Ural Ranger RH powered sidecar

[Grendel]

Just wandering if anyone has the 2wd Ural Ranger with the RH side car and if so how easy are they to live with since considering getting into the ex-military vehicle look and the Ural would be more fun than a S2 Landrover.

[Tarka]

(Firstly...the Ranger isn`t a UK model).

If you want it for road use,forget it.

There is NO legal way to register and use a right handed combo post 1981 in the UK.

For details look at the info on F2 Motorcycles`s website.

There is a way to blag it using a pre 1981 reg from an old machine but the 750 wasn`t built pre 2002 and you`re liable to prosecution/custodial sentence if discovered.

Contrary to the armchair experts,you CANNOT register one as a trike because of the asymmetrical wheelplan and the simple fact that it is a motorcycle with a sidecar attached to it.

Furthermore you don`t need the 2WD for almost any condition in the UK.

It can in fact lead to problems because the combo tries to 'straighten up' in 2WD and having no diff can create a whole new world of difficulties.
Using it on the road in the dry could be disastrous.

I`ve done offroading on my non sidecar drive Urals and even with the stock tyres I had no hassle....fitting a knobbly gives awesome performance thanks to the torque of the engine.

I`ve just returned from 10 days offroading in Siberia where we did use 2WD once or twice but that was in conditions that don`t exist in the UK.

I have to say,in all honesty,that I really don`t know why so many people bang on about 2WD on the Ural.

Save yerself loads of hassle and heartache and buy a UK sided Gear Up.

[Tarka]

Here you go...have a read of this.....


http://www.f2motorcycles.ltd.uk/rhsidecars.html


.

[rodent]

Not much more to add, except "Wot he said."

Tarka is spot on about this - I remember having a chat with David at F2 about this years ago.

Incidentally, it's always worth giving F2 a ring about Urals if you have any questions - I've never met anyone who knows and cares about them more than David.

[Grendel]

So basically this would be legal but frowned upon by plod?

http://www.milweb.net/webverts/43593/

But did they ever make a mil spec Gear up 650 in LH sidecar since cant afford a new bike and not really looking to spend more than £2k.

Had a look at the Solo Classic a few years ago. But they never put them in to production in UK.
http://www.mcasta.ru/eng/motorcycle/imz-solo2.html

[Tarka]

So basically this would be legal but frowned upon by plod?
http://www.milweb.net/webverts/43593/

Effectively,yes..it would be legal.
However,you may still find trouble getting UK road insurance for a Continental sided combo,although it can be found.
There would be BIG trouble using anything on public roads with even a dummy gun on it though.

But did they ever make a mil spec Gear up 650 in LH sidecar since cant afford a new bike and not really looking to spend more than £2k.

Not heard of it...and why would they make one anyway????
Look at how few countries drive on the left...and then think how many of so few would need a military Ural combo.

Why are you so obsessed with having a RH sidecar???

Had a look at the Solo Classic a few years ago. But they never put them in to production in UK.
http://www.mcasta.ru/eng/motorcycle/imz-solo2.html

No Ural was in production in the UK.....
But I know what you meant
I`m a bit confused as to why you`re going from combo talk to solo talk,but there`s a fair few solos in the UK .... Mick at MPC had a couple of solos for sale last time I was there...none quite like the one you show but why not get a cheapy solo and modify it if you want a custom/classic solo ?

[Grendel]

Why are you so obsessed with having a RH sidecar???
No Ural was in production in the UK.....
But I know what you meant
I`m a bit confused as to why you`re going from combo talk to solo talk,but there`s a fair few solos in the UK .... Mick at MPC had a couple of solos for sale last time I was there...none quite like the one you show but why not get a cheapy solo and modify it if you want a custom/classic solo ?

I'm not specifically after a RH side car as i said LH?
As for the Solo Classic in the pic it was in the barn up in Sevenoaks when my brother went to look at the gear up a fair few years ago. It wasn't in a running state and was there as a demonstrator to go into production if popular but never made it off the ground.

As for going for a combo i was thinking of getting into Ex-Military vehicles and things like Ferret armored cars and full spec Land Rovers are too expensive so i thought a Ural combo in camo would be a cheaper alternative since dint want another motorcycle on its own since have my Transalp.

[Tarka]

I'm not specifically after a RH side car as i said LH?
.

Yeah,I see that,things got a bit mixed up with having to go out to a job (I`m in work you see....).

To return to your question,like I said,hardly anyone drives on the left,and I can`t think of anyone who drives on the left and whose armed forces would have needed a 650 Ural combo.

There`s a simple way out of it......just militarise a civvie LH Ural or Dnepr combo.
Look at my 650 for instance...it`s partway there now and wouldn`t take much to make a full on military style combo out of it.
Most people wouldn`t be any the wiser....

Or,if you`re REALLY perverse,get a cheap as chips Chang Jiang combo which even in civvie format is still closer to military application than civil.
They`re not very nice though...not nice at all.

[Warthog]

I bought a Sportman RH sidecar over here in Estonia. It has 2WD. I, as Tarka has said, have rarely needed to use it, but when I have, it has shown itself as a worthy option, IMO.

After all, I'm not obliged to use it, but I'm glad its there. It has come in hand in very muddy conditions as well as in a local sand quarry/off-roading site.

In any case, I hope to ride it to Far Esatern Russian in 2-3 years time, and hence why I bought this bike. For this purpose I think I choose the right machine. Had I planned to only ride it here, on gravel track etc, I probably would not have bothered.

As pointed out earlier, I can't remember when I ever saw the sort of conditions in that UK that might have warranted bothering with 2WD. It does get you through, but its more of a handful to control: Not lazy riding!!

[ceejfletcher]

Hi Mate, have you made your trip to Siberia ?
Cheers Chris