Sounds like the annual Ural dealer meeting is underway:

“According to Crawford’s answering machine, they are at the IMWA dealer meeting this week. Anyone else heard anything?”

No big news yet.

Link: Soviet Steeds - Ural Dealer Meeting Underway

“WWID”

Definition: What Would Ivan Do?, or, if you’re pondering how to fix, or at least not to break further, something on your Ural rig, then “WWID” is the quintessential, introspective, get-the-creative-juices-flowing question to ask yourself first.

Usage: Okay, I think the cotter pin for the linkage here has broken off, and I’ve got to get it back on. All I have are zip ties and duct tape… WWID?

“RPOC”

Definition: Russian Piece O’ Crap, or, a term of endearment (really) for one’s beloved Russian motorcycle.

Usage: I don’t know what happened to this friggin RPOC. Now hand me the BFH so I can sort this buggerin’ bike out!

“BFH”

Definition: Big Feckin’ Hammer, or, the most important tool the Ural motorcyclist can own.

Usage: “I broke down. So I got out my BFH, whacked the Ural a few times here and there, and was back on the road about 2 minutes later.”

Soviet Steeds - First Service To-Do List

The Ural manual is pretty comprehensive about the work you need to do on your Ural at its various service intervals. But as St0nkingByte points out at Soviet Steeds:

This morning I was looking at the manual to see what will need doing and I’m thinking the list from the service coupon page might be missing a few things”

Here are some of the things he notes:

• Torque the head bolts
• Adjust valves
• Check/torque sidecar mounts
• Check/adjust brakes

Other Ural owners had plenty to add. Check it out, and see if you want to add any of these to your service list.

Follow the whole discussion: Soviet Steeds - First Service To-Do List »

When shopping for motorcycle insurance, you have to pay close attention to the details. And when it comes to details, accessory coverage, and what’s considered an accessory, varies greatly from insurer to insurer.

As I looked into quotes at Progressive, I found a note in their accessory coverage that noted sidecars might be considered an accessory. However, overall the accessory coverage noted that accessories were considered non-factory items, or in other words, the stuff you add on after you get your motorcycle, and not what the factory put on during their manufacturing process.

But which applied to the Ural’s sidecar? Was it an accessory, or did it fall under the “manufacturer installed”?

To my mind, the natural answer was manufacturer-installed – for a Ural the sidecar isn’t an accessory, it’s a factory-installed part of the motorcycle. That’s just common sense, but of course, no one has ever accused insurers of letting common sense get in their way.

I called Progressive and double-checked these details with them. It was very simple, and surprisingly easy:

“The sidecar’s put on at the factory,” they said. “So it’s not an accessory and the accessory coverage doesn’t apply to it. It’s just part of the motorcycle, so it’s under the standard coverage. If it was an aftermarket sidecar, then it would be different. But it’s not.”

There you go. The things to remember:

• Always, always, always double-check with your insurer
• A factory-installed sidecar should not be considered an accessory – it’s as much a part of the manufactured motorcycle as the engine or the gas tank
• Aftermarket sidecars are a different kettle of fish, and you’ll need to read the fine print on accessory coverage to help you understand what’s covered, what isn’t covered, and how much coverage you need

And make your first call to Progressive. As I’ve mentioned before, I’ve been very happy with their motorcycle coverage, especially given that Ural is not as well-known of a brand.

“For women who ride”

Indeed – and for women who ride, but aren’t necessarily out for the leather look, Tourmaster’s Ladie’s Trinity Motorcycle Jacket is a great jacket to wear. Especially in a sidecar.

Jodie’s light blue Tourmaster Trinity came as a Christmas present from me. I’d found the jacket at Eugene’s Discount Motorcycle Parts (just off West 11th at Tyinn), and liked the color (perfect for Jodie) as well as the zip-out insulating liner and the removable armor. To top it off, the jacket was also on sale for $110, a quite reasonable price for a durable motorcycle jacket.

