it was being
put together in the factory. To my surprise I counted just under four turns of the
driveshaft to one turn of the rear wheel. So it had been blessed with ‘solo’ gearing!
Very few Ural M63s had come to Australia so equipped! With a 1970 build date
stamped on both its frame-mounted dataplate and engine crankcase, this machine
was also one of the first Urals to have been imported.
Bill had purchased the Ural with the intention of getting it running again, and, since
it was missing many of its original parts perhaps build a ‘special’ of some sort. But
the weeks went by without anything happening, and I thought that if I offered to
do some work on one or two components for him I might start the ball rolling. Bill
was more than happy for me to do this, and I was given permission to do whatever
I liked. An old teachest full of greasy bits and pieces (including most of a spare
gearbox) had come with the bike, so I started on these after ferreting out all the
non-Russian stuff.
I won’t bore you with a step by step account of the restoration project as this isn’t
the subject of this article. Suffice to say that I spent the next two years restoring
various components - working on them when time permitted - and eventually
coming to the engine. During this period Bill had the wheel hubs powdercoated and
painted one or two other pieces before losing interest as other, more appealing,
projects came his way.
He asked me if I’d like to buy it. At first I declined, having suffered many less-thanhappy experiences with a 1981 Ural M67 I’d bought new and run for 7 years and
PAGE I 30
67,517 km. I had two Dnepr MT9s I was
very happy with, thank you, - a solo
and a sidecar outfit - and didn’t need to
have an old Ural!
Still, the offer of the M63 haunted me,
as did the persistent Bill!
By now I’d reached the stage where I
could see that, in spite of its dreadful
outward appearance the bike had not
been abused, or damaged in a crash.
The rear drive unit, for example, was
like new inside - as was the gearbox
apart from three of its bearings!
Dismantling the engine confirmed the
bike’s good overall mechanical state.
Apart from rust on the main bearings
and a slightly corroded top ring in the
left cylinder everything was in excellent
condition. Well, almost everything - the
valves and guides weren’t too good, but
that was to be expected.
Eventually I gave in and bought the bike
for $800. Everything that wasn’t already
at my place was promptly loaded into
Bill’s ute and suddenly my back shed
was cluttered with a Ural frame and lots
of other big metal bits.
New ballraces replaced the original
mains, the roller bearing big ends
carefully checked (they were like new)
the cylinders given a light hone to
deglaze them (this also removing the
brown mark where the aforementioned
ring had stuck to the bore), new rings
fitted to the pistons and the bottom end
reassembled. The cylinderheads were
submitted to a local engineering shop
for bead-blasting, to have the valve
guides reclaimed by the fitting of thin
walled bronze inserts (much cheaper
than having the guides replaced) and
valve seats recut. Another Russian
motorcycle-owner friend sold me 4
new valves, the valve spring caps were
remachined and new bottom cups
made to enable the fitting of highquality Jaguar valve springs and the
future of the old M63 was looking very
bright indeed.
During the bike’s restoration I had been
corresponding with yet another friend,
Geoff, who had owned several Ural
M63s during his 20 year association
with Russian motorcycles. He kept
highlighting a problem he’d experienced
with a number of these early models,
namely, the valve timing marks stamped
on the timing gears. (Yes, I’ve finally
come to the subject of this article)! He
insisted that some of them had been
incorrectly marked - ie: one tooth out
on the camshaft gear - giving retarded
valve timing which was anything but
conducive to either performance or
exhaust valve life.
The way to check this, of course, is
with a degree wheel, but first one needs
the correct timing figures - which I
didn’t have. However, I did have a lot of
respect for Geoff’s hard-won knowledge
of Urals. Dneprs too, as he built a much
modified and very clever 780cc Sports
Roadster - complete with 12V electrics
courtesy of a shaft-driven alternator
from a Morris 1500 car - out of an old
MT9 a few years ago. Consequently I
kept his words in mind, although I still
wasn’t sure which way I should go.
In the end I decided to consult an
excellent reference book I have on
engine tuning, written by an A. Graham
Bell (not the chap who invented the
telephone)! His chapter on valve timing
was very informative. In short, it stated
that advancing the cam would improve
bottom end and mid-range power, while
retarding it would decrease power in
the bottom end and mid-range but
may very slightly increase the top
end. Advancing it from between 4
and 8 degrees would show a marked
improvement in mid-range power, with
some decrease in maximum power.
This improvement at low RPM and in
the mid-range apparently comes about
as a result of a decrease in the reverse
pumping action, which raises cylinder
pressure. Because the inlet valve
is being closed earlier, there is less
mixture being pushed back up the inlet
port as the piston moves up on the compression stroke. And because the exhaust
valve is also being closed earlier, there is less chance of the exhaust gas turning
around and being drawn back into the cylinder as the piston descends on the intake
stroke.
When I reinstalled the camshaft (after replacing the two timing gears as the originals
were worn beyond “quiet” limits) I took the plunge and advanced the valve timing
by one tooth on the timing marks, which, in Ural (and Dnepr) engines equates to
7.5 degrees. This meant that, when setting up the ignition timing after replacing the
timing chest cover I had to rotate the points box to the end of its travel in order to
get the timing correct. It was then that I realized that the new gears almost certainly
would have had their marks in the correct places, but I decided to leave things as
they were and see how the engine would run with its ‘new’ timing.
It took nearly two more years to finish restoring the Ural. I had to track down a
number of missing parts, including a front mudguard to replace the aftermarket
plastic one and correct Russian handlebars in lieu of the bent, rusted Harley
‘buckhorn’ bars that a previous owner had fitted. I also had to make up a complete
wiring loom from scratch, but this wasn’t difficult as I simply used the diagram in
my Dnepr MT9 manual as a guide. The strong original ‘sidecar’ springs in the front
forks were replaced with a set of ‘solo’ ones from a later M8.123 model, while I had
a set of softer springs specially made for the rear suspension units.
