Ride Three

For Ural Sidecar Motorcycle Enthusiasts

Looks like all is good on the oil leak front. I topped up the gearbox oil with just maybe a tablespoon or two, and then ran Sveta out on a quick errand. Bike ran fine, and I’ll keep an eye on the oil.

Ran Sveta out for a quick errand yesterday evening, and I wanted to give a shout-out to the thumbs-up guys.

While running south on River Road, out of the corner of my left eye I noticed a car running abreast of Svetlana.

Turning my eye, there were 2 guys in the car. Both were grinning, face-wide smiles. The man in the passenger seat was leaning out the window a little, and when he saw I was looking at them, he gave me a big, pumping thumbs-up.

I nodded and smiled, and gave them a thumbs-up back.

They went on their way, moving up ahead in the lane. Wherever you are, thumbs-up guys in the red Nissan with the smiley face sticker on the back bumper, thanks for making my night.

Interesting discussion on ADV Rider about why a hack rider would not have chosen to purchase and ride a Ural Patrol. What gets me the most? It’s all preference. No horror stories. No big mechanical misgivings. Nothing. Just preference.

I’m just wondering. The ones I’ve seen in the dirt around here look like they’re more capable than I’d would have given them credit for. Hopefully folks can be honest for their reasons without being smacked down multiple times by a few excitable owners. I’m pretty sure it’s safe in here though.

Follow the whole discussion: ADV Rider - Hacks - Why did you not choose a Ural Patrol?

After writing this post, I’m heading out to the garage to do a little wrenching. With the cause of Svetlana’s oil leak still not diagnosed, there are a few things I’m going to check this evening:

• Tighten all drain plugs (main engine, oil filter housing, gearbox and final drive)
• Check the final drive oil level
• Check the gearbox oil level (I’ve already checked the engine oil level)

Ural’s tend to be simple, and this potential leak may be no exception. When I did my 1,000km maintenance, I tightened all the bolts on Svetlana — except for the oil drain plugs. It could be as simple as giving those a wee bit of a tighten.

Or it might not. We’ll see… and will go from there.

We’ve got a camping trip planned with some friends this weekend… but we’re not taking the Ural.

The reason is simple. It’s not mechanical. It’s not summer heat, or packing, or anything like that.

It’s conversation.

Over the next few weeks, Jodie’s going to be really busy. In addition to her teaching schedule, she has a lot of violin gigs, including some musicals. When she’s not teaching, she’s going to be in rehearsal or at an event, so we’re not going to see each other as much as usual.

So this weekend, with a couple hours drive each way, I’d rather we be able to have easy conversation in the car. We can talk, we can enjoy the drive and each other’s company in chat or silence, but mainly, we just have time to be a little closer. We don’t have intercoms for Svetlana yet, so we can’t really talk on the Ural, and besides, on the bike my main focus is on getting us where we’re going in one piece.

Much as I love Svetlana, I love time with my sweetie more. So this weekend, I’m not going to ride. I’m just going to enjoy time with my woman.

There’ll be plenty of time to ride next week. A man’s still gotta have his saddle time, after all.

Pardon my puddle

“Is your Ural leaking oil?”

“Ummm… huh?”

It wasn’t the phone call I expected. Earlier yesterday afternoon, I rode Svetlana over to see my friend Jon Meyers, a local photographer. A couple of hours after I got home that evening, he rang me and asked about Svetlana leaking oil.

“Not as far as I know. I just checked the oil this morning, actually. She hasn’t used a drop.”

“Well, there’s this puddle out here where you were parked, and a trail where your front tire tracked it as you backed out.”

Jon took a couple of photos (like the one above) and emailed them to me. The puddle and track are definitely from where Svetlana was parked, and from where I backed her up.

But here’s the thing…

If there is a leak, I can’t find it. I checked the oil this morning, and it was full. There was no oil on the garage floor. I examined the underside of the bike, from the final drive to the gearbox to the oil filter housing, and couldn’t make out anything that looked like a leak. I checked around the engine for any signs of a crack and seepage, and… nothing.

So what now?

Next steps

• Post on Soviet Steeds… check. Soviet Steeds - Hammerin’ & Wrenchin’ - Mystery Oil Puddle
• Post on Ride Three… erm, check.
• Take Sveta for a quick spin and see how she does… check. I ran a quick errand after work, and Sveta ran fine. Felt and sounded normal.
• Check oil and garage floor again… oh yeah, hang on a sec… check. No oil on garage floor… however, did notice a wee drop on the underside of the gearbox oil drain plug. Could that be it?
• Ponder… check. If the oil did come from Svetlana, could it have come from the gearbox? She was parked on a slight incline, so that could’ve caused more seepage from that plug, as the oil would have been pouring back towards that part of the housing. And if that is the case, what does it mean? Is there a way to check the gearbox oil?

