Ural Retro motorcycle - a legacy of Soviet motorcycle manufacturing

It is still truly unknown how a sample of the German BMW R35 motorcycle appeared in the USSR, which became the prototype of the legendary Soviet boxer vehicle of the Ural brand. The first model of the Irbit Motorcycle Plant was named M-72, and was produced exclusively for the needs of reconnaissance and motorized rifle divisions of the Red Army, which in those years fought fiercely against the Nazi invaders.

The engine of the Ural motorcycle was almost completely copied from the original, but our designers still made some changes. Years passed, the engine layout and the appearance of the Ural motorcycle gradually changed, but after the collapse of the USSR, the Irbit Motorcycle Plant almost ceased to exist, and only deliveries of products abroad saved the enterprise from ruin.

In the post-perestroika years, a number of modern models were released, among which was the Ural - Retro, which inherited all the characteristic features of domestic motorcycles from the middle of the last century: a drop-shaped gas tank, a gear shift knob, classic black paint, antique-style mufflers, standard retro – a stroller lined with velor on the inside for added chic. In addition, in the Urals - Retro are installed

• low-slung steering wheel.
• classic headlight with vintage speedometer.
• Chrome wheels and frame parts.

The designers of IMZ did their best, and therefore this model is very reminiscent of the standard models of motorcycles of the past century, however, in terms of technical characteristics, the Ural - Retro is in no way inferior to modern models of motorcycle construction.

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Now yes. Although this was already the second meeting with Vitaly Borovsky and his motorcycle. During the first one, the Ural was just being tested in “solo” mode and required gentle handling. Then the entire acquaintance was limited to some hundreds of meters, which, in principle, was enough to draw a single conclusion.

I know that the orthodox fans of “Irbit metal” will not like it. But... I wouldn’t risk operating the “Retro” in a “single” version, despite the certification for operation with and without a side trailer. And there are several reasons for this.

BLACK ... I got used to the ergonomics, unique for a classic motorcycle, in a few minutes. The legs are tucked in, the gears are engaged with a juicy kick, the mechanical brake pedal is shifted to the right and requires effort, the single “Ural” saddle, even though it is wrapped in a stylish case, follows every crack in the suspension and sways with a gradually subsiding amplitude... It would seem like a trifle. However, everything in the complex is very distracting and interferes with establishing a connection with the two-wheeled vehicle. The rigid frame, which is based on the long-known design from the “Wolf,” does not help in building bridges of friendship. The angle of the steering column, reduced to 30 degrees, freed the motorcycle from the “wolfish” tendency to roll over in corners, but another hereditary feature remained – a modest ground clearance. Even a slight tilt when turning left echoes with the grinding sound of grinding metal - the center stand sticking out from under the muffler catches the asphalt. And the absurd location of the side stand also contributed to the prevailing opinion - not only does it not lock in the open position, but in order to recline it, the leg must have a rather strange shape and size no less than 50.

No, no, after all, they did the right thing by waiting a little while the motorcycle went through the break-in procedure and the side trailer returned to its rightful place. And as soon as this happened...

Here it is, a dream! Almost 350 kg of real metal without any plastic imitations. What was annoying when traveling without a stroller now seems completely natural!

Small ground clearance? Together with the low side trailer frame, it provides a low center of gravity for improved cornering stability. Gears are engaged with sweeping movements, but the brakes of the rear wheel and sidecar require a steady foot? On such a device - just right!

I throw the clutch lever and the rear wheel grinds the asphalt, trying to get all this “heavy metal” off the ground. Second gear, third - each shift responds with slipping and a confident jerk forward. As confident as you can expect from a 40-horsepower engine. The new “Ural” will not amaze you with its dynamics, but the good thing is that in city traffic you no longer feel inferior.

The power unit, by the way, has undergone further evolutionary transformations. Finally, the rear camshaft support has a roller bearing, as do the valve drive rocker arms. The heads are equipped with German valves paired with conical springs and reduced upper plates. The seats and guide bushings with valve stem seals are also German. As a result - oh, miracle! — the engine stopped consuming oil. And overall, it no longer seems like a half-finished product; the response to turning the throttle fully corresponds to expectations, and the familiar family howl of the generator and the rattling of the valves, which intensifies with every kilometer, have almost disappeared. Along with the new method of attaching exhaust pipes to cylinder heads, another feature of Irbit motorcycles has become a thing of the past - their unreliable fixation. I remember, no matter how you tighten the clamps, it was the same - sooner or later the pipes flew off their homes, about which the engine notified the entire neighborhood with a loud gurgle.