And what’s it like on the road? In a word - different! It’s different to my previous
Ural, the M67 (and yes, I know the cam lobe profiles are different on the later
engines) and it’s different to my Dnepr MT9. Mr. A Graham Bell’s comments are
spot on. Black Beauty - which I’ve obviously kept - pulls like a train from almost
zero revs and is very torquey at low and medium engine speeds. Being fitted with
the later K63 carburettors it runs cleanly at all speeds and idles beautifully - far
better than my K301-equipped M67 could ever manage! It’s something akin to an
old tractor to ride. I don’t really have to rev it or anything, and it’s so beautifully
docile I can chuff up to most corners in top gear, feather the throttle, negotiate the
bend then pick up speed again without the need to change gears as long as I’m still
travelling at 40 km/h or so. It laughs at steep hills, including the more than 2,000
ft. climb up the Toowoomba Range from the Lockyer Valley below. Yes, I know the
low compression pistons (6.2:1) and heavy flywheel help the engine’s low-speed
tractability, but it’s still markedly better than standard.
Better, that is, until the revs rise to 4,000 RPM or so - where it quite suddenly
loses interest and power begins to fall away. The owner’s manual quotes the M63
as producing 30 HP @ 4,800 - 5,000 RPM, but I don’t think Black Beauty is now
capable of this. It feels as though it could produce 27-28 HP at 4,300 - 4,500 RPM,
but of course I’m guessing. Sidevalve engines have power/torque characteristics
like this, and I’ve always had a soft spot for big sidevalves.
The bike has been back on the road now for seven years or thereabouts, during
which time I’ve run up 15,000 km. Not a great distance, but I do have a lovely old
Dnepr MT9 that I generally (but not always) use for long distance runs, and a 1971
Izhevsk Jupiter 350 I also enjoy riding.
Would I recommend this ‘mod’ to other riders of Russian flat twins? Well, it all
depends on what you want your bike to do. I’m happy riding my M63 at 80-85 km/h
(3,300-3,500 RPM) when out on a long run, and this would be far too slow for most
people. Fortunately for me there are many long, lightly-trafficked country roads in
my area to take advantage of, but I wouldn’t like to be riding it on a busy motorway.
Like the other Russian big bikes, it would benefit from higher overall gearing - or at
least a higher top gear - to make better use of its strong low and mid-range torque.
And because alternative high gear sets are readily available (in Europe, at any rate)
it’s an option I have sometimes considered.
PAGE I 31
TORQUE SENSE
P J Ballard
TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS from THE Ural 750 2003 Manual
NB If you have a Ural manual with torque figures, then use those quoted in the manual.
Metric
US Equivalent
Location on Bike
54 to 61 Nm
40 ft.lb to 45 ft.lb Cylinder heads
237 to 251 Nm
175 ft.lb to 185 ft.lb
Fly wheel tightening screws
19 to 30 Nm
14 ft.lb to 22 ft.lb Top shock absorber
38 to 49 Nm
28 ft.lb to 36 ft.lb Bottom shock absorber
30 to 35 Nm
22 ft.lb to 26 ft.lb Bearing nut
30 to 35 Nm
22 ft.lb to 26 ft.lb Final drive to swing arm bolts
16 to 19 Nm
Oil pump bolt
6.7 to 11 Nm
5 ft.lb to 8 ft.lb Engine sump
14 to 19 Nm
Final drive case nuts
25 to 30 Nm
18 ft.lb to 22 ft.lb Nut fastening the pinion bearing
Patrol, Gear Up rear axle only
68 to 90 Nm
50 ft.lb to 66 ft.lb Nut fastening the pinion bearing
22 to 27 Nm
Reverse gear lever nut
19 to 22 Nm
Alternator gear nut
136 to 163 Nm
Steering stem nut
Standards
It should be noted that the metric
thread system used by the current
bikes and the post WWII Soviet bikes is
NOT quite the same as the current DIN
(Deutsche International Norm - German
International Standard) system. One
big difference is that Urals have a 8mm
diameter thread with a 1.0mm pitch that
is used widely on the bikes; this is not a
metric DIN standard although it is also
used by some Japanese motorcycle
manufacturers. Typically the M8
threads in aluminium alloy castings are
DIN standard M8 with 1.25mm pitch,
but many threads on the exposed
ends of M8 studs and on paired ‘nuts
and bolts’ are M8 ‘fine’ with a pitch of
1.0mm.
If you without such documentation then
consider those quoted below:The torque figures are valid for lightly
lubricated good quality threads, any
increase in lubrication will reduce
the torque to be applied. Based on
PAGE I 32
coefficients of friction µ total of 0.1 The following figures are guidelines only Figures in Nm [Newton metres]
Tightening Torques for Metric Coarse Thread Bolts and Screws
Property class
M4
M5
M6
M8
M10
4.6
1.02
2.00
3.50
8.40
17
5.6
1.37
2.70
4.60
11
22
8.8
3.0
5.9
10
25
49
10.9
4.4
8.7
15
36
72
Tightening Torques for Metric Fine Thread Bolts and Screws
Property class
M8 x 1.00
M10 x 1.00
4.6
7.3
15
8.8
22
43
10.9
30
60
Single carbs
Conversion Figures
To get N.cm from N.m
N.m x 100
To get inch pounds from N.cm
N.cm x 0.08851
To get foot pounds from N.cm
N.cm x 0.00737
To get foot pounds from N.m
N.m x 0.7376
To get kg force.meters from N.m
N.m ÷ 9.81
Property Class Designation - Threaded component Material and
Treatment - Typical Applications
4.6
Low or medium carbon steel - Cycle parts, general fasteners
5.8
Low or medium carbon steel, cold worked - Cycle parts, general fasteners
8.8
Medium carbon steel, quenched and tempered – most engine bolts
10.9
Medium carbon steel, quenched and tempered – 650cc Cylinder head nuts
& probably big end bolts on 650cc Dneprs
Nevals worked with SU Butec to put
a Metro carb on the Dnepr MT10-36.
It was pretty good, it met the USA
emissions requirements and was pretty
economical. I put one on my M66 outfit,
and got 50mpg on most trips including
green laning! BAD NEWS though, on
frosty days the thing always iced up!
The 2CV has a joint inlet/exhaust
manifold to keep the carb warm, but for
good efficiency you want the air going
into the engine to be cold, not warm!
These two creations look to be very well
done. The one on the K750 seems to
use a standard K63 carb (I may well be
wrong) and a nice cast manifold - very
neat!
Definition
Torque is the twisting moment. It is calculated by multiplying the force applied by
the distance at which it is applied. A mass acted on by gravity generates a force.
Thus 1.0 kg under gravity of 9.81 m/sec/sec = 9.81 N (Newtons). Thus a torque
in the metric system is force multiplied by distance, thus Newtons multiplied by
metres, this is written as Nm or N.m, and not N/m (and not N/m or feet per pound
or kg per meter etc)!
