Description of the technical characteristics of the Voskhod motorcycle - advantages and disadvantages

Soviet-trained motorcyclists like to say that during the Soviet Union everything was done in good conscience, and engineering was at its best. In particular, they remember with warmth the Voskhod motorcycles, which were not only convenient, but also very prestigious to own. In this article we will look at the technical characteristics of the Voskhod motorcycle.

The history of the Voskhod motorcycle dates back to 1957, when it first rolled off the assembly line of the Kovrov plant. It appeared on the basis of the Kovrovets K-175 model, which underwent significant modifications and changes.

Great success among Soviet consumers prompted developers to create a whole series of these motorcycles. Thus, in less than 10 years, 7 improved modifications of the original version were released.

Among them stands out, the technical characteristics of which were rightfully considered a breakthrough in Soviet motorcycle production. Production of the series ceased more than a decade ago, but even in modern times, Voskhod appears every now and then on domestic roads, no matter how many new prestigious brands appear.

Rear wheel guard

The rear wheel shield with a brake light mounting bracket and a mudguard was used from the Voskhod-3M-01 motorcycle and was attached to the frame at three points. To install it, three holes were drilled, two for M6 bolts and one for an M8 bolt, and the front bracket the mount has been removed.

On both sides of the brake light mounting bracket, two holes with a diameter of 11 mm were drilled for installing direction indicators.

"Voskhod" conquers sporting peaks

This post will talk about unique small-scale motorcycles produced in Kovrov during the Soviet era. The information was provided to me by the leading designer of the sports motorcycle bureau, who has preserved unique photographs and information about these motorcycles. Then, in terms of parameters, the technology was at the world level. But they didn’t have time to improve reliability; it all came down to technology.

(Total 13 photos)

At the only stage in the world where we managed to show up - in the yuccas near St. Petersburg, the sunrise was 6th, but the gearbox housing tore apart - the casting could not stand it. And so at the USSR championships the sunrises were beyond competition. The designers were not chasing money, but new technical solutions; they worked at night and even on holidays. But in the 90s, everyone realized that motorcycles would not be allowed to go into production and the crisis was forever and we had to somehow survive. Gradually, workers began to quit.

Cross SK-7 Production of 10 pieces per year Water cooling. Weight - 106 kg. Wheel travel is 320 mm. Clutch with dampers. 5 gears. In addition to the traditional method, neutral is activated in any gear using an additional lever under the clutch lever on the steering wheel. Suspensions are fully adjustable for compression and rebound. Power - 52 hp."

Cross motorcycle (SKU-5 and) SKU-6. 1985 Weight - 105 kg. Power - more than 42 hp. Wheel travel is 300 mm. Release 10 pieces per year. (PS There are wings, but they are white, they are overexposed in the photo and cannot be seen)

sunrise 175 shk4 (and shk3) weight 85 kg Power 22 hp max. speed 160 km per hour production of 300 motorcycles per year

In 1991, behind the Iron Curtain, one man created a frameless motorcycle for the Paris Beijing Rally. Since I didn’t have a garage or a house, but only a bed in a factory dorm, I was forced to make it on the factory grounds during overtime. And as soon as I put it on wheels, it was taken away from me with the wording: you made it at the factory and from factory materials. After which I wrote a letter of resignation. When I signed the by-pass sheet, they obliged me to hand over all the albums of drawings and stated that they could handle the rest without me. All I had left were sketches. Photographing and copying without permission from the 1st Department was prohibited. The pendulums are mounted on the engine via subframes with a total weight of 3.5 kg. the steering column passes through the gas tank and the seat on the supporting housing of the air filter. Power of a 500 cc Vtwin is 104 hp. Weight 125 kg. All-wheel drive via automatic overrunning clutch on all wheels. Wheel travel is 300 mm. The rotation angle of the front wheel is 45 degrees in each direction.

This is what Sunrise would have been like in the late 70s. A pilot batch of 250 tok of 300 pieces was produced and equipment for the conveyor was purchased, but the Minister of Defense Ustinov decided for us that the old ones were enough for us. Weight 140 kg power 20 hp max speed 115 consumption 5 liters.

One of the options is 250 current.

Rear brake

The rear brake drive duplicated on the left side of the motorcycle, which included a lever, an axle and two rods, was removed. A new linkage and rear brake lever were made.