A short trip through the city streets once again confirmed that the “Ural” remained “Ural” in spirit. Of course, the Paioli fork and Sachs shock absorbers refined the stance, and the Brembo front disc brake added confidence, but the true, uncouth Irbitan character has not gone away.

It seems that the shock therapy of radical reforms in recent years and active work with component suppliers have borne fruit: when buying a Ural, you no longer need to buy a second one for spare parts. And the motorcycle that came to us for testing can serve as proof of this: with its owner, it traveled around half of the European countries without breakdowns! If you said this 10 years ago, no one would have believed it!

True, the price tag clearly hints that nothing comes for free in this world. Keihin carburetors, Herzog gears, Denso generator, Ducati Energia ignition (not to be confused with Ducati Motor Holding), Paioli fork (this year it was replaced by Marzocchi), Sachs shock absorbers, Brembo brakes, imported remote controls, cables, seals and bearings brought up the cost of the most modern "Ural" up to 340 thousand rubles, which actually put an end to the previously multi-thousand domestic sales, reducing it to single sales. Or rather, as expected, the Ural was transferred from the category of “rural transport” to a type of “recreational equipment”. And it’s a pity that at such a high price, the quality of the paintwork is still far from ideal. Touch-ups are required from time to time, despite the declared two-layer technology with intermediate and final polishing.

Now the plant is on the rise. The civilized world, having eaten its fill of pseudochrome and other “valuable species” plastics, again turned to the real and unspoiled. And this increase in interest in the retro theme led to sales of “iron” Urals: in the North American market, Irbitsk residents showed a 39% increase for two years in a row, which allowed them to recover almost to pre-crisis levels. It would be a sin not to take advantage of such a wave of interest in the brand. So this year, “Ural-Retro” has two versions at once: the usual black one with markings and a reverse switch on the tank, as well as a simplified one - matte olive color in the style of the M70 model, but devoid of anniversary badges and a turret.

However, fashion is fickle. What will the IMH do when the wind of preference blows in the other direction? If you believe the top officials of the plant, for the sake of the environment they will soon switch to injection, and for greater safety, all wheels will be equipped with disc brakes, not just the front one. What next? Continue to squeeze out the Soviet legacy drop by drop? No answer yet.

...AND WHITE. Surprisingly, we managed to find two new Ural-Retro 2011 model year: black and white. But if the first was standard, the second was noticeably different, primarily in the engine. Its current owner, wanting to get rid of the characteristic howling of the standard generator gears, solved the problem radically - he moved the generator from its standard place to the front main journal of the crankshaft. Of course, this required serious intervention in the engine design: with the participation of the TruMotor workshop, a new front engine cover was made and the timing gear was replaced with a textolite one. Along the way, to obtain lower characteristics, instead of the standard camshaft, a different one was installed - from the old 650 cc engine, for which it had to be modified to accommodate the rear bearing support. In addition, for the sake of greater maintainability, Japanese Keihin carburetors gave way to the proven K-68T Pekars.

Has it gotten better? Perhaps, compared to the creations of some craftsmen, the improvements were a success. But it is difficult to give an unambiguous answer. On the one hand, yes, the sound of the engine has become more combed, a certain semblance of velvety has appeared, and there is a little bit of traction at the bottom, but it has increased. On the other hand, the characteristics have not improved so much that we can talk about a technical breakthrough and unconditionally recommend them to everyone. Therefore, to modernize or not, let everyone decide for themselves.

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The design of the 749 cc boxer was significantly redesigned in 2010. The camshaft now has a rear bearing support.
The valve drive rocker arms swing on bearings. The cylinder heads are equipped with German valves with a Ø7 mm stem paired with conical springs and reduced upper plates. Inlet and outlet channels are ground. Instead of rubber, an elastic polymer is used in the manufacture of the cardan drive damper (aka coupling). The design of the 749 cc boxer was significantly redesigned in 2010. The camshaft now has a rear bearing support. The valve drive rocker arms swing on bearings. The cylinder heads are equipped with German valves with a Ø7 mm stem paired with conical springs and reduced upper plates. Inlet and outlet channels are ground. Instead of rubber, an elastic polymer is used in the manufacture of the cardan drive damper (aka coupling).