Sidecar suspension
height adjustment
The correct ‘lean-out’ of the bike is
essential to maintain hands off in a
straight line. However as you load up an
outfit with gear or crew the amount of
lean-out can change significantly, this
can be adjusted back by adjusting the
preload of the suspension units - how
do you get a ‘C’ spanner in between the
sidecar body and the unit?
can be used to adjust the height of the
top of the suspension unit. Note also
the disc brake still to be fitted with a
caliper.
The one on the late 650cc Ural seems
to be a car carburettor, I know not
which! The tubes seem to be from tube,
formed and welded to suit, also very
nice.
This modification seems to show a
hydraulic pump and a cylinder that
FRONT REAR DRIVE URAL
This device was attached to the front of
a rather basic hand made motorcycle.
I have been working on a set up with
a down draft carb from a 602cc 2CV
attached to the aircleaner base on
the gearbox and then fed to the carbs
through suitable tubes. Will be neat and
give lots of room for the feet, but not
sure how it will go though!
PAGE I 33
TIMING BELT
Here is another home conceived
method to drive the generator, cam
shaft, and it looks like a starter motor.
KMZ front brakes
The KMZ K750 has short leading link forks, I like these – they have short travel
but are great on normal roads. The brake plate pivots on the axle and the brake
plate then pull through a link attached to the fork leg. The link is on rubber bushes
and prevent the swinging arm riding up under braking as on the little Honda C50
machines.
You will also see the brake cable going in the top for the cam and the adjustable
pivot for the other ends of the shoes. The MT9 brake owes a lot to this, but of
course reacted against the telescopic fork leg instead.
I did not manage to find such a brake for my 1951 IMZ M72 which has the later
KMZ front forks, so with significant help from Frank Cropp a sidecar brake from a
Dnepr was mounted in place. A steel plate is attached to brake plate and reacts
through the same fixing on the fork leg. (Aside – it was noted by Frank that the fork
assembly weighted more then his Minsk125!). This brake works well which is good
since the bike is heavy and goes very well – thanks Frank.
Three Cartu-Motorrad cartoons
PAGE I 34
M72 PLATE HEADS
INTERESTING OUTFITS
There are variants in the cylinder
head designs. Certainly the later
K750s, the MT12 and the MB750
(Two wheel drive) had a cylinder
head with open fins, however the
early K750 had a more enclosed
finning design. This may have kept
mud and dirt out of the fins, but
was in time dispensed with.
I wonder if this is Russia’s equivalent
of the Carol Nash Breakdown Service
below? The other pictures show
ununsual cominations from the past.
Twin Wheel drive
excessive tyre wear on the rear.
This is an alternative twin wheel drive.
The bike is probably a pre 1970’s
BMW R69S. The owner has obviously
widened the frame by a few inches, the
mudguard is not as stylish as it could
be, but I like the twin pipe silencer
between the bike and the sidecar.
Many years ago there was a Brough
with an ‘Austin 7’ engine that also had
win rear wheels, must help with an
outfit on loose surfaces and reduce
PAGE I 35
POWERING THE ZIMBABWEAN QUEEN
Alan Summerill - a recollection by a ship’s engineer
There was I, comfortable in my rural residence in South Gloucestershire, complete
with wife, 2.4 (?) children and dog. When I opened my eyes I found myself living
alone in a tin shack in a Black township in Zimbabwe. Quite a metamorphosis!
One day I was approached and was asked to assist with a fishing co-operative
on a local lake. It seemed they needed assistance as they were in dire financial
straits (so was I), and all their equipment needed upgrading or replacing. Their boat
resembled a cross between ‘the African Queen’ and the Kon-Tiki – though older.
Stepping into six inches of water and lifting the ‘engine cover’ revealed a heap
of stones. Even with 15 years service in the Navy I could see problems ahead.
“The stones are for ballast”, I was informed. “The engine doesn’t work so we
removed it”. Also, when not if the boat starts sinking we can easily throw the stones
overboard! Just out of curiosity I enquired where the engine had gone and was
shown a pile of firewood – no it hadn’t been sacrificed, simply buried and forgotten.
Forty five minutes later all was revealed - an ancient Dnieper engine in ‘kit’ form,
just needing a clean and reassembly – I was sold!
Well from a distance it did appear complete and after several hours with a yard
broom didn’t look too bad, (although it still smelt of fish) so it was all thrown into
the back of the truck and taken home for a closer inspection and hopeful rebuild.
Both pistons cracked (nothing new there then), no circlips for the gudgeon pins,
just about every thread crossed or stripped, only one carb’ off a Morris Minor I think
and an ancient dynamo probably from the same source mounted backwards on top
of the gearbox and which I later found to be belt driven by the propeller shaft; oh
and the proverbial box of ‘spares’ resembling that which an autojumbler might have
thrown away.
Fortunately I do have a large supply of ‘Passap’ knitting machine spares – many
of which came in very useful, and eventually it all nearly fitted together. My limited
supply of tools including chainsaw and flame thrower meant that I left the gearbox
well alone.
The finished effect was quite nice; the exhaust pipes joining into a very smart 2 into
1 system rising vertically over the engine and supporting an ancient leaking ‘Jerry
Can’ for fuel.
Turning the engine over revealed beautiful fat blue sparks, at the points, and not a
lot at the plugs, but who dares wins so it was decided to replace the beast back
into the boat and see what happens.
It took four men and a lot of effort but everything seemed to line up – if a little off
centre. Even the rudder appeared from the chicken run where it had been used as a
door. The said four men all leapt into the vessel and looked at me as I attempted to
kick start the beast. Two hours later and with an almost flat battery, the fuel vapour
which had been collecting in the vertical exhaust stack ignited with an almighty
roar and a sheet of flame came precariously close to the leaking fuel tank, then the
engine came to life and eventually settled to a rattling uneven tickover – reputation
saved!
So engage gear with a load crunch and release the ‘suicide’ clutch (another er…….
modification) and away we don’t go…. A few more revs and still nothing – ah.
Thinks perhaps the propeller is spinning in reverse so now actually selecting reverse
with an even louder crunch, try again. Most strange, the prop shaft is turning
spraying me with water from the badly leaking stern gland, so why doesn’t the boat
move …. Yep… no propeller!
PAGE I 36
The story continues….
