The Ural Disappointment Factor
Forum rules
Here's the place for those who are newb or thinking about buying a Ural or Dnepr to introduce themselves ask those typical "newbie" questions. Try using the "Search" link at the top of the page to see if your question may have been asked before. Please post any tech questions in "The Order of the Greasy Wrench" section.
Here's the place for those who are newb or thinking about buying a Ural or Dnepr to introduce themselves ask those typical "newbie" questions. Try using the "Search" link at the top of the page to see if your question may have been asked before. Please post any tech questions in "The Order of the Greasy Wrench" section.
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- New Member
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Wed Aug 29, 2018 1:46 pm
The Ural Disappointment Factor
I had wanted a Ural from the first time a saw a picture of one about 6year ago! I read everything I could about them. In May my wife gave me a new 2017 Patrol (yes the best gift ever). On a ride three weeks ago I stop for a restroom break and as I returned to my rig I noticed the top stud that secures the final drive housing to the swingarm was coming out and threaded area on the housing was broken. On further examination two of the bottom bolts were missing. My ride was over. Even the recovery operation yielded a Ural Delay Factor. A deputy sheriff wanted to know all about my rig he talked for a half an hour. I was ready to get it to the shop and had a major ride planned in three weeks. The Ural Disappointment Factor begins, the nearest dealership was mysteriously closed and didn't answer the phone for three days (the message machine was to full to take new messages?). I contact the next closest dealer and trailer my rig there and they have been very good with communication. But Ural in Washington State has not been as communicative. They can't give the dealership any time frame of when they will have a "rebuilt final drive for them". A rebuilt final to replace one that had only 3000 miles? Can not give their dealer a timeline? almost two weeks in the shop. The Ural Disappointment Factor is real for me. So buyers temper your Ural love for Ural Disappointment Factor maybe stalking you. Do any of you Ural veterans have any advise?
2017 Patrol
- wooden nickel
- Hero of the Soviet Union - 2018
- Posts: 2137
- Joined: Thu Mar 20, 2008 6:55 pm
- Location: Louisville, KY 40216
Re: The Ural Disappointment Factor
Sorry for your trouble, but welcome to the site
Where are you located, roughly?
If your bike was new old stock and therefore under warranty, you are kinda at the mercy of the mothership. I got to admit they always took better care of me than that. Several dealers usually carry final drives or housings. If it is under warranty and is in the shop over a certain length of time (a month, I think) they will extend the warranty.
You might call the good dealers Hindle in OH, Holopaw in FL, Ski in CA, or Crawfords in MI see if they have one, If so, maybe you can get the mothership to let you have that one.
Where are you located, roughly?
If your bike was new old stock and therefore under warranty, you are kinda at the mercy of the mothership. I got to admit they always took better care of me than that. Several dealers usually carry final drives or housings. If it is under warranty and is in the shop over a certain length of time (a month, I think) they will extend the warranty.
You might call the good dealers Hindle in OH, Holopaw in FL, Ski in CA, or Crawfords in MI see if they have one, If so, maybe you can get the mothership to let you have that one.
I may not be good, but I'm slow.
Nick
2014 M70 Retros, the sports car of Urals.
Nick
2014 M70 Retros, the sports car of Urals.
Re: The Ural Disappointment Factor
With just about any other manufacturer I could sympathize with that point of view... with a Ural, chances are very good your “rebuilt” FD will have Sergi’s fingerprints on it... which is a VERY good thing... it’ll be better than factory new...Urallove2017 wrote: ↑Thu Sep 20, 2018 4:44 pmA rebuilt final to replace one that had only 3000 miles?
'07 Arctic: The Russian Raucous Ship
Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out...
Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out...
Re: The Ural Disappointment Factor
Thanks for the reminder to check various nuts and bolts on my rig!
past afflictions include limey motocars and bikes, R60/2 & a R65ls, and a Citroen.
Now a 2012 rusty GU and a 87 K75s with 200k miles both bought new
dual K&N cones on homemade intake, 40/137.5
Raceway needles
Modtop exhaust
$29 VW Hydraulic steering dampener
Now a 2012 rusty GU and a 87 K75s with 200k miles both bought new
dual K&N cones on homemade intake, 40/137.5
Raceway needles
Modtop exhaust
$29 VW Hydraulic steering dampener
- thecount043
- Party Member
- Posts: 130
- Joined: Mon May 13, 2013 9:29 pm
- Location: CT, Southern New England
Re: The Ural Disappointment Factor
I hope that the dealer will offer extending your warranty period if your bike is in the shop for a long time. In my case one of the cylinders got a leak near the end of the warranty period. They pulled out the motor to do warranty work, but when they put it back my neutral light didn't work, so it stayed in the shop. After they couldn't fix it the sent the transmission to Washington. After about almost two months (missed a summer of riding) or so I got my rig back working great. The dealer offered to extend my warranty past its expiration date by two months since my rig was laid up about that long. I didn't need it since it ran great after that. However, I sensed that the mwarranty offer was from the dealer a sense not Ural.
- VWK75S
- Hero of the Soviet Union - 2018
- Posts: 4514
- Joined: Fri Jan 01, 2010 9:25 am
- Location: Sebago Lake Maine
Re: The Ural Disappointment Factor
This information can help.
John
The Ural's made Maine a much bigger state.
2009 GearUp 140,000kms
2007 Retro 20,000kms
1991 VWK75S 110,000miles
2009 GearUp 140,000kms
2007 Retro 20,000kms
1991 VWK75S 110,000miles
- Peter Pan
- Hero of the Soviet Union - 2018
- Posts: 3180
- Joined: Fri Jan 31, 2014 11:30 pm
- Location: Heredia, Costa Rica
Re: The Ural Disappointment Factor
Tip:
have a second final drive and gear box on hand....
Look down in my signiture, then you know why.
Both are not reassembled yet, but all spares wait already in the office.
From now on do your homework well and check frequently for loose screws.
Sven
have a second final drive and gear box on hand....
Look down in my signiture, then you know why.
Both are not reassembled yet, but all spares wait already in the office.
From now on do your homework well and check frequently for loose screws.