The 580 mm long rod received a plate stop for turning on the brake light. The rear brake lever mounting bracket on the frame remains unchanged.

Rear suspension pendulum

The rear shock absorber mounting brackets on the swingarm were shifted and installed in front of the rear wheel axle. This event made it possible to increase the ground clearance of the motorcycle, which was important since the ground clearance of a motorized motorcycle was significantly less than that of a road motorcycle. The side stand bracket was welded to the left pendulum leg.

Muffler

In order for the noise level to meet international standards, and the Voskhod-175 SMB-3-01 motorcycle could be used on public roads, the exhaust system of the sports motorcycle was changed.

The muffler mounting tube was moved to the rear of the exhaust pipe and a new muffler was installed. Fixed through a silent block, the new exhaust noise muffler was connected to the exhaust pipe using a rubber coupling and metal clamps.

Moto-Kovrov

In 1987, an updated batch of motorcycles for playing motorball was assembled (the basic model Voskhod-175 SMB-3 was released in 1980). The main changes affected the engine and exhaust silencer.

Engine

To ensure optimal temperature conditions during competitions, the area of ​​the head and cylinder cooling fins was increased.

To implement the five-channel purge, which was new at that time, a cylinder was developed, the crankcase and piston were modified, and a six-leaf valve was installed. Using a rubber pipe and a plastic adapter, a K-62 carburetor was installed on the engine, or a Czechoslovak carburetor without an adapter.

Due to the use of a valve at the inlet, the new rubber pipe of the air filter was shorter. The filter element was an alkali-treated strip of foam rubber sewn into a pipe, dressed on a wire frame, and when installing a Jikov carburetor, a paper filter element made in Czechoslovakia. At the junction of the pipe with the carburetor and the air filter housing, metal clamps were used.

Exhaust silencer

A new exhaust pipe welded from stamped halves ensured stable engine operation in all operating modes.

The customized exhaust consisted of six stamped halves, two pipes and a bracket. The exhaust pipe parts were welded using gas welding.

The exhaust pipe was connected to the cylinder using an adapter screwed to the cylinder jacket with four M6 bolts. The pipe was fastened to the frame with an M8 bolt using a silent block. A rubber tube was used at the junction of the exhaust pipe with the muffler.

The muffler consisted of two stamped halves, three brackets welded at the corners and two pipes. There was a partition inside the muffler housing. The muffler pipes were soldered with brass, the remaining parts were connected using gas welding. The exhaust noise muffler met all international requirements and established standards for noise levels. The muffler was attached to the frame at three points with two bolts and an M6 nut.

Frame

The geometry of the frame remained unchanged, but structurally it was still different from the previous model. A bracket for fastening a new exhaust pipe was welded to the upper beam reinforcement, closer to the fuel tank mount.

Due to the use of a seat post, the seat arch has become shorter. The commutator mounting bracket has moved from the seat bar to the rear of the frame (fork). On the left side, an arc and two muffler mounting brackets were welded to the rear slope of the frame.

Instead of the previously used “apron” made of leatherette, metal closures began to be installed. The left one protected the driver from being burned by the exhaust pipe, and the right one was of an aesthetic nature. The covers were fastened with M6 bolts using nuts welded to the frame.

The motorcycle was fitted with a new roller-mounted rear mudguard. On the previous model the shield was stamped. The front (not removable) part of the rear mud flap had a hole for the exhaust pipe.

The shock absorber mounts on the pendulum have moved beyond the rear wheel axis.

Rear shock absorbers

Rear shock absorbers began to be used from the serially produced Voskhod-3M motorcycle.

Front fork

The front fork, with minor modifications, was installed from the serially produced Voskhod-3M road motorcycle.

Due to the shortened rod, the fork stroke was reduced to 100 mm. Fixed pipes with a diameter of 35 mm were coated with porous chromium. The oil seal housings had additional rubber boots. The front mud flap was attached at two points, to the front yoke at the top and to the rear yoke at the bottom.

The motorcycle featured a completely new handlebar mount. To dampen vibrations transferred to the steering wheel, rubber bushings were used in the mount. More comfortable steering handles were made of black rubber.

Wheels

Wheels with a rim width of 54 mm remained unchanged.

As on previous models, two types of tires were used: L-131 3.25x19 and L-173 3.00x19.

120 motorcycles were collected per year, which were distributed by the Central Auto Moto Club (TSAMK) to DOSAAF clubs in the country.