As well as several edible types of fish,
the lake is also home to a small herd
of hippos and a rather large species of
freshwater crocodile – none of which
I wished to become familiar with. So
the boat had to come out of the water
to measure and make, with the help of
a local wood carver, a propeller. I also
tried repacking the stern gland with
banana skins.
Three weeks later we were ready to try
again; whilst waiting I had managed to
fine tune the old Dnieper to the point
where it would easily start on the 72nd
kick and almost run as smooth as a
stone crusher. One problem that had
occurred to me was how to keep the
engine cooled, but it soon became
obvious that with 6 inches of water in
the bottom of the boat the sump was
submerged and thus the oil was cooled.
Another few inches and both barrels
were also kept cool.
I later discovered that the fishermen
assisted engine cooling by roasting
their catch on the cylinder barrels.
Problems so far are fortunately few,
the sides of the boat are very close
to the cylinder heads so any work will
involve engine removal again. Fuel
consumption is minimal due to low
revs, normally just over stalling speed is
sufficient, too much throttle just causes
the whole boat to vibrate in a most
alarming way. The dynamo doesn’t
work and it is important to always take
the oars with us……as we have found
to our cost.
Draining the oil is now impossible but
with to total loss system fitted, not a
problem.
So there we are, probably the only
motor fishing boat in the world powered
by Dnieper.
Now if I could only find the rest of the
bike, and if it was an outfit. Perhaps I
could use it for ploughing…we still use
oxen here! Watch this space!
LIVING WITH K301S AND OTHER THINGS
Phil Hardcastle
It has to be said that back in the 1970s
and 80s when you bought a Ural or
Dnieper, usually in bits, the first things
consigned to the unusable heap were
the K301s. This was because by the
time they ended up in your possession
they were usually the cause of the bike
being sold in the first place.
For some reason best known to myself
years ago, I had kept a pair of K301s.
Digging them out of hibernation I found
that I was in possession of 1.3/4 K301s.
The slide in these carbs is in two
pieces, back and front, allowing very
easy needle positioning. The front of
one was missing so undeterred, I made
one. Next was the re-tapping of all the
threads because most of the bolts were
either the wrong length, wrong thread
and as mentioned above there was the
ubiquitous self-tapper. Next, attention
to the flanges. When the two carb
flanges were placed face to face you
could pass a fifty pence piece through
the middle! The reason these flanges
became so bent is, I think, because
of the original heat insulating washers
being made of compressible material
(a bit like Balsa wood!). As the carb
bolts were tighten the washers were
compressed at the edges but not in
the middle, hence bent flanges. So, the
flanges were made flat again and Tufnol
insulating washers made.
The carbs were duly fitted and cables
connected and set to equal lengths
such that the two slides started off in
the same place, the bottom. Starting
the bike was no problem but trying
to see through the black smoke with
smarting eyes was! Try again with both
needles in their bottom position, no
difference. One cylinder then stopped
firing because the plug was sooted up
and just as I was thinking what would
happen if enough soot fell off to allow
just one spark to ignite the mixture in
the cylinder to allow very hot gases
into the exhaust pipe full of unburnt
gases.......it did. My, what a bang. The
garage windows survived nevertheless!
Using the dimensions in the Autumn
2005 magazine, page 37 I made two
new pilot jets. The jet size of 2.6mm is critical and should only be done with a brand
new drill. Unless the point is absolutely dead centre it will drill a bigger hole than
2.6mm. You can guess by now that black smoke ensued again. Two more jets made
this time using a brand new 2.5mm drill. The bike, now, would only start and run
with the air filter restricter half shut. I actually set the carbs up like this and bike
runs very well with performance being good throughout the speed range.
It has been in these pages before but it is essential that you inform your insurer
of any alteration to your bike. Having owned my present bike for 19 years, it has
been in the same state for most of that time until last year when I decided it was
time to put it back on the road after 5 years off. I bought the original bike from
Peter Ballard in 1987 but as you have read before, it has changed a bit. I put on the
road originally with a left hand sidecar and until I took it off the road 5 years ago
it still had a lefthand sidecar. Cutting a long story short I bought, again via Peter,
a complete right hand chair. Strangely, even the colour was right! As the bike was
made in 1972 I was able to fit this chair to the bike, legally.
Being a little unsure as to the set up of a left hand drive outfit I looked in the old
club magazines for clues but there are precious few, tons for right hand drive but
virtually nothing for left hand drive. I set it up with 10mm toe in on the sidecar with
the bike leaning away ‘a bit’ as a starting point. It seemed fine when I went for the
MOT, I went a long way round to take in all sorts of roads. In fact it felt good.
Later, much later actually, after winter but that’s another story, I was going out of
the village when more or less without warning the outfit went left off the road onto
the grass verge towards a ditch. Happily, at that very point the grass verge ended
and the pavement started so I steered back onto the road. It felt for all the world
like a rear tyre puncture, but it wasn’t. I carried on, feeling a little nervous of course.
All was well for a while but coming into the village from another direction one day
it happened again. Luck was again with me as the dry stone wall I was heading
for ended so back onto the road I steered and without stopping carried on home.
On reflection, both instances occurred because the sidecar wheel hit a bump in
the road. However, I journeyed to a local vehicle show one Saturday and used all
the back roads, which should have been enjoyable but was certainly not. It felt like
being on roller skates on a 30-degree slope in a strong wind, on ice. 30mph was the
maximum believe me!
Drastic action called for. Past experience with left hand sidecars showed that solo
they were great, but put a passenger in and the whole plot leans the wrong way and
starts:
}Breaking rear wheel spokes.
}Pulling to the right all the time; to the extent of the right hand twist grip rubber
coming off!
Answer: Spring the body, not the chassis. This I now did on my right hand
chassis, replacing the suspension unit with an adjustable link. I have set it so
that I can just remove the wheel without it fouling the mudguard. Next, set the
bike so that with me sitting on it, the bike is vertical. The outfit is now absolutely
marvellous, an unbelievable transformation. With a passenger (Not easy to find with
a right hand chair) the handling is the same as riding solo.
Looking again through old C.O.C. magazines (From the 1970s) I came across a
letter from a club member saying that the handling of his outfit with right hand chair
was transformed when he reset the whole plot with the bike vertical with him sitting
on it. The answer is out there somewhere whatever the problem!
PAGE I 37
COSSACK
BIKING NEWS
RACING & EASTERN BLOCK BIKES
P J Ballard
Supercharged M35
I have little information on this, but this
is what I gather.
