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A brief guide to Ural (aka Uralmoto) 750cc ohv motorbikes. This site is not intended to give a detailed history of Russian motorcycles, but should, with luck, allow you to easily identify the various models. Ural bikes are built in Russia and are very much still in production in the town of Irbit on the edge of the Ural mountains. The Ural 750 replaced the 650 in about 2000, they have only ever been marketed as Ural or Ural Moto and were never Cossacks or Nevals |
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Although like the Dnepr the Ural has always
been best known as a sidecar combination there has always been a steady
supply of solo models. This one is a 2001 solo marketed as the Redstar.
There is also a Northstar which is exactly the same apart from the seat
and the exhaust. An excellent, if a little slow traditional motorbike
for commuting, touring (slowly), and just generally have a bit of fun
with. Solo production stopped from Jan 2007 |
Ural are best known for the sidecar combinations.
The change from 650 to 750 in about 2000 has transformed the Ural range,
the engine was stroked and strengthened not simply over bored to 750.
The Dalesman seen above comes with leading link forks as standard. The
same bike was available for a couple of years with standard telescopic
forks as seen on the earlier 650 models. The tele forked version is known
as the roustabout. |
The Ural 750cc engine and how to identify it. |
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The general look of the Ural engine is rounded and soft, with no sharp
angles. The timing cover which can be found on the bike by looking back between the two frame down tubes at the front of the bike is tall and rounded towards the top. It nearly always has the Ural logo cast in to it |
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The common Carburetors found on 750cc Ural motorbikes Both the carburetors below have been fitted as standard to Ural 750s, and both are OK although not perfect. |
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Pictured on the left is the K68, which is OK, it runs a little rich most of the time, and requires frequent adjustment to stay perfectly in tune. These look identical to the K68 fitted to late 650cc Urals but they are not the same. So don't go swapping them from one to another. The Keihin carburetor on the right was fitted to pass ever more stringent
emission regulations. It's generally a good carb, but needs rejetting
from the standard to avoid overheating at high engine loads. |
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Two 12 volt Alternators, one very good, one very very bad.
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| When the Ural 750 was launched this
alternator which had proved completely useless on the 650cc was standard
fitment. It has earned the nick name, "the hand grenade" and
with good reason. Take a really good look at it, make sure you can recognise it easily and if you see one on a ural you own, replace it soon. This alternator, can and often does stop dead. It is driven by the cam shaft gear, which in turn is driven by the crank shaft gear. Unfortunately these two gears can not stop dead, but they can shatter. |
The alternator above is the solution to all the problems of the previous Russia alternator. It is made by Nippon Denso, and has a rubber cush drive between it and the gears. Totally reliable, one will fail one day, but so far non have. The good news is these will fit straight on as a direct replacement for the hand grenade unit. You do need to slightly modify the wiring, so get instructions if you are swapping them. All Urals made after Jan 2005 and sold in the UK have these alternators.
