MPC MOTORBIKES URAL-UK

We specialize in ural flat twin motorcycles/sidecars from Russia, Dnepr motorbikes/sidecars from the Ukraine, overhead valve and sidevalve versions. Over the years these bikes have been known under various names, cossacks, nevals, urals, uralmoto, dnepr, IMZ, KMZ

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Page updated 05 November, 2007

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Hi Mick
That other Ural (Brian`s) is as sweet as a nut ! (just a slight backfire on the over run)
He asked me to ride it to see what I thought ? It is the smoothest air cooled twin (bar none) I have ever ridden, it also
has a really sweet box ( I am so jealous). Mine feels like a real dog in comparison . .. . . . . no worries it has
been like that from new L0L His must be a Wednesday afternoon bike !
I can not complain, mine stands outside 24/7 365 days a year. it is near as dam it 10K miles old, not as many as I expected in 15 months but getting
there. It has NEVER let me down on the road, it has had little idiosyncrasies that I have had to rectify but an old design takes a little looking after (Good
old fationed Fettlin !). E.g. Adjusting the front brake ! You know the score remove front wheel, remove brake cable, adjust brake
shoes, oil cable (takes 4 eva), assemble and adjust.!!! More time consuming than changing pads in a calliper but at the same time
more rewarding also ! it makes you feel part of the experience and you draw an affinity with the beast !
I would love a Solo to tour on, even taking into consideration the slow speed BUT you can pick up a lot of new Japanese UJM`s for around the 4k
mark. I could only justify it for the, told you so / feel good factor, though I am looking through rose tinted spectacles,  as it could not approach the
feel good factor gleaned from the outfit LOL. The Dalesman is an antiquated beast that is not as useful as a car, it has
no performance, can not overtake, gets stuck in traffic, eats tires, drinks petrol and is the MOST ENJOYMENT I have ever had out of a 5 grand
motorcycle, I would not change it for the world. The others will come and go but this one is for life.
Keep in touch MATE (NOT DEALER)
Chris.

Hi Mick

400 miles off my first 10K (15,647 Km today) Aprilla eat your
hearts out, I wish the Capo was 50% as reliable as the Ural. The Aprilla
could not get out of the county L0L

Cheers,
Chris.

Dear Mick   I just wanted to say a really big thank you to you for your support at the RideSafe Rendezvous event at Lytham last week.  I knew when you agreed to come to the event that the day would never be the same again and I was right, life with you around is never dull and you certainly added another dimension to the day.  It is nice to hear from the feedback that we have received that people enjoyed seeing something a little bit different in the stunt arena.  

The day was a great success, with numbers attending the event estimated at between 6,000-7,000 people.  I really do hope that you will support us again at our future events and I promise next time I will make sure there is a food stand right next to you!.   All the best and thanks again

  Shelby

Hi,just got to say how much fun today was,thought i knew i lot about them,just goes to show!!!
I look forward to the next tech day,not had such a laugh and learnt so much in a long time.
Definatly bought the right bike from the right person!
cheers for now jim

short write up in the manchester evening news,,,

from russia with love

FOR many years I thought sidecars were the twisted handiwork of Satan. Why have three wheels, when four wheels – and a roof – makes a nice car, or two wheels plus a potent engine makes a damn fine motorbike? But I have seen the light. Sidecars are actually sex on wheels and those who can do tricks on them are the Love Gods of the Queen’s Highway. No, stop laughing there at the back, it’s true I tell ya. I spent a day learning the art of riding a Ural 750 with Mick Cross, who runs basic beginner courses for £180 at MPC Motorcycles in Leicestershire. Mick explains the physics of sidecars, the way two-wheel drive engages, and the importance of not braking whilst on two wheels with the ‘chair’ in the air. At first you think he’s joking, but a ride around the car park, where Mick balances the Ural with ease, and then actually parks the outfit on its side, proves he knows what he’s talking about. Soon, I was gingerly piloting the twin cylinder Russian Army style sidecar around myself, gradually lifting the wheel with a simple twist of the handlebars, and a tiny dab of throttle. It feels safe too, really controllable and as the outfit was in first gear for most of the day, speeds were low. Trying to ride a figure of eight in reverse gear – yes, it goes backwards too – was the hardest part.
You had to re-configure your biking brain completely to accomplish it. In fact, forget everything you’ve ever learned about motorcycles, because except for the position of the throttle, brakes and clutch on the handlebars, a sidecar is utterly unique and behaves nothing like any bike you will ride. The whole day was totally addictive fun and I’ve never laughed so much at 20mph in my life.      For more visit uralmotorbikes.info and insidebikes.com