The supercharger is driven through
a clutch from the front end of the
crankshaft. Thus the supercharger
can be brought in by the rider when
a extra power is needed to get past a
competitor.
The supercharger sucked in air through
the carburettor, then compressed it
before forcing it into the inlet ports.
This seems to be an interlocking vane
type compressor that needs to run a
high speed to be effective – but it must
have been wonderful to ride.
This is similar to the vintage Mercedes
Benz Kompressor cars, when the
supercharger was engaged, the boost
was very significant and the scream of
the compressor vanes would make the
hairs on the back of your neck stand on
end. The extra boost was so great that
the supercharger could not be used for
more than a few seconds, the same no
doubt for the M35.
Racing Minsk
Back in 2004, there was a chap up in
the NE who had bought a racing Minsk
from somebody who had got it from
Neval Motorcycles, plus one in spares.
Both were 1979, well in the period when
Nevals were importing Minsks whilst
SATRA were importing Urals, Dneprs,
Jupiters, Planeta Sports, Voskhods and
other such delights.
The frame numbers of these two Minsks
were consecutive at 105 and 106. The
low numbers seem to imply that these
were part of a low volume production
run of race bikes rather than modified
road bikes. When you look closely there
is ‘216’ stamped over the original model
designation.
The owner was convinced that the
PAGE I 38
There is a strong history within the IMZ
(Irbit Motor Zavod) Ural motor Works
of road racing, both solos and with
sidecars. You can see photos of these
bikes on the following page.
There are enthusiasts, often from
Germany, who bring road going Urals
up to vintage racing standards to
scare the BMWs. Here are a couple of
pictures of a 1960’s 650cc Ural M63
and a 1956 750cc M72 built into quite
respectable vintage racing outfits.
The M63 is quite significantly a
‘special’, but looks very nicely put
together, the wheel hubs are Ukrainian
Dnepr but I wonder how much else of
the frame and running gear is Russian.
You can see though the M72 is running
a set of leading link forks.
bike had been put together in the UK
by Nevals rather than by the Minsk
factory, and hence he was selling them
as Nevals. I thought about buying them,
but decided in the end not to, my 6’ 1”
frame might be a bit long.
I contacted the Minsk factory, but
they would not help identify the bike. I
am sure that it was not assembled by
Nevals, but is a genuine racing Minsk.
The front brake and forks look standard,
but a lot else looks special.
The owner has decided to change all
the original Soviet nuts and bolts with
stainless items, what a way to treat a
Vintage bike! I bet he threw away all
the rubbish old nuts and bolts! Back
in 1958, the Minsk factory were making
their bikes quick with streamlining!
[1958-racing Minsk]
SOVIET FLAT TWIN ROAD RACING
P J Ballard
M35 - 350cc
IMZ M35-S ~
~ M35K
| M35
M52 and M53 – 500cc
URAL M52-C ~
URAL M52-S ~
IMZ M-53-S ~
M75 – 750cc
URAL M75 RIGHT ~
URAL M75 ENGINE }
M75 CORNERING }}
M76A – 820cc
M76A ~
URAL M63 650cc - 1960s ~
URAL M72 750cc - 1956 }
PAGE I 39
ICE RACING
P J Ballard
Whether this is done with standard tyres
or tyres fitted with long spikes it all
seems rather weird to me, and perhaps
some may say a little dangerous
particularly from competitors coming up
your inside, so to speak!
In Moto, the Russian bike magazine,
is a picture of a hero of motorsport, he
used to ride M72 solos in road races
which is tough enough, but also rode
what looks to be a ISH 350 on ice or
snow. }
Serious ice racers nowadays use what
are I suppose speedway or grasstrack
bikes, but here is a picture of a Ural
M35 being used in anger, good
technique with the leg trailing and
throttle wound on. The M35 was around
in the 1950s and here is a photo of a
racing M35 and a line drawing from the
manual.
Specification 350cc, 20bhp at 6000rpm
Back in the 1980s was the Planeta
based purpose designed ice race bike
PAGE I 40
from Ishevsk, using the 340cc two
stroke engine.
OFF ROAD MOTORCYCLE SPORT
P J Ballard
There is a long history of motorcycle
sport in the USSR and latterly in
Russia. This article shows some of the
machines used, from schoolboy events
up to heavy sidecar events for real men.
The ISH 350c was the factory produced
off orad machine used in both ISDT/
Enduro and moto cross.
THE LITTLE’UNS
Both the Minsk factory in Belarus and
the Kovrov factory in Russia have
produced off road motorcycles. Minsk
also made many road racing bikes,
but those are covered elsewhere.
Neville Mason of Neval Motorcycles
(of Hull) and later of Regent (south of
the Humber) worked with the Soviet
manufacturers. After his success in
grasstrack with the KMZ Dnepr Wasp
outfit, he worked with the Minsk factory
to produce a twin shock trials version of
the Minsk.
THE MIDDLE’UNS
There is no difference between ISH
and IZH it depends on the translation
from cyrillic. Most of these machines
are 350cc ISH bikes, currently well
known for their Planeta and Jupiter
models. ISH has a strong background in
motorcycle sport, far more than the Ural
or Dnepr models.
This is either a well restored Planeta or
a recreated one, in either case it is quite
an attractive machine.
He had already played around with
a trials version of the 340cc Planeta
Sport, but that was really as a one off.
In the 1980s ISH produced the K16 as
the motocross version of the Planeta
Sport.
These machines were aimed at the
UK trials class that required twin rear
suspension units and not the more
effective modern mono-shock. Thus
there was a market in the UK for a
cheap trials bike for the novices to train
on. In the next column is what I believe
a factory trials version.
ISH also produced some bigger
little’uns’ around 125cc, but I know little.
4 speed was based on the DKW NZ350)
was well suited to off road competition,
here is an advert that encourages
prospective owners to buy one based
on off road sport success.
THE BIG’UNS
Both the Russian IMZ with the Urals
and the Ukrainian KMZ with the Dneprs
PAGE I 41
developed off road sidecar and solo
machines for enduro, moto-cross and in
the UK grass track. Originally the Ural
machines were based on the 750cc
SV M72, these were heavy beats, but
were tough. Typically the stripped down
M72K was used with the high front
mudguard and the external lever type
friction dampers to try to control the
rear plunger suspension.
Later as the 650cc OHV Urals were
developed these were used instead.