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Body work and frame. |
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| On the whole all body work including
the tank, seats and mudguards are the same as the 650cc Ural bikes. All
Ural sidecars have an opening boot, and all Dnepr sidecars have a boot
accessed by moving the seat forward |
The latest 750cc solo bikes have changed
to Piolli forks, with new fork mounted mudguard. The brake and wheel are
the same but the spindle is very different |
Specification changes during 2006 for
Ural 750cc |
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From mid 2006 all Urals sold in the UK
have the new exhaust systems with mounting flange to replace the simple
push in type |
At the same time the air box changed to
suck air in from below the filter rather than above, marked in the picture
by the arrows |
The rubber boot on the old speedo cable
changed to a screw thread attachment, again in mid 2006. Bikes in showrooms without these are not new. |
Specifications changes during 2007 for
the Ural 750cc |
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During 2006 the factory employed a western company called HC Concepts
to look carefully at the overall design. HC Concepts went on to redesign
many of the internal gears, bearings, and seals in the engine, gearbox
and final drive. The results can be seen in the 2007 Ural range. |
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2007 and the future of the Solo models |
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During 2006 the factory produced very
few solo models and some of the European dealers waited up to 8 months
to receive their order. Then in October 2006 the factory announced it
would end production of all solo models including the Solo, the Wolf and
the Retro. Many dealers returned their customers deposits and removed
all the solo models from there sales lists. Then in December 2006 the
factory had a change of heart and said it would make all three solo models
in very limited numbers although they would not give any idea of delivery
dates. Most dealers not wanting to get caught in the position of handing
back deposits again have decided not to offer the solo models as they
do not feel the bikes will ever arrive. |
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Specifications changes during early 2008
for the Ural 750cc |
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Ural 2008/01 - New sidecar swingarm and
wheel back plate including factory fitted linked sidecar brake .European
bench seat option to replace Russian bench seat. Improved shock absorber
spring rates. Some frame numbers started X8JM and some started X8JL with
the 14th digit being 8. |
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Specifications changes during late 2008
for the Ural 750cc |
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Ural 2008/E3 - Many minor changes to reduce
emissions including, air bleed into the exhaust port, larger catalytic
converter, redesigned air box to separate any oil out of the crank case
breather pipe. At the same time the specifications for the Dalesman Gear-up
so this model was supplied with black wheels and trim rather than green.
All 2008/E3 from numbers start X8JL400. The first delivery to the UK started
in July 2008 and the 14th number in the Vin was 9. |
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Specification changes for 2010 |
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Many minor improvements were introduced
in 2010 including stainless steel exhaust system, handles and other parts
which had previously been chromed. Internally the improvements included
needle roller bearings for the rocker arms starting with frame numbers
with the 10th letter being A. Later in the same year starting with frame
number ending A0219893 all Dalesman models were supplied with alloy wheel
rims to replace the chromed steel rims of the past. Dalesman gear-up models
retained the black steel rims. |
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Specification changes for 2011 |
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Very late in 2010 disc brake replaced
by NG manufactured disc, still using the Brembo caliper. Light brackets
on sidecar and dashboard surround now painted rather than chrome. In the
UK name changed from Dalesman to Tourist to bring the UK market in to
line with the EU market names. April 2011 Ural Retro with left hand sidecar
launched in the UK. |
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Specification Changes for 2014 |
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March 2014 saw significant changes to
the whole range. Carburetors replaced by an all new EFI system including
new air box, cylinder heads, etc. At the same time all wheels got disc brakes, so no drum brakes at all Oil filter changed to spin on and the whole of the front face of the engine changed to allow this Camshaft changed to give even more torque During 2014 it was possible to buy either the new EFI model from March at greater cost or the Carb model while the change over occurred at the old 2013 prices. |
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2008/E3 new catalytic converter and PAV air valve |
2008/E3 Gear-Up model; with black wheels |
Other Models based on the Ural 750cc |
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| The Ural Wolf was from about 2000 is
still produced today, it makes an excellent alternative to all the V-twin
custom bikes and actually handles better than you might expect. |
The Ural Classic, deserved to do well,
lower seat than the standard solo and better brakes, but for some reason
just didn't sell well and although it is still in production it has now
been discontinued in the UK. |
The Ural Retro from late 2005 is a very
rare bike in the UK, partly due to price and partly because it is built
to order so the wait for a new one is a bit much for most buyers. Handsome
though. |
Pros and Cons of the 750cc Ural |
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Good |
Bad |
Find |
Avoid |
| More power than 650cc |
Not as smooth as 650cc Not much faster as a solo |
Nippon Denso Alternator Leading links on combos Keihin carburettors Mikuni carb conversions Owners who use good oils |
Russian Alternator K68 carburettors Telescopic forks on combos Badly maintained rough bikes Motors run on cheap oils |
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Some of the picture on this page are reproduced with permission
from F2 Motorcycles
ltd (they supply parts for urals) |