About the Women’s Tourmaster Trinity Motorcycle Jacket

Here are some features and specifications from the manufacturer’s website:

• The 400 Denier Nylon Dobby 3/4 length shell combines with a Rainguard® waterproof/ breathable barrier for a garment that protects from the road and rain
• The collar features a soft, microfiber relief panel
• Zippered chest vents, sleeve vents and rear exit vents provide flow-through ventilation
• Two-way main zipper closure with dual wind flap seals out the elements
• Phoslite™® sleeve piping and Tour Master’s signature reflective rear triangle help increase nighttime visibility
• The Microfiber lined collar and cuffs are soft yet durable
• Collar anchor snap eliminates flapping while the collar is open
• Adjustable sleeve take-up straps at the forearm and bicep help secure elbow armor and material
• Removable, CE-approved armor at the elbow and shoulder with an articulated Triple Density back protector
• Tour Master’s Ladies Z.O.Q. (Zip-Out Quilted) Liner features a comfortable iridescent taffeta liner
• Zippered chest map pocket, hand warmer pockets, internal pouch pocket and mobile media pocket
• Adjustable waist belts, with TPR pulls help to fine tune the fit
• Includes a jacket/pant zipper attachment with the pant side included
• Available colors: Black, Light Blue, Silver, Pink
• Available Ladies sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL

Jodie in her jacket

I have to say, Jodie looks good in her jacket. No, strike that. Jodie looks pretty damn hot. It’s a lot of fun to ride around in Svetlana, with Jodie sitting there in her blue jacket, returning waves and grinning big. She likes her jacket a lot, both for its warmth and versatility, and how comfortable it fits her. It’s been a good pick for her, and it just may be for you (or your riding lady) too.

More online: Tourmaster’s Ladie’s Trinity Motorcycle Jacket »

Looking for some good Ural schwag? Metro Racing has you sorted out. From “Ural Parking Only” signs to Ural t-shirts, these guys have some great stuff that just might have to wind up in my closet and garage.

Also available from Metro Racing:

• Men’s T-Shirts
• Ladies Shirts
• Riding Gear
• Stickers, Signs, Etc.

It occurs to me that Ural schwag is not yet the easiest to find. Over time, hopefully that will improve. If you know of a good shop for Ural apparel and what-not, please send it along, and I’ll start up a “Clothing and Accessories” section (or something like that) in Ural Resources.

Like St0nkingByte — Soviet Steeds - Who insures your Ural? — it took some time and research to sort out insurance for my Ural. And who better to check with, naturally, than with all the other Ural owners out there for who they use for motorcycle insurance?

I called my insurance agent today to get insurance on the new Patrol. Since it is new I asked her to get me full coverage. She hasn’t done many sidecar rigs so she was warning me that it might be considered ‘exotic’ and thus might be hard to insure? I’m sure she just doesn’t know yet. Anyway she said it might be helpful if I could tell her what companies other Ural owners are using for their insurance. I’m most interested people who have full coverage and your approximate annual cost, if you’re willing to share.

This didn’t wind up being my experience, but it’s good to be aware this issue is out there. I wound up insuring Svetlana through Progressive, and had an easy time getting (very competitive) quotes. Progressive is well aware of Ural, and covers the sidecar as a factory item, not an accessory (which is a different kettle of fish when it comes to insurance coverage for motorcycles).

Whoever you insure your residence, car, etc. through, be sure to check with Progressive when insuring a Ural. Progressive is known for being well-versed in motorcycle coverage, with good plans.

When it was time to replace your Ural’s air filter, you promptly went out and bought a K&N permanent air filter for your Ural, right? If not, do so now. Don’t worry, we’ll wait…

Okay, good on you. Now that you’ve got your K&N air filter and you’ve been running hell out of your Ural, it’s a few more thousand kilometers later, and it’s time to clean that dirty, cloggy permanent air filter.

Here’s how you do just that, step by step. (BTW, when I it’s time to replace my air filter and eventually need to clean it, I’ll add a post with pictures about that too.)

Soviet Steeds :: View topic - k&N filter cleaning

“Have the K&N reusable filter in my 07 Gear Up and thought with a little over 5,000 Km I would clean it today. This was the first time I have cleaned it so it will give the new fellows an idea of how to do it”