A classic as a daily transport column

My classic Ural has been upgraded from toy to daily transport. We are still looking for a suitcase set for a Guzzi V65C. But as a daily driver, the Ural naturally does what it is made for: It provides transport. And offers a lot of space for the messages.

Classic driving: the experience

If you are just going to use such an old beast, you will travel through time. Because 'early' was motorcycling really different. To start with the big advantage: With the current speed rules, a sidecar combination with a cruising speed of approx. 80 km / h can be used again, and no more driving blockades. That does not mean that you participate in traffic completely carefree. The brakes on such a tricycle are just for decoration by today's standards. Therefore you should anticipate and not be alarmed by an emergency stop of about ten minutes. But that 'anticipation' has already been hammered into driving lessons and is left in place. And braking is something for cowards anyway.

Score baguettes

The day starts - after walking the dog - with a ride to the Aldi and to the bakery. The tricycle does this every time after just a superficial look. Do you think the tires are under pressure? Is there no unexpected oil or petrol under the engine? Does the charging current lamp light up brightly when the ignition is turned on? Does it turn off when the engine is started?

Just a break

Somewhere in the afternoon there is a moment to leave the screens for what they are and do something useful on the bike. Get a set of suitcase racks in Lochem, for example. The oil level in the block is checked briefly. In the gearbox it does not listen very closely and if the rear wheel is still dry, there is also some oil in the gimbal. The lighting is checked briefly. The clutch cable is tightened a bit. Just like the front brake cable.

With a sawed open-end spanner 13, it is briefly checked whether the inlet manifolds have not come loose. Then the half open-end wrench is briefly run along the spokes of the rear wheel to hear whether they are still under tension. The rear wheel spokes often want to be massaged loose during sidecar driving. A quick scan shows that all screw and bolt connections are still tight. Or not.

Lost the battery

I had forgotten that once recently. Then I lost the battery. I walked back from where I came and found the battery neatly on a wall. With the on-board tools (including AMP plugs, an M6 bolt and a rubber strap), the battery was temporarily tied up under the interested gaze of bakers' customers. "Yes. That's what you have with those 'olle' things, ”said an old man with a cake box in his hands. “I used to have a BSA. It was 'always' broken. ”

With one carburettor on the choke, the boxer usually starts in one stage

It makes sense to open the extra fuel taps. The also present (once newly bought) original fuel cock is leaking. And the float pins do that regularly. The extra cranes prevent the tricycle from getting into a pool of petrol. And if you forget to open them, the stuff comes to a standstill after something from a tight mile. Usually at an intersection.

'Easy does it'

Once on the road you know that a Russian four-speed gearbox shifts best at very low revs and subtle stamping on the heel / toe pedal. And so you go with a speed of 80 km / h to Lochem. It is like a ride in a time capsule. And everyone greets you kindly. We classic drivers are not seen as antisocial and dangerous. After scoring the Guzzi stuff in Lochem, there are a few drops of oil under the old Russian.

I think of what British motorcycle owners used to say, "It doesn't leak. He marks his place. ” And that is good.

The Ural starts again without any problems. The steering wheel floats a bit when driving off. I tighten the mechanical steering damper. And decide to look for trouble at the steering head at home. But that is of later order.

Classic motorcycles are just like women

They demand love, care, attention and respect. But if you give those things? Then it can still get exciting, but you avoid 99% of the problems. My tip: Do not put crankcase parts in the dishwasher.

Also interesting to read:

• Ural. Better a Russian than a virus
• The Ural and Dneprs: risers with a dot
• More columns through this link
• Ural sidecar crosser, that's where the Russians come
• … And the Art of Motorcycle Maintanance