You know what I’d like to see?

It’s Thanksgiving in America, and it’d be hilarious to see a sidecar that was decorated as a turkey, complete with drumsticks.

Maybe I ought to do this some year. In the meantime, happy Thanksgiving!

In many states, children can ride in sidecar motorcycles. But where do you get safety gear, such as helmets, for kids?

Anybody got any suggestions on gear for a 6 year old? My nephew needs a little adventure in his life

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From breaking in your Ural to making sure your have good tire pressure, how can you improve your Ural’s gas mileage?

I have consistantly come up with about 25 miles to the gallon. Confused My 2007 gear up I bought at the end of April has just over 6200 km on it. How are you guys getting 30 mpg? Granted thats only about 20 miles per tank before refueliing but thats a trip to work. I do a mix of highway and city driving and when I am on the interstate I cruise at about 55 to 60 mph. I have color tuned and synced the carbs. I change the oil and have 20w-50 as the manual says. Everything runs smooth though the ride is a little rougher with the new tire but it has almost 2000 km on it. Tire pressure is always checked and kept at 32 front, 40 pusher and 30 on the sidecar. I weigh in at about 225 before armored up. Any hints and tips would be appreciated

Tips include:

• Slow down (overall 40-45mph seems to be a good speed, but of course what you run varies with what road you’re driving on)
• Keep your tires at good pressure (manual recommends 32 psi front, 30 psi hack, 40 psi rear, but many foilheads run 32 psi in the hack wheel)
• Avoiding ethanol-blended gas

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Soviet Steeds - Kick starting my Patrol

Mike Shoemake shares his recommended Ural kickstarting procedure:

Bill, I been doing the same thing as you, just trying to teach myself how to do a manual start. I have had the most luck with the following procedure. Hope this helps:

Mike’s Ural Kickstarting Procedure

1. Ignition off
2. Enricheners out
3. Stand with my right foot on left rear footpeg (passenger), this lets me have full range of motion with my left foot thru the entire travel of the kickstarter from top to bottom. Holding onto the passenger seat will keep you steady.
4. Kick engine over twice, do it smartly please
5. Ignition on
6. Left hand on throttle, but just a little, right hand on passenger seat
7. One hard kick and engine has started every time.

I do hope it helps – and I particularly hope it helps me. Other than 2 lucky tries when I first got Svetlana, I’ve been hopeless at kickstarting my Ural Patrol. I’m going to try out Mike’s procedure though, and hopefully will finally get the hang of this.

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Speaking of sidecar motorcycle sightings, here are a few more sightings that a fellow Eugene sidecar owner told me about recently:

• “My neighbor saw a white one at the little cafe behind Mazzi’s, confirmed by the vespa boys who saw it at the valley river shops. Not an Artic Camo, did someone paint it white?”
• “There is also a green Ural Patrol owned by a man called Alan also, down in Hoseburg.”
• “Another green Ural Patrol is said to be parked at the tavern in Brownsville almost every day.”
• “I also passed a chair rig, just got a glance, the other day on Franklin just this side of Springfield. Black, and the bike had two round headlights… a Triumph speed triple? Don’t guess anyone would hang a chair on a bike like that though, so I will call it unidentified.”
• “Also spotted was one of the new red Ural Tourists up on the Peoria Road on the way to Corvallis.”

Have you seen a sidecar motorcycle in Oregon lately?

Sidecar motorcycles are getting more popular, so I wasn’t all that surprised when when my dad called to tell me he spotted a Ural in our hometown of Roanoke, VA. But I was surprised to hear that the Ural he saw was exactly like mine!

“Son, you’re not going to believe this,” said Dad, “but I’m at a stoplight on Route 419, and a couple of lanes over there’s a dark green Ural sidecar motorcycle, with a luggage rack and a spare tire on the back of the sidecar. It looks just like yours.”

Fellow green Ural Patrol owner in Roanoke, VA, I hope to hear from you sometime. Happy Uraling!

Order ADV stickers, patches, etc.

If you aren’t already familiar with the handy ADV Rider motorcycle message boards, go sign up. And then, order yourself an ADV sticker for your helmet or motorcycle. A wide range of patches, stickers and iron-on patches is available for the motorcyclist. While you’re at it, also be sure to check out the Hacks section on ADV — it’s their special area solely for sidecar rigs.

IMZ Ural Boards - Ural Battery Replacement

When it comes time to replace your Ural’s battery, what should you do? If you want to change to a different brand of battery, what should you choose? Here are some suggestions:

My 2003.5 GU has the Varta YB18LA that is about used up. I have seen references to the Interstate YTX20L-BS, but Interstate site only shows CYTX20L-BS that is an AGM battery that is 270 cca, 6 1/8 tall vs. my 6 1/2. They also show a YB18L-A cycletron that is 235 cca. Not alot of choices where I live, so Interstate is my best bet. What replacement battery are you guys finding the best in Interstate?

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Team Oregon Motorcycle Training

I took my first motorcycle riding training course, called Basic Rider Training (BRT) in August, 2005. Run by Corvallis-based Team Oregon Motorcycle Training at Eugene’s Lane Community College, BRT offered 3 days of classroom and range instruction to help a prospective motorcyclist see if motorcycling really was for them.

The class mixed classroom instruction with time on range applying what was learned during class. From basic operation, such as where controls are and how to start a motorcycle, to riding techniques including cornering and how to do an emergency swerve, the BRT course can help any novice motorcyclist gain the confidence and basic skills needed to be able to safetly and ably operate a motorcycle.

Taking this class was one of the best steps I could have taken. I went from barely being able to start a motorcycle, to whipping through curves with confidence and even a tidge of grace. BRT gave me the confidence I needed to know that getting a motorcycle was in fact for me.

Another advantage of completing the course is that it makes getting a motorcycle endorsement quite easy. Passing a class such as BRT can mean DMV waives your written and motorcycle riding endorsement tests. It can also make you eligible for discounts on motorcycle insurance, gear, or even motorcycles. (All this varies by state and class.)

For me, passing BRT made my endorsement about as easy as could be. I went to the DMV, showed my class completion card, took a vision and audio test, wrote a check, and was done.

If you haven’t ridden a motorcycle before, a class such as BRT is essential. Even if you are an experienced rider, other classes are available for more advanced riders, than can help you refine your skills and learn new motorcycling techniques.

Learn more: Team Oregon Motorcycle Training »

Soviet Steeds - Need advice on windshield and mirrors

Pondering whether or not to get a windshield for your Ural? Which types and brands should you consider?

“I am looking for a windshield. Just wanna keep the rocks and bugs off me and maybe deflect a little wind. I am leaning towards a handlebar mount frameless style but will consider all recomendations.”

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