Or, could this have just been some weird coincidence where I just happened to park in someone else’s puddle and just didn’t notice?

Update: Oil Leak Follow-up

The Arctic Circle on a Ural – some of the most beautiful country, and some of the crappiest roads, I have ever seen. Andy Grow, proud owner of a 2008 Ural Gear-Up in Arctic Camo, recently completed a huge Alaskan road trip, that took him and his Gear-Up into the Arctic Circle and home again. In one piece. (And with no problems, by the way, the any perpetual Ural doubters lingering out there.)

I was fortunate enough to hang with Andy Grow back in April, when he had just taken delivery of his Gear-Up. He and I rode to Salem together, to get our 500km maintenance done at Raceway Services. It was a joy to see his ride report, especially the many incredible photos he got of Alaska and a rally he intended.

Check out Andy’s full ride report: D2D and the Arctic Circle on a Ural - ADVrider

• “I had complete confidence in her the entire way…and nothing - NOTHING - occurred that would make me reconsider doing the trip again. Fuel mileage was anywhere from 25-30mpg. It’s a beast on the hills and going through the mountain passes. But it gets it done.”
• “You MUST know your bikes limits. I knew from the start I wouldn’t be able to keep up with anyone on the pavement, and I was right. But on the dirt I was doing the same speeds - if not a bit faster - than some of the regular motos (only because they were riding slower!).”
• “I ended up changing out the pusher at 3350kms. The Dempster highway took it down to darn near nothing, but it was still good enough to call a spare. For those taking notes, I am running the stock Uralshinas.”
• “Being the only sidecar - and a Ural at that - at a gathering like this - you are sure to get attention. And chicks. Lots of chicks.”

Go, Andy! Good job, mate.

(Not mine, by the way.)

From Soviet Steeds - Front tire flat

What do you do if your front tire goes flat while you’re riding? It’s a harrowing situation. Offhand, I’m not sure how I’d deal with it either, other than not hitting the front brake. Will need to consult the manual and see if there’s any advice…

The folks on Soviet Steeds throw out their tips on how to deal with a flat front tire:

“I would appreciate any advice as to how better manage (under total control) such a sudden flat of the front tire”

Follow the whole discussion: Soviet Steeds - Front tire flat

A possible maneuver… or just a really bad idea

One thing comes to mind (as I ponder this while finishing the post). I’m not suggesting this, do not recommend you try it, and say it fully understanding it may completely wrong.

You could give the bike just a bit of throttle. This would cause inertia to make the sidecar drag, tilting the front of the bike to the right and, hopefully, off the road to a safe spot. Once bike was tilted, roll off throttle and gently apply rear brake to bring the rig to a halt.

What do you think?

Looking to get a Ural? Good on you. Here are 3 things you want to do before laying your money down.

1. If you don’t already, read and follow the Soviet Steeds message boards. Great discussions on all things Ural, and a big help to give you an idea of what folks things of their Urals, common issues, that sort of thing.
2. Find your nearest Ural dealer. Good dealers will be there for you for warranty, parts, and even some wrenching advice. Soviet Steeds is also a good place to turn for opinions on different dealers. If you’re in the Pacific Northwest, check out Raceway Services, Salem, Oregon, and Ural Northwest, Bellingham, Washington (near Seattle).
3. Have you ridden a sidecar rig before? If not, I highly, highly recommend the trike and sidecar motorcycle training Vernon Wade in Hood River does with his Adventure Sidecar courses. It’s a 3-day class (and a good reason to take a trip to the Columbia Gorge).

I hope that helps you get started on buying a Ural. Other questions about Urals? Ask below, or contact me.

In addition to my tool roll, there are a few other miscellaneous items I carry in my Ural’s trunk. These are kept in a zippered bag, kind of like a miniature attache or travel kit. Here’s what’s inside (and some more photos are at the end of the post)…

• WD-40
• Reflective vest
• Tire levers
• Dielectric grease
• Bungee cords
• Cotter pins
• Lengths of twine
• Accessories for the LED disc light
• Fuses
• Fuse box
• O-ring for oil filter
• .004 feeler gauge (for adjusting valves)
• 2 spark plugs
• 2 lengths of zip ties
• Flashlight
• 2 bottles of touch-up paint (one green, one black) — which reminds me, I need to add a small paint brush
• Duct tape
• Electrical tape
• Ural Maintenance CDs (2-disc set)

And yes, I carry the maintenance CDs in my toolkit. You might be scrunching up an eyebrow, shaking your head and saying, “That eejit’s on a motorcycle, not in an office. When he’s in the middle of nowhere and breaks down, he’s not gonna have a computer!” You’ve got a point, but the reason I carry them is simple: I’m a geek. If the Patrol breaks down somewhere, odds are good that a laptop was packed for the trip, so if they’re needed, the CDs can be busted out, the Ural wrenched and, hopefully we’re back in the road.

More Toolkit Photos