Kicking into the electric starter age: A Ural rebirth and one cold oops

[sagerat]

As you may recall the electric starter on my Ural has been AWOL for about three years.  As my beloved Russian iron has a kick start, I've just been stomping that sucker down and getting that massive 750cc, 42 hp boxer motor to fire.  Then the headliight started to go wonky.  Wouldn't come on when ignition was on, but lit up when bike started.  Until yesterday, when it was sometimes on, sometimes not.  Jiggling key in ignition didn't have an effect, so we knew it wasn't a problem with key fitting into lock.

We discovered the latest after switching the jets in the carb from 130 mains to 125 as bike was running rich.  Headlight hijinks ended a joy ride.  So rather than set sail on a planned day ride, my two Ural buddies and I rode to NAPA to buy relays.  Imagine three Urals parked outside of NAPA in Bend, Orygun.  Now imagine our surprise when one of the customers starts asking all kinds of questions before revealing he has a 2004 Gear Up (that's the 2WD camo model).

Almost to buddy's house when my hack begins to buck and snort, flip to reserve and we're good.  Get to his shop, pull seat, drain and pull tank, test relays (front two under gas tank for headlight worked, but switch was not very crisp), sand frame to improve ground, put in new relays to replace two tired ones.  Voila, perfect headlight performance.  Replace starter relay that lives at back of frame above battery.  Only sparked wrench once or twice on that procedure.  Boom, electric start every time! Reassemble bike, reconnect fuel lines, pour gas back in tank and add some of pal's store of gas to ensure I can get to gas station from his house.

By now six hours have past and it's cold and dark.  We leave gas station and are northbound on the Parkway in town when my bike dies.  Hmm.  I get it to refire and it dies again just as I pull up to where Bill has stopped to wait for me.  We pull well off the side of the road and converse.  Breath comes out our helmets in the frigid night.  Tell him bike won't run when fuel petcoock is set to On or Reserve, but will run on Prime.  Prime=gravity feed.  With that obvious clue, we reattach the vacuum line we missed and motor on withour further incident.

Gotta love Urals; it's always something simple.

[Andrew]

Something to be said for a bike that can be fixed without a scantool or a handful of expensive electronic components
Maybe I am a nut but the more I hear of these adventures (maladies) with Ural owners it makes me want to join the rancks
Adapt and overcome.

[sagerat]

From circa 1998 when CMSI imported them up to about 2002, they often did deserve their nickname, Urinals.  IMZ, the current importer, took over and beginning in 2003 they've really made huge strides in quality in components, manufacturing, and quality control.  I've got almost 24,000 kms on mine; my buddy, Bill, is closing in on 40,000 kms on his '05 Tourist, another buddy has about 30,000 kms on his '06 Gear Up, which he rides hard off road (he's currently terrorizing the Sonoran Desert; I hate my retired pals  ).  I replaced the key switch under warranty; Bill IIRC replaced the reservoir for his front brake; they sent us the parts, we installed them.  

If you check out Soviet Steed, Russian Iron or the sidecar section of advrider you'll see there are still times when Ivan has a bad day at the factory in Irbit, but those are rare.  And the clincher is I'll stack IMZ's post-purchase support against any and all comers.  They really do stand behind their motorcycles.  They are like Moto Guzzi in the respect that the inital set-up is critical; you really need a dealer that knows what he's doing.  Luckily there are now multiples that fit that category.  

Also the tool roll that comes with your bike has everything you need.    Can't say that for the minimalist toolkit that came with my GSA.  

I don't mean to sound like a shill for Ural; it's just the most enjoyable bike I've ever owned.    I can't imagine being without it.  When I've had a crappy day at work or life in general is producing major suckage, it's the bike whose keys I reach for first when needing some motorcycle therapy.  Plus snow adn ice are now an opportunity, not a barrier.  

[antvq]

I don't mean to sound like a shill for Ural; it's just the most enjoyable bike I've ever owned.    I can't imagine being without it.

I guess if you are a rider that requires a training wheel your options are limited.      

[Mr.Black]

 Plus snow adn ice are now an opportunity, not a barrier.  

THIS!!!!!!

[sagerat]

I guess if you are a rider that requires a training wheel your options are limited.      

 

I can fly the chair, which puts the bike back up on two wheels...  

[Motocentaur]

Something to be said for a bike that can be fixed without a scantool or a handful of expensive electronic components
Maybe I am a nut but the more I hear of these adventures (maladies) with Ural owners it makes me want to join the rancks
Adapt and overcome.

The typical Uralist is a masochist who almost relishes mechanical problems. He gets that gleam in his eye and laughs maniacally as he fetches the mallet from the trunk. The more ridiculous the bodge, the greater the satisfaction.

[sagerat]

WWID = What Would Ivan Do?  A standard Ural mantra.  

Put a new pusher on last week, so I have fresh tread for the fresh snow we're getting.