The motorcycles assembled for them differed significantly from those mass-produced.

A well-preserved motorcycle “Voskhod-175 SMB-3” modified in 1987 can be viewed in Nikolai Tubaev’s private museum “Moto-Kovrov”.

Technical specifications

The restored motorcycle “Voskhod-175 SMB-3-01” can be viewed in the private museum of Nikolai Tubaev MOTO-CARPETS.

Soviet motorcycles for ShKMG, part 27: Voskhod - ShK 3.

In 1977, the Kovrovets - 175 ShK was replaced by a new model - Voskhod - ShK 3. Intended for the 175B “Men” and 175 “Women” classes, the motorcycle developed the solutions used on its predecessor.

Photo from the official release.

The front fork is similar to the fork installed on the road Voskhods, but is shortened and has ears on the cups for attaching the wing. The rear shock absorbers are also standard Voskhod shock absorbers. Also, some engine parts are used from standard Voskhod motorcycles. The level of unification with road motorcycles reached 70%. All other parts are original and designed for racing use. Duplex frame made of thin-walled pipes, 18-inch wheels, 160 mm brake drums, original brake mechanisms, clip-ons instead of a steering wheel, short-stroke throttle, friction brake damper, plastic aerodynamic body kit. The exhaust system uses a resonator without a muffler.

Voskhod - ShK 3 on the highway.

Racer G. Johansons.

The Voskhod - ShK 3 engine differs from the engines of other racing Voskhods (SK, SMB) in the gearbox ratios. Each gearbox gear is marked “ShK”. The ignition system is typical for sports equipment from the Kovrov and Minsk plants; it includes a 38A.3437 switch and a 59.3701 generator. At the intake, instead of an air filter, there is a bell that serves as an intake resonator. Carburetors were used both Soviet K-series and Jikov. The motorcycle does not have a kick starter, and a sector with a ratchet was not installed. Engine power: 173.7 cc. reached 17 - 20 hp, this made it possible to accelerate an 80 kg motorcycle to 150 km/h. Cylinder diameter 61.75 mm, piston stroke 58, compression ratio 11 units. Tests during the road circuit racing of the USSR Championship on tracks in Kyiv, Kaunas, Riga and Tallinn were carried out by Master of Sports V. Tyurin (CSKA).

Photo from a festive event in Kovrov in the 70s.

In 1981, the motorcycle was modernized, this was due to the launch of the new Voskhod-3 motorcycle.

An example of a tuned Voskhod ShK3 - non-original body kit parts were used, there were holes in the brake support discs for cooling the brakes. Everything is neat and sound.

Photo of 1987, Sunrise ShK3 No. 13 of the Latvian racer Gunars Johasons.

Among the famous racers who competed at Voskhod - ShK 3, we can mention the Estonian racer Luule Tull. Between 1966 and 1991, she won 21 gold, 7 silver and 3 bronze medals in circuit and hippodrome races. She became the Estonian champion 42 times.

Luule Tull on the highway, 1983.

The estimated annual production is 80 units, but in reality the number of motorcycles produced did not exceed 30 - 40 per year.

Approximate price – 480 rubles.

Voskhod - ShK3 remained in production until 1980. Of course, our riders used them for a long time.

Sunrise at the start.

The few Voskhod ShK-3 that have survived to this day are exhibited in museums, participate in races, and are also present in private collections.

Voskhod - ShK 3 at the races in Riga.

"Time Capsule" - Voskhod - ShK 3, never used in racing. This is exactly how they arrived at the clubs - with unpainted plastic.

Motorcycle by Eldar Khairov from St. Petersburg.

Voskhod - ShK 3, acquired by Nikolai Tubaev from Kovrov.

The same motorcycle after restoration.

Another “new” Voskhod is ShK 3, which stood for many years without use.

Sunrise from Moscow.

Motorcycle from the collection of MOMU Mootorispordi Muuseum, Estonia.

Of course, riders made changes to the design of their motorcycles based on their needs and capabilities. Voskhod - ШК 3 using non-original parts.

Another such Sunrise from Estonia.

Sunrise - ShK 3 1984 by Vadim Chernetsky from Moscow.

The next generation, Voskhod ShK 4, appeared in 1985; this motorcycle became the last in the racing program of the Kovrov plant named after Degtyarev. A story about it in a separate publication.