These were lighter and produced
more power. But there was an off road
solo Ural built, very much along the
lines of the BMWs. This looks to be
a M61, since it has the plunger rear
suspension. This Ural produced 28bhp
as a factory produced competition
machine.
and leading arm fron suspension that
was a lot better.
The COC AGM entourage was invited to
the Popham Sidecar rally that had been
organised by the Brothers Grim (Bill &
Chris Northcote). The weather was a
bit misty in the morning but cleared up
and got nice and warm.
The KMZ factory produced some nice
motocross outfits, one was ridden in
grasstrack events with a right hand
Wasp sidecar (Now converted to left
side bay Wasp and under the control of
Chris Northcote).
Avoid the A303 to get there. There are
several routes that take you through
the unspoilt country lanes of Wiltshire
and Hampshire - a much more pleasant
ride with numerous pubs and watering
holes.
Since the demise of the original Little
Chef chain, all the Little Chefs on the
Eastbound 303 have now closed apart
from the one at Countess Services.
The site is huge and a bit confusing
- it can be a little alarming getting in,
as you appear to ride over the main
runway for the numerous small aircraft
using the airfield. The facilities are
excellent with a cafe and refreshments
and decent loos. There were lots of
interesting outfits there too, some no
doubt very quick and others extremely
luxurious.
The COC contingent was small but
enthusiastic. Chris Smiths’ family
members and friends demonstrated the
ability to do left hand turns on an outfit
but struggled with right handers, all
good fun until the fuel ran out.
Even the late 1980s, the IMZ 8 series
was put into service as the basis for a
motocross outfit, front drum brake and
all!
In the final years the KMZ factory
produced a prototype ‘Enduro’
machine, perhaps more suited to the
long distance desert racers, but it must
have been a beast
PAGE I 42
Dave Cox
The COC AGM at Popham Airfield held
in September 2006.
These were 750cc engines with
similarities to the ‘Escort’ police bikes.
The IMZ also started to produce a
750cc Ural for competition, this was
very much based on the 650cc engine
and not that related to the current
750cc engines. These originally had
drum front brakes, but later the disc
POPHAM 2006
Although the minutes will be published
soon hopefully, there was nothing
terribly exciting decided. The biggest
changes are perhaps:
}
Next year’s rally dates are now fixed
and published. Instead of a ‘Rally
Coordinator’ we intend to publish
the dates frequently, on our website
and on a Cossack Website being
pulled together by Kevin.
}
The COC website is being reviewed
with new graphics by Dave Cox and
the ability to add news as required.
URALS AROUND THE WORLD
P J Ballard
AFGANISTAN
When the Soviet Army attempted to
control Afghanistan by supporting
the communist president against the
Mujahadeen they took many Soviet
vehicles with them including Ural and
Dnepr outfits.
The Russians pulled out of Afghanistan
allowing Osama Bin Laden, (backed
by the USA) to gain power with the
Taliban. The photo of the Dnepr outfit
running through the streets was in many
Newspapers and the COC used it on
its front cover. I have since found the
original in a German paper.
IRAQ
Urals abound in Iraq and are used for
every use imaginable, military, police,
taxis etc.
RUSSIA & IRAN
A taxi rank with a difference,
somewhere in the formerUSSR.
Why bother with a car, when you can
get the entire family on a bike? This
second photo was taken in Iran.
PAGE I 43
KNOW YOUR BIKES
P J Ballard
The origins of the ISH 350cc
twin
The Ish 350cc single with twin exhaust
port has very close associations with
the DKW NZ350, indeed the Ish was
developed from the DKW.
There are no direct ancestors of the
350cc twin, but many that lent ideas.
The nearest probably is the 1956 DKW
RT350, which was a very nice machine
in a pressed steel Germanic sort of way.
The Russians seemed to have a way
of destroying the practical elegance of
German design and styling to produce
a similarly robust machine, but one
that does not quite hang together as
a whole. Maybe the Soviet idea of
aesthetics was different from Europe or
maybe they just wanted to produce a
different style – who knows.
m series urals
Photograhs - from left to right
TOP ROW
M52
M53
MIDDLE ROW
M62
M63
BOTTOM ROW
M65
M66
M67
PAGE I 44
649
3.5
1450
Fuel consumption per 100km at
specified km/hr with sidecar
Wheel base [mm]
SLS
1440
N/A
95
N/A
320
noteS - M53, motor taken without licence from BMW R51/2 (1950), R51/3 (1951-54) or R50 (1955-69).
125
N/A
185
N/A
Top Speed km/hr solo
With sidecar
Load max [kg] solo
With sidecar
Dry Weight [kg] solo
With sidecar
SLS
SLS
SLS
Front Brake
SLS
PP-302
Oil bath
Regulator
Oil bath
65watt 6V
Oil bath
Generator
Oil bath
Oil bath
Swing arm
Air filter
Plunger
Swinging arm
Rear suspension
Plunger
Telescopic
Telescopic New design
Telescopic
Front fork
Telescopic
3000-3500
4800-5200
RPM for max torque
4800-5200
4.5kg.m
4800-5200
Torque [Nm]
5600
4900
28
649
IMZ
RPM for max power
28
649
IMZ
1965 - 1968
28
28
496
IMZ
1960s
M63
25
496
Capacity
IMZ
1950s
M62
Power BHP
IMZ
Factory
1958->
M61
6.5:1
1958
Year
M53
Compression Ratio
M52
Model
Model developMentS of civilian 500cc & 650cc Ural MotorcycleS Up to iMZ 8-XXX SerieS
1440
5.8
125
105
N/A
320
SLS
PP-302
65 watt 6V
Oil bath
Swing arm
Telescopic
4200
4.5kg.m
5300
32 (35DIN)
7:1
649
IMZ
1968-1970
M66
1440
N/A
105
N/A
330
TLS
PP-330
150watt 12V
Oil bath
Swing arm
Telescopic
4200
4.5kg.m
5400-5800
36
7:1
649
IMZ
1973-1976
M67
1440
130
105
TLS
PP-330
150watt 12V
New oil bath
Swing arm
Telescopic
36
7:1
649
IMZ
1976-1995?
M67 - 36
8:1 & others
649 to 750
1995-now
iMZ 8 SerieS
Ural 500cc and 650cc Model Specification SheetS
The following specification tables should be treated as ‘live’ documents, they will be completed as data is made available; although efforts have been made to ensure accuracy in the
data it is difficult to guarantee it. They are intended to concentrate on model & number, place of manufacture, years of manufacture & brief details.
