Brand popularity
Although Ural is found everywhere in the Russian Federation, a large number of manufactured mopeds are sold to other countries. Only three percent of the total volume remains in Russia. This is due to the considerable cost of the motorcycle. For the same price it is possible to purchase a used car of excellent quality.
Realizing that this bike was very popular abroad, I decided to reconstruct it, started buying spare parts abroad, and carrying out the assembly in the Russian Federation. About a thousand bikes are produced annually and are already sold in advance. It’s hard to imagine which countries they drive on.
Design features
The appearance of such “iron horses” is recognizable and unique. Each has its own signature features, but there are common distinctive features:
- The most lightweight frame, short fork. Now lightness is achieved through the use of special alloys. Thanks to this, weight is reduced while strength is maintained.
- The wheels are wide. The front and back may differ in size. Many spokes are installed, which gives additional entertainment. Sometimes cast discs are used, on which various designs are made. This applies to modern versions. The classic is the knitted version.
- The steering wheel is low, smooth, with a minimum of accessories.
- The seat is designed for one person - the driver. This is a kind of ascetic-looking “cake”. This restrained form is still observed today, but is decorated with stitching, lacing, painting, and embroidery.
- The gas tank is small in capacity. In racing, a lot of gasoline was not required, so the tank was kept minimal. Modern versions adhere to this requirement, but within reasonable limits. The tank is painted on various themes.
- No front wing.
When a motorcycle that adheres to such conditions hits the road, it cannot be confused with other models. The hand of the master is visible, an individual approach.
What happens to the engine if it overheats?
First of all, without lubrication, the crankshaft and connecting rod bearings (2) will suffer. The plain bearings in these units can only operate without oil pressure, without load, and even then after a few minutes the wear will become too severe.
Most often, the engine loses power and stalls with increasing resistance to rotation, but if the speed was high, then the connecting rod (1) jammed on the crankshaft can break off, it can damage the cylinder mirror or simply make a hole in the block. Yes, yes, the “hand of friendship” is precisely because of the jamming of the bearings (2) of the crankshaft. If the crankshaft is not broken and the connecting rod is not welded to it, then the damage multiplies. First of all, it lifts the surfaces of the camshaft sliding bearings and the contact surfaces of its cams. The piston group also suffers, because with a decrease in the volume of oil entering through the oil nozzles and holes in the connecting rod, the piston temperature increases, and heat transfer through the piston rings worsens, and they begin to work almost “dry”.
Why do the engines on motocross motorcycles break down?
Primarily due to a banal drop in oil pressure, failure of the oil pump, or mechanical damage to the gears of the oil pump.
What oil to pour into a motocross motorcycle
Everyone asks this question, what kind of oil to put in a motorcycle, and the correct answer would be advice - read the manual. As a rule, for Japanese 250s it will be motorcycle 10W-50 and Motul is recommended.
Based on operating conditions, if it is an enduro or road motorcycle and is used for riding on hard roads, use the manufacturer’s recommended fuel.
If the motorcycle is in the mud or the motorcycle is prone to overheating (cross, country cross), it is necessary to fill in oil whose second index will be 10 higher. For example, if 10W-40 is recommended, fill in an oil with a second index of 50, such oil will perform better at higher temperatures.
Story
The emergence of bobbers occurred in the USA (last century, 40s). Harley-Davidson products were in demand among the population, but they were not suitable for racing. Competitions held on dirt tracks were gaining popularity. Motorcycle clubs wondered what motorcycles to use for this.
Since Harleys in their pure form were not suitable, they began to be modified:
- The wings were dismantled to prevent dirt from getting in there. The rear wing was sometimes left in a trimmed version.
- We removed unnecessary parts or replaced them with lightweight analogues. Thanks to this, the design became lighter and went faster.
However, it was necessary to get to the race track. Loading bobbers for transportation is a troublesome and expensive task. Therefore, the modification was carried out with the prospect of normal city driving. This is how bikes designed to perform two functions appeared.
Top brands
There has long been a debate among motorcyclists about which oil is better. If we exclude domestic products, the number of brands in the motorcycle lubricant market will be relatively small. Most experts and owners of two-wheeled vehicles agree that Motul oil is the “golden mean” in terms of lubricating properties and additive content. Motul 300 V Competition oil is especially popular among racers - “synthetic” with moderate lubricating properties, which allows you to achieve maximum power of the power unit from the first seconds.
Shell products are a good option, but they are more likely to be counterfeited than others, so you should be especially careful when purchasing them. The main advantage of this manufacturer is a very wide range of products that are suitable for literally all types of two-wheeled vehicles. Owners of mopeds will be able to use Shell Advance Snowscooter, and for more serious two-stroke equipment it is worth stocking up on Shell Advance VSX 2. Owners of four-stroke city motorcycles prefer to use Shell Advance Racing X, and for two-stroke racing equipment Shell Advance Racing M is suitable.
Among the good brands, Castrol is also worth mentioning - the products of this manufacturer have a very high price, but almost never fail motorcycle owners. Good results are shown by products from such manufacturers as:
- Valvoline;
- Liqui Moly;
- Esso.
Texaco and BP oils have average performance, although they are quite sufficient for low-power equipment. Among the brands that should never be chosen are Ravenol and Motorex, since their oils are only suitable for scooters manufactured in the 90s and early 2000s.
There are often recommendations to pour regular automobile oil into motorcycle engines, since it has better properties. However, such advice will be completely irrelevant for owners of modern powerful equipment. With significant acceleration, the oil is pushed to the rear wall of the engine, making it difficult for it to enter the intake receiver. Automotive lubricants in motorcycle engines foam quite strongly, which leads to oil starvation and the appearance of scoring on the cylinder walls. The exception is domestic motorcycles and foreign low-power equipment (up to 20–30 horsepower), although here too the use of automotive lubricant is a risky step.
Lubricant selection
Pouring fresh lubricant into the Ural fork is a responsible procedure. It is necessary to choose the oil very carefully, because the motorcycle clutch is completely submerged in lubricating fluid. Motor oil should not be poured into a four-stroke Ural engine, because it has an inappropriate viscosity coefficient. Oil for bikes has a completely different set of additive elements.
- If the motorcycle is used all year round, which is surprising given the cold winters of Russia, pour a universal consumable into the engine. This oil has certain advantages over others because it contains special additives. Thanks to them, the lubricant is effective in low and high temperature conditions. Manufacturers of lubricating fluid that is poured into motorcycles carefully and for a long time test it under different temperature conditions.
- If the bike is used only in the summer, you can fill it with summer oil. This lubricant is common and perfectly lubricates internal combustion engines.
- When choosing the lubricant that you will pour into the bike, you need to take into account its viscosity index. In order for the engine to function smoothly, a fluid lubricating fluid is required that does not thicken in low temperature conditions. If the engine is significantly worn out, you can pour viscous lubricant into it, because a worn-out engine smokes when driving. Most Urals owners believe that even low-quality petroleum products are unable to harm the internal combustion engine.
- Since the Ural bike is considered a high-class motorcycle, its engine has characteristics that allow it to function under increased loads, even with severe wear. The Ural manufacturer recommends pouring M8B1 lubricant into it. It does not have the best reputation, but the internal combustion engine functions perfectly when it is filled.