Hi Mike
Just a quickie to let you know 10,092Km Today !
Not a lot I know, but not too shabby as this is since March and I ran the
VN1500 for some of the summer and the Caponard in to the back end.
Frosty morning and it ran like a Swiss clock, I think it is normally just
too rich ? I will give it 1/4 of a turn.
Going back to standard gearing has worked for me, it suits my riding and
the road conditions around here.
Nowt else to report, still grinning like a Cheshire Cat
The URAL is a pleasure to ride and own, the chrome is very poor but it does
not effect how it runs. LoL
Cheers,

Mick,  

I just wanted to say a massive thank you to you, your crew and the beautiful catering staff for a fantastic day.  

I can’t remember the last time that I had so much fun and laughed so much.

 Bring on the next one.  

Cheers

Roger Ford

Off Road Sidecar Day.

On the 30^th of December 2006 I attended an off road sidecar day organised by Ural MPC of Leicester. Having never ridden a sidecar outfit before I thought it would be worth a go!? Yes, my sanity has been questioned on numerous occasions, anyway, here is my account of one of the most fun/exhilarating days of my life. (so far) 

On arrival we were met by Mick (organiser) and various other owners/instructors. A nice cup of tea and a bit of a chin wag to get to know everybody; this was followed by a briefing on riding techniques ie forget everything you know about riding a solo motorcycle, and a health & safety chat to avoid any mishaps during the course of the day. 

Formalities out of the way, it was time to get on an outfit and practice manoeuvres on some flat ground, just to get the feel for the way the outfit handles. Thoughts like, ‘what have I let myself in for’ come immediately to mind but as time goes by, along with some encouraging advice from your onboard instructor (poor soul!) things start to click and before you know it you’re looking for 2^nd gear! Once you’ve got the bit between your teeth it’s time for a tea break before you’re ready to take on the off road section.

OK, tea break over now, lets get on the muddy bits! Myself and my 18 year old son were paired up and basically left to go and play. After I had completed the first 2 or 3 laps of the course that had been laid out, I was riding like a natural (well in my tiny mind I was!) The outfit was sliding about like a puck on an ice-rink, after a while you get used to this and start to wind the throttle round a bit more. As you approach a left hander you accelerate out of it, right handers are approached a little gentler with a little touch of throttle to guide the beast round. Of course while your doing all this your monkey (passenger) is diving from one side to the other trying to maintain the balance of the outfit. I’ve done about ten laps by now and having a great time when my 18 year old reminds me that it’s my turn to be the monkey. So we swap places and of we go; this is where you see speed/slides/lack of control/utter lunacy from a totally different perspective. It didn’t seem like this when the throttle was controlled by me (of course not!); I think my son saw it as revenge for all the nagging I’d given him over his whole lifetime. Because he was frightening the life out of me, after I swore at him a few times I realised that this was the wrong approach and decided to belt up and do as I was told. After several laps each it was time for a well earned rest and a bite to eat.

After lunch we went on the trials section which was a 4x4 course used by local 4x4 groups on Land Rovers etc. This consisted of various uphill and downhill sections through some boggy ground and then through water traps etc. This required a more skilful approach with throttle and clutch control being paramount to actually completing the course with getting stuck. Like the morning session there was plenty of time to perfect your technique and the instructors were always on hand to give more advice/encouragement if required.