Sven
Sophie Travelair = Patrol 2013 =>42.600km+counting
8 weeks 12.000km Oregon-Alaska-Oregon
With a DIY foam air filter the rig runs well even in tropical rain. The air box looks then like an aquarium.
Final drives: 1. at 5000km, 2. at 34.000km(+friction plates) 3. at 42.386km
transmission: 1. 40.000km. 2. installed
The Avatar are 2 rice grains stating life's essence:
"The most important you cannot see!"
=> Attitude makes the difference!
8 weeks 12.000km Oregon-Alaska-Oregon
With a DIY foam air filter the rig runs well even in tropical rain. The air box looks then like an aquarium.

Final drives: 1. at 5000km, 2. at 34.000km(+friction plates) 3. at 42.386km
transmission: 1. 40.000km. 2. installed
The Avatar are 2 rice grains stating life's essence:
"The most important you cannot see!"
=> Attitude makes the difference!
- Mr Wazzock
- Hero of the Soviet Union - 2018
- Posts: 4055
- Joined: Wed Feb 01, 2017 8:22 pm
- Location: Boston, UK
- Contact:
Re: The Ural Disappointment Factor
Not unusual unfortunately. Stories on here from when it's happened to others. But this is why it's important to check these kinds of fasteners on a regular basis, because it's being loose that causes the further damage, e.g. cracking cases and breaking studs and making holes elongated oval.Urallove2017 wrote: ↑Thu Sep 20, 2018 4:44 pmthe top stud that secures the final drive housing to the swingarm was coming out and threaded area on the housing was broken. On further examination two of the bottom bolts were missing.
Mike H
2016 Ural cT, in glorious terracotta
2016 Ural cT, in glorious terracotta
- Peter Pan
- Hero of the Soviet Union - 2018
- Posts: 3180
- Joined: Fri Jan 31, 2014 11:30 pm
- Location: Heredia, Costa Rica
Re: The Ural Disappointment Factor
small tip: oil the seat where he final drive mounts and then when you mount the final drive (either 1wd and 2 wd) put some epoxi arround the studs and where the final drive rests against the back swing. That takes out any gap and keeps the studs/final drive firm in place.
Check regulary the FD nuts for to be tight.
Check regulary the FD nuts for to be tight.
Sophie Travelair = Patrol 2013 =>42.600km+counting
8 weeks 12.000km Oregon-Alaska-Oregon
With a DIY foam air filter the rig runs well even in tropical rain. The air box looks then like an aquarium.
Final drives: 1. at 5000km, 2. at 34.000km(+friction plates) 3. at 42.386km
transmission: 1. 40.000km. 2. installed
The Avatar are 2 rice grains stating life's essence:
"The most important you cannot see!"
=> Attitude makes the difference!
8 weeks 12.000km Oregon-Alaska-Oregon
With a DIY foam air filter the rig runs well even in tropical rain. The air box looks then like an aquarium.

Final drives: 1. at 5000km, 2. at 34.000km(+friction plates) 3. at 42.386km
transmission: 1. 40.000km. 2. installed
The Avatar are 2 rice grains stating life's essence:
"The most important you cannot see!"
=> Attitude makes the difference!
- Daisy Cutter
- Hero of the Soviet Union - 2018
- Posts: 334
- Joined: Sun Oct 08, 2017 10:36 am
- Location: Hartselle AL
Re: The Ural Disappointment Factor
Owning a Ural has made me learn to be more patient than I have ever been in my life. Now that I have accepted that Murphy has a permanent seat in my side car I'm ok with it. Be patient and know that as long as the dealer is reputable, Ural will take care of you...on their own time though.
Mike
North Alabama
2017 Ural Gear Up
2018 Harley Sportster Iron 1200
2018 Royal Enfield Classic 500
North Alabama
2017 Ural Gear Up
2018 Harley Sportster Iron 1200
2018 Royal Enfield Classic 500
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- Hero of the Soviet Union - 2018
- Posts: 4399
- Joined: Mon Mar 13, 2017 7:03 pm
Re: The Ural Disappointment Factor
yeah me too, the first ones i check are the 4 -17mm FD swing arm bolts. because of the issues some folks have had.

2016 gear up asphalt grey, name Seryy Medved ,Air America CIA circa 1967/8 Vung Tau Viet Nam USS Tutuila ARG-4 (