Ural Solo ST - a classic of the motorcycle industry in the USSR

Today, the Ural Solo ST model follows the classic traditions of the Ural motorcycle, the production of which began in the Soviet Union. The example that forms its main part comes with stainless steel exhaust pipes, a traditional fuel tank, a tractor-style seat and a black fender at the rear. The standard black finish is used here.

But, when ordering this model, the buyer will receive an offer to order secondary equipment for motorcycle equipment to improve the basic configuration.

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RESULT. That was hard. At times it's even too risky. But IMZ, it seems, achieved exactly what he wanted and what no one believed in. “Ural” is no longer associated with the collective farm and the pioneers. Today it can be considered a full-fledged motorcycle.

OWNER'S OPINION. Vitaly “Bordo” Borovsky: “Retro” is my second “Ural”. The first, a classic Troika model wheelchair, served me faithfully for seven seasons and traveled 40 thousand km on the roads of 24 countries. It never let me down and proved to be a reliable and completely modern motorcycle. Therefore, the purchase of a “Retro” with a stroller was a completely conscious and purposeful decision, and its main purpose, as before, was traveling on asphalt for several thousand kilometers - “Retro” is ideal for these purposes.

The new motorcycle has a different frame, significantly lower than the classic one. As a result, Retro feels low, sleek, and light to me. It steers much easier, there is practically no roll, it holds a straight line as if on rails, and the effect of a right turn with the lifting of the cradle comes much later. Where on a regular Ural I leaned as far as possible to the right, pushing my butt into the sidecar, on a Retro I drive without leaving the seat. Driving is now even more fun and requires much less physical effort: even after a thousand kilometers I don’t feel like I’ve unloaded a wagon of coal. Other impressions are more subjective, but no less stable. If my first “Ural” still seemed like a Soviet motorcycle with characteristic squeaks and rattles, then “Retro” creates a feeling of some kind of foreign-made solidity and reliability. And how elegantly a large headlight with an ignition switch looms before your eyes, from which a key sticks out like a sight!

Another big advantage of the “Retro” is the possibility of solo use, because it is already equipped at the factory with everything necessary: ​​a side stand, a full set of turn signals and a side trailer electrical wiring connector. Being also the owner of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, I can’t help but compare. “Retro” seemed to me light, small and nimble (and this is a “heavy Russian motorcycle”!). In traffic jams I felt like I was on a scooter: I climbed into all the cracks, steering with just my fingers. The ergonomics are familiar and comfortable, unlike the Harley scheme with separate turn signals, which also turn off themselves. The suspension is soft and comfortable. The road is familiar to the bumps - where I was shaking terribly on the Harley, I instinctively tensed up in advance, but nothing happened. So, “blah blah”, but I don’t even waver. During rides in the pouring rain, the motorcycle never sneezed - the new air filter no longer floods. Only on cleared asphalt, due to the thin wheels, the motorcycle behaves quite nervously. But I’ll probably change the mufflers: the original ones are very quiet.

As a result, my “Retro” is two wonderful motorcycles in one. With a sidecar, it is not only ideal for long journeys with a passenger and luggage, but can also give a lot of special pleasure to the experienced sidecar pilot - one who understands. In the solo version, I got a dynamic, maneuverable and elegant “old school” motorcycle, which I could use to get to work in traffic jams or to show off on Observation Street in the evening.

Rev'It!, Motto and Marushin equipment is provided by the PRO Moto store.

Black and white: “Ural-Retro”

Parameters of the Ural Solo ST motorcycle

Moving smoothly to the machine characteristics, it should be noted that there are no special differences from the standard properties of the IMZ models. It has a good two-cylinder engine with a volume of 745 cc. see. An up-to-date ignition system will allow you to start the engine simply and quickly. Equipped with a four-speed gearbox. The rear wheel moves due to the driveshaft. Fuel consumption per 100 km of city driving is 5-6 liters.