It torments me...

[Montague]

Originally Posted by rivercreep

F.W.I.W. If it doesn't have the driven wheel like the Ural does = what's the point?
Without that, all you've done is ruined a perfectly good motorcycle. (than again = I'm a snow commuter from Pa.)

I'm also in a state of lust. I figure about 1 more yr and I'll have the $ for one.

Exactly! I decided to prove the point (to myself) this past Sunday by taking my Gear Up down an old road bed that is now an ATV trail; all was good until the stream crossing.

A bike with tall, narrow tires does not like deep, muddy ruts nearly as well as wide ATV tires so I ended up buried up to the exhaust/pontoons.

A flick into 2wd and some burning clutch smoke later, and we were back on the trail..............

But unlike the ATV crowd who have to load on to a trailer and tow vehicle, when we arrived back at the main road, out of 2wd and back to 90 km/hr paved road cruising.

It is a compromise design between a true road hack and an ATV but that has worked out well for uses in the past 6 years.

[matman1972]

Or, do what I did, Pick up a ural project for cheap, get to know every part from the inside out as you rebuild it, then enjoy!! Parts are cheap, (relatively speaking) the work is simple compared to just about any other bike out there, and yes, reverse is great!

[Heyload]

Originally Posted by bk brkr baker

You know, an FJ makes a passable tug.

Oh, very nice! I doubt many people are "passing" that, though...

On another note, my Ural test ride is postponed due to very severe thunderstorms and lightning....the gods mock me.

[bk brkr baker]

Still manages to pull the pretty women with only 1 driving wheel and no reverse.

[WU7X]

Go get that hack! But before you go crazy driving the thing find a nice sidecar class (the Red Menace's Adventure Sidecars course is Great!). These things will infect you so badly you'll find yourself smiling at the dinner table just thinking back on the afternoon ride.

BTW, I got to play monkey for Mr. Cob at Wetfest last year soon after he picked up that GS setup. I love my airhead, but am now looking for a SECOND hack to get me back on the dirt. Dave is one hell of a driver; I had the greatest time riding monkey, then driving the Predator! Whooie! So know what you are getting yourself into! Hacks are the Scarlet Johansen of the motorcycle world. Seductive as all heck!

[BeeMaa]

Originally Posted by WU7X

Hacks are the Scarlet Johansen of the motorcycle world. Seductive as all heck!

Seductive, yes...and temperamental too.

If the Ural looks "right", what do you think of this?

From New Sidecar

A Ural type tub that is 4" wider, which is a ton more space for the monkey.
Maybe pick up a used 1150GSA or 12GSA for the tug and go with it.
I say GSA because of the larger fuel tank and extended range.
Cheers and good luck.

Edit: The reverse thing doesn't seem to bother me.
I carry a reverse gear in the sidecar (meaning my monkey).
It's easy for either of us to back it up without any trouble outside of being stuck in the mud.

[Heyload]

Originally Posted by BeeMaa

Seductive, yes...and temperamental too.

If the Ural looks "right", what do you think of this?



.

I think...it looks like somebody spent about 35K to have the same basic abilities as a 10K Ural....

HA!

Okay, okay, just kidding, it's an awesome looking bike! Gotta be a hoot to drive, too. I'll bet you really enjoy it. I've thrown a leg over a buddy's GS (sans sidecar), it's pretty sweet. If I ever won the lottery....

Still want a Ural, though.

[Paint shaker]

Your hooked! While there are some nice other hacks in this thread, it sounds like the only cure for you is to get a Ural!

[AlanCT]

If the money is stretched a bit thin, don't forget to consider a used one. My '05 purchased in '08 has seen plenty of use - not all of it gentle - and has not yet given me any serious trouble.

[BeeMaa]

Originally Posted by Heyload

I think...it looks like somebody spent about 35K to have the same basic abilities as a 10K Ural....

HA!

Okay, okay, just kidding, it's an awesome looking bike! Gotta be a hoot to drive, too. I'll bet you really enjoy it. I've thrown a leg over a buddy's GS (sans sidecar), it's pretty sweet. If I ever won the lottery....

Still want a Ural, though.

If I started out buying new, 35K would have been a minimum.
Figure about 20K for the bike, another 10-12K for the hack and maybe 5-7K for the extra accessories I want.
Buying used makes better financial sense and that's what I did with this one.
I've owned one new bike my entire life and it gave me nothing but headaches.
I prefer the used bikes, more wiggle room with the price that way.
Let's me save $$ for the farkels.
Cheers.

[Heyload]

Well, finally got that first ride on my friends Ural Gobi.

Fan..freaking...tastic!

What a hoot! I still haven't wiped the big grin off my face. Rode it all over his ranch, then took it out on the local roads.

Very different experience, but it wasn't as difficult to ride as I thought it might be. The tendency to wander a bit was a little disconcerting at first, but once I figured out it would pretty much go where I wanted it to, I let it have it's head. Alot like a horse in that respect. Body english goes a long way, doesn't it? Overall, it took about ten minutes to sort of figure it out..pretty intuitive in some respects, but then I've always been pretty good at figuring out machinery and vehicles.

Even got the sidecar up once...not intentionally, but managed to get it back down easy enough. Prying the seat out of my butt was a different matter, lol! Tried out the 2wd in the soft sandy soil around his place. Wow. Works really well with a little revving..and definitely takes some effort to turn.

On the road, it was a blast. Very comfortable ride, really. Not going to when any races, but that ain't the point anyhow. Kept up with traffic just fine. It has enough mosey for me.

Makes all the right noises, too. "Ta-pocketa-ta-pocketa...crunch...ta-pocketa-ta pocketa...

He walked me through some of the maintenance, to include valve adjustments..holy crap, what a snap! It's like an overblown Briggs and Stratton.

Just the ticket for what I want to do. Now, to figure out which one I want.

edit: while I basically figured it out with some coaching from my friend, I can definitely see where taking a training course would be a very good idea. And practice..lot's and lot's of practice.

[windmill]

Originally Posted by Heyload

I discover Urals, and a whole new world opens before me...

I want one...so begins the lusting, the yearning, the longing.

Originally Posted by Heyload

that reverse feature on the Ural...that is what tips the scale for me on my list of pros and cons.

Plus, IMHO, the Ural just...well, looks right.

Originally Posted by Heyload

Still want a Ural, though.

Originally Posted by Heyload

Well, finally got that first ride on my friends Ural Gobi.

Fan..freaking...tastic!

Just the ticket for what I want to do. Now, to figure out which one I want.
.

Sounds like your still vacillating, I think you need to be shown more options your not interested in.

[Heyload]

Originally Posted by windmill

Sounds like your still vacillating, I think you need to be shown more options your not interested in.

Wellll..

There was that Vincent Black Shadow I was looking at..but who would want a machine with such an ancient, outdated design that requires alot of maintenance and which clearly doesn't meet today's modern quality standards so therefore is simply not a good value for the money required to own it?

[Mr. Cob]

Originally Posted by Heyload

Wellll..

There was that Vincent Black Shadow I was looking at..but who would want a machine with such an ancient, outdated design that requires alot of maintenance and which clearly doesn't meet today's modern quality standards so therefore is simply not a good value for the money required to own it?

Howdy Heyload,

Ah come on man, are you telling me that a Vincent Black Shadow, isn't bokad approved the horror, I say again the HORROR of it all

[Heyload]

I know not of this "bokad" of which you speak, sir.....Is that some sort of Soviet-era version of "Consumer Reports"..?