PAGE I 45
SOVIET M31 & EAST GERMAN AWO / EMW
P J Ballard
The Soviet M31 to me is one of those
really odd and rare bikes that needs
further research. I am not even sure it is
a Ural!?
After too much wine and with a bad
back it is quite possible that a single
cylinder Ural could be dreamt of; simply
chop off one cylinder, put the other one
on the top, keep the transmission and
cycle parts and there you have a 325cc
15bhp bike weighting 400lbs, that
should go well then, look at how many
survived! But where did it come from?
A little light history
After the WWII had eventually burnt
itself out, in 1945 EMW (Eisenach
Motor Works) was set up in the new
GDR (German Democratic Republic
– East Germany to most of us) in the
Dixi-BMW factory to mainly build
copies of the prewar 1934 BMW
singles. Remember the BMW Dixi was a
licensed copy of the ‘Austin Seven’.
Then in 1949, also in the GDR, a
company called AWO was set up in
the former Simson-Supra car factory in
Suhl Thuringia. They mainly produced
OHV singles similar to the BMW
singles. They did produce some quite
quick DOHC singles for racing. AWO
produced a 425cc single that has some
interesting similarities to the M31.
Note the last BMWs, like those that
went to Russia, used a stamped BMW
logo on the tank to save money, and the
EMW used a similar method.
Also of interest, AWO also produced a
750cc OHV flat twin developed from the
BMW R75 ‘War Horse’. This is where I
get confused, this AWO, had EMW on
its tank, so I presume these companies
were very close in reality. The AWO/
EMW 750cc (700cc ?) engine had an
interesting twist. The cylinders were not
quite opposing, there was a 6Oangle
off the horizontal, have a look at the
photo! What a wonderful complication,
I suppose it gave a bit more ground
clearance, but what the heck! I don’t
think it ever went into production, which
is a shame
BMW R75 examples and spares were
given to the Soviets in 1946, after
the Soviets restarted production in
1945 to get the technology. This must
have been passed to the GDR. What
happened then? Well the Russians
continued to build the ancient M72 that
was the last sidevalve that the BMW
engineers ever wanted to set their eyes
on in 1938! The Russians ignored the
R75 technology for road and military
bikes, instead used some of it in their
race bikes. Refer also to:
de/bmwenglisch/bmwe2.htmto
Development of BMW R75
Back to the BMW R75 main page
http://www.wehrmachtsgespann
PAGE I 46
1937 to 1940
• Construction of the heavy weight
bike
1941
• Delivery of the first BMW R75 750
001
• Final development to production
stage
• Edition of the first manual R75,
D605/5
• Leading brake cable of the front
brake is omitted 750 100
• Tuning of the front brake is changed
750 101
• Opening to fill in the oil is
transferred from the housing to the
intermediate housing 751 592
• Camshaft is changed 750 601
• Shift fork of the lock is reinforced
751 301
• Brake pedal is reinforced 751 301
• Shifting segment spring is
reinforced 752 350
• Gear shift sleeve is reinforced
• The toe in is changed (0 up to 10
mm)
• Edition of the first spare parts list
(without D No.) 12
1943
• Clutch springs reinforced
• Engine fan filter changed
• Delivery of the BMW R75 765 281
• Second edition of the repair manual
• Edition of a comparative list of the
same parts for KS 750 and R 75
• Short edition of - Repair of
Transmission
1946
• First reparation delivery of 8 BMW
R75 to Russia 770 000
• Last BMW R75 is produced out of
the remaining parts and delivered
to Russia
• In total another 98 R75’s were
produced 770 097
• Production of 10 Sets spare parts
for overhauling of each of 150 BMW
R75
07/41
02/41
08/41
08/41
12/41
01/43
02/43
10/43
11/43
11/43
12/43
01/46
06/46
09/46
09/46
1942
• Step-up of the of the differential crown
wheel is changed from 12:31 to 12:33
754 056
• The hardening of the push rods is
improved 754 263
• Sealing of the rocker arm brackets is
changed 754 263
• Edition of the second manual and
spare parts list
• Delivery of the bike with the no. 754
526 31.03.42
• Manual shift segment with fixed
distance bush 754 541
• The bearing cap for camshaft is
changed 755 000
• The magneto cogged wheel is reduced
from 15 to 14 mm 755 000
• Foot change control reinforced 755
040
• Bearing cap of the rear camshaft
improved now with 8 mm bolts
• Edition of the first repair manual for
R 75
• Lubricating instructions changed
• Carburetor adjustment changed
• Steering adjusted
• Gear shift spindle now with continuous
groove
• Bigger metal heat guards for
carburetor
• Rocker arm changed from needle
bearing to metal groove
• Until now only Veigel- from now
on also VDO speedometer (tropical
version)
• Saddle spring wire thickness changed
to a softer version
• The last R75 is produced in Munich
chassis-no. 756 000
• Cylinder guard is fitted in front of the
left cylinder 756 001
• The second repair manual is published
• The front and rear bolts are elongated
• The first 200 R75’s are delivered from
Eisenach 756 001 756
• Brake light and sidecar rear light are
omitted 756 522
• Transmission air filter is replaced by
fuel air filter 757 201
• Transmission ventilation is adjusted
757 201
1944
• Delivery of the BMW R75 767 635
• Air raid on the factory. Time: 12.00
o’clock 10 hits of which 2 direct hits
o’clock 65 hit of which 11 direct hits
o’clock 5 hit of which 0 direct hits
• News form of the factory in Eisenach
that production has ceased 18.10.44
02/42
03/42
04/42
05/42
05/42
05/42
05/42
05/42
05/42
05/42
05/42
05/42
06/42
06/42
06/42
06/42
07/42
03/44
07/44
09/44
09/44
10/44
• Ignition plugs heat value is
changed from 225 to 175
• The detent nozzle spring of the of
the starter is reinforced
• Pressure-proof oil sealing rings
are fitted in the telefork
• Front fork ventilation changed
757 250
• Wrecking hook omitted 758 001
• Heating unit omitted 758 001
• Inscription on the mudguard with
axle pressure and dimensions
758 001
• Front kick stand changed 758
356
• Front mudguard changed 758
600
• Leather saddle bags are replaced
by metal ones
• Oil change interval is lengthened
• Second edition of the manual
• Edition of loose leaves technical
data BMW
• Outlet and inlet valves now in
different materials
• Second edition of the spare parts
list (Edition B)
• The last BMW R75 produced in
1942 759 007
• Leaf spring holder now welded at
the sidecar 759 050
• Retainer screw for battery
changed 759 580
• Left pillion foot rest put higher
760 704
• Front number plate is omitted
760 800
• Right pillion foot rest put lower
761 001
• Back mudguard made narrower
761 250
• Brake anchor plate of the sidecar
drive now in cast steel 761 504
• Valve cover of steel sheet 761
851
• Telefork now with rubber bellows
762 260
• Control arm housing of cast steel
762 337
• Connection cover rear axle drive
now in cast steel 762 337
1945
• Air raid on the factory. Time:
12.30 o’clock - 8 hits of which
no direct hits
• American troops occupy the
factory. 60% of it is destroyed.