By the end of the day I was mentally and physically knackered but had a great time learning a new skill, of which I sure I will be using again in the not too distant future. I have also promised to never nag my 18year old again!! If anybody is interested in doing this in future which I would highly recommend (maybe a club day out, Phil), details are available on http://www.uralmotorbikes.info/contact_us.htm

Come on Mick!!!!!
The site needs updating.
For us sad anoraks, this is a great disappointment.
I look on your site at least 3 times a week (SAD or what)
This is the wholly grail, the centre of the UK URAL universe
Please do not turn your back on the throng !
This site is an institution and as you know most of the people who visit it
should be in an institution !
Regards
Chris.

Hi Mick
I know I have replied once !
 "BUT"
You would not believe the difference those leads have made.
At 40 / 45 mph commuting, this baby is smoooooooooooth as a bar of Galaxy.
Top speed is the same and obviously the pick up is now much improved and
linear
At 6500Km I do not think, after reading all the literature on the NET, that
it is fully ran in yet, therefore I can only put this new lease of life
down to the ignition leads.
I keep the carbs in balance regularly, the ignition is factory setting
(Checked), new plugs and the mixture is 2 turns out
..................................#
This baby is running all stock settings yet it feels much better.
Consumption was about 40 mpg have not checked it lately as I have done two
fully loaded camping trips.
Yea it would be nice to know how the MPG fully loaded "BUT" when the
Coleman needs fuel .......................................
"You guessed" it comes straight from a fuel line ! therefore a tank full
doing about 150Km, 6 brews, 4 poached eggs and 8 rashers of fried bacon
!!!! LoL.
I will send a camping picture ........... Yea I do take the kitchen sink ?
Regards,
Chris.
6500Km and 2 rear tires on the legal limit (one on the spare and the other
awaiting those thin white wear indicators to show through !!!)
Hi Mick
I found 2000Km was fine on the oil as it looked like oil when it came out
Observation : oil looks OK on a dip stick ! But it is minging when you
change it ! another one of lifes little mysteries
I will stick with 2000Km as 1000 would do my head in.

Had 2 phone calls to the old man this week :

1/ On Copper leads I mentioned silicon leads to my old man and before I
could finish he was cussing and swearing, the gist was "Bugger interference
on peoples tele, get COPPER ones, you carnt get know where without a good
spark"
He had trouble with a BMW R100S years ago.
2/ I mentioned tire wear to him and again before I could finish ! "Yea you
will get about 1500 miles out of a back tire, the fronts last OK though"

So now I feel a bit of a girlie cause I have done 6360Km and still have
some (A little bit) rubber left on my second rear tyre.

Definitely change the leads on all new bikes, in fact every bike you get
your hands on as the transformation is out of this world.
OK so it is really only a small amount !
BUT it is the EDGE, it is that elusive 10% that makes the ride that much
better,
Smoother
Smoother means it feels more willing
Smoother means it sounds quieter
Smoother means it feels more comfortable

It might only be a small thing but it feels like a big difference
After all this sorting I feel as though it is getting there ... Only the
interruptor to worry about now !
See you Soon (Need more rubber)
Chris.

Dear Mick,
Just come back from a great weekend. Been to the CMA ( Christian Motorcyclists
Association)rally nr Thirsk in North Yorkshire.
Left leicester on Friday, travelling up to meet mates in Stathern, in the Vale
of Belvoir. Travelling in the company of a 600 Honda and a 900 Yamaha, we kept
up a steady pace around 55-60mph, and from time to time I overtook and they
were amused at how hard it was at times to keep up!
I love CMA rallies, such a vast and varied collection of bikes and riders.
Lots of people were interested and impressed by the Dalesman. Still got a few
sceptics, but after a 200 km run out on Saturday to Whitby, there were fewer
than before.
The fact is that once you learn to live with "OOraals" ( correct Russian and
European pronunciation!) they are more than fast enough, and reliable. With an
enthusiastic passenger who wants to passenger a racing outfit, the bendy road s
in the N Yorks Moors were brilliant fun, No need to throttle back on left
handers, just open her up and let the passenger keep it down!
I've travelled 640km over the weekend. It has not missed a beat, Ive never felt
I was the slow one left behind, lots of people struggled to keep up with us
over the moors!! And today it starts up and ticks over as sweetly as if it had
just been serviced. If anyone else gets to see this, They take time to run in
and I took time becoming a good outfit pilot, but loyalty is rewarded. It was
the usual story. No one bothered to look at the new Harleys and japanese Sports
bikes, everyone comes to look at the Ural .

So, Ive just had one of the best weekends motorcycling Ive ever had( and that is
saying something) and I can't wait for our trip to Holland in 2weeks time.

We stopped at Squires Biker Cafe in Yorkshire, and tired of constantly explaing
the bike to others, my travelling companions told the on lookers..." Its
amazing! Its fast!We all had to make adjustments to bikes this weekend except
Jay!!"
Two people who came up to me over the weekend, who were considering going to xx
and xxxxxxxx xx I suggested they speak to you first.
Thanks for all your help, and damn good taste.
Lots of love
Jay

Mick,

I meant to just drop you a line to say thanks for the training session last week…very tiring but extreme fun. It may amuse you to know that I drove home in the car as if I was riding a UK outfit, accelerating into left hand bends and decelerating into right hand bends so all your tutoring did sink in! 

You may also be interested in my experience as a customer interested in buying a Ural…
My first choice was to come to you having enjoyed the option of your try-before-you-buy training course and seen your stock, spares and workshop. I did, however, pay a visit to xx last weekend just to check out your competition. Not that impressive I have to say.

Tiny workshop and showroom and the couple of bikes they had there had big 'Do not Touch' signs on them. Only two Urals to look at and one of them was in the garage. They told me they had reserved the only Gear Up in the country and there was a 3 month wait to get one delivered and they didn't seem that overjoyed with the thought of having to deliver it to Thatcham offering instead the chance to drive around their forecourt until I felt confident! P*ss poor really.

Your approach with the training, range of stock and spares, nothing too much trouble attitude and offer to deliver and give me an on the road refresher has one you both a customer and an advocate should anyone ever ask me "where can I get one".

Just thought you'd appreciate the feedback.

Carol Nash should have my insurance documents winging their way to your workshop and I will get the rest of the stuff you need in the post tomorrow.

Thanks again,
Michael

Mick,

Thought I 'd drop you a quick line before I disappear on holiday just to say thanks again for the great customer service and to let you know how much I'm enjoying the wee beast. I've managed to stay alive and avoid hitting anyone/thing while turning left and the confidence and skill is slowly building up. Every ride is fun and every time you park the bike it starts a conversation.

Thanks for the MPC leaflets and stickers. I've given out a couple to inquisitive people already! You should put a PDF/Word version of it on the web site…I can print out a few extra as they get low.

Hope your trip down to Italy went well...

Cheers,
Michael

 To commander mick p cross                                                            home for the elderly welsh incontinent                            mpc motorcycles                      dear mick, please find enclosed a gregory peck as promised--thankyou. had a good trip back- just under four hours including half an hour at strensham services. lots of slow traffic, especially the m50/a449 most of it slowing to look at  the gear up! i have taken it to work today and have had some  of the " i will never buy a bike/combo brigade" wetting their pants when they saw me arrive,,,,,,,,,,,,the two urals fit into the yard perfectly, i will start reinforcing the roof asap- it would be a shame to have anything fall on the collection ! it is 50/50 likely that i can attend the stinkwheel show, i will confirm in about a week..    thankyou once more mick   regards to your family (and eddie)  moxie

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