• Russian troops occupy the
factory (Russian Zone)
• The BMW factory in Eisenach is
confiscated from the County of
Thüringen
• Command No. 93 from Marshal
Schukow orders the start up of
production
09/42
09/42
09/42
09/42
09/42
11/42
11/42
12/42
02/45
04/45
07/45
09/45
10/45
This information has been taken
from the following book.
The Wehrmachtsgespann
BMW R75 - Documents,
drawings and photos.
PAGE I 47
Ural M73
Back in the 1980s we were making do
with 650cc Ural M67 models, which
were only skightly above the M66 a
decade before, then IMZ designed a
750cc prototype. It owed a lot to the
current then Urals, but it was a very
different machine.
It would I am sure have sold well, but I
suspect that there was little money to
develop it any further and of course the
650cc machines were still selling.
Riga 50cc racing
There was a factory in Riga, the capital
of Latvia, that made a range of 50cc
road going mopeds. Note the open
toed sandals and flat back tyre! The
factory also made competition bikes for
schoolboy motocross and national road
racing!
Here are a couple of photos of the standard models. In the front is the MX bike,
at the rear a standard road bike and on the right a 45cc motor assisted bicycle,
mmmmmm nice!
Here are views of schoolboy motocross, they seem to be going for it! This is the
start of a 50cc road race with a view of one of the bikes.
PAGE I 48
COSSACKS OWNERS CLUB REGALIA
David Cox
Greetings all
Winter is here. Winter comes all too quickly every year, gone are the warm days of the summer sun and the cool wet due on the
grass in the early morning as you climb out of your tent. This is now replaced with howling winds and thick mud if you’re mad
enough to go camping this time of year. Me, I’m warm indoors, and here’s the punch-line (with my nice warm Cossack Owners
Sweat Shirt on keeping out the winter cold). You too could have a nice warm COC sweat shirt.
OLD STYLE T-SHIRT
The old styles of tee shirts are gradually being reduced, but are still available.
£5.00 each
Colours – Black – Blue – Burgundy Red
Sizes – Small - Medium – Large – Extra Large – Really Large
NEW STYLE T-SHIRT
I have gradually built a small stock of the popular sizes of T-shirt and in all colours.
£8.75 each
Sizes – Medium – Large – Extra Large – Really Large
POLO SHIRT
As with the T-shirts I have built a small stock of the normal sizes.
£12.20 each
Logo - Normal COC or Star
SWEAT SHIRT & HOODED SWEAT SHIRT
We can offer both normal and hooded sweat shirts in the colours and sizes shown
below. These are exceptionally warm in winter.
£16.00 each
HALF ZIP FLEECES & FULL ZIP FLEECES
Both types of fleece are very warm and comfortable for a single layer jacket. They
are mostly on an order basis as I normally do not stock too many of these.
£20.00
PAGE I 49
HATS
The Woolly Hat is the knitted type again and you can have either logo on it. They will
come with the standard club logo, so if you want the Star logo, please ask.
One size fits all.
£5.50 each
Colours - Black - Blue
BASEBALL CAPS
These are the normal baseball caps and you can have either logo on it. They will
come with the standard club logo, so if you want the Star logo, please ask.
£6.10 each
Colours - Black - Black with Red Peak
CLOTH BADGES
A popular cloth badge is the COC Star Logo Cloth Badge.
£3.00 each
ROUND CLOTH BADGES
As always there is a supply of round COC Cloth Badges in stock .
£3.00 each
Ural ROUND Tank LOGO
£1.00 each
Dnepr ROUND Tank LOGO
£1.00 each
Dnepr Gold Tank sticker
0.70p each
ural Gold Tank sticker
0.70p each
MANUALS
PAGE I 50
There are a still a selection of manuals available but the stock has reduced
considerably. Most of the 4-stroke manuals have gone but there are a few for
MT10.36 & Ural M67. There are of course 2-stroke manuals available.
COC KEY RING
The Key Rings have proved popular and seems to be a ‘must have’; these are
basically leather with a metal disc which will have COC logo enamelled on.
£4.50 each
Golf sized umbrella
Black with the COC logo on 2 panels and Navy and White with the COC logo on 2
panels, but if other colours are required a separate order will be needed. Ideal for
rallies ‘just in case’ it rains!
£18.50 each plus postage of £2.20
You can order regalia by phone, email or snail mail, but please, please do call me before 9pm. Contact me first if you are
unsure of any item or price or want to check an item is in stock. NOTE: When sending an order, please ensure you give me a
current contact telephone number.
Mr Dave Cox Regalia Secretary
SnailMail: Tanglewood, Romsey Road, Whiteparish, Wiltshire SP5 2SD
Tel: 01794 884 492
eMail: Dave@russianmotorcycles.co.uk
ROAD TO HELL!
From englishrussia. com - take a look
it’s brilliant!
This is the Russian Federal highway
Moscow City - Yakutsk City, named
‘Lena’. Nowadays. the road doesn’t
have asfalt surface, though it is a vital
federal highway.
Everytime it rains the road gets
paralised; these shots are made a few
days before the traffic jam for 600
cars got stuck there. Hunger and lack
of the fuel followed, according to the
witnesses. One woman gave born to
a child right in the public bus she was
riding.
Construction team are afraid to appear
on site because during their previous
visit they were beaten by people who
were stuck in the jam for a few days.
People breaking the locks on the
trucks, in a search of food and warm
clothes. Fuel, food, firearms and steel
tow-line are the things that are needed.
I’ll never complain about the M6 again!
PAGE I 51
PAGE I 52

HORIZONTAL - Cossack Owners Club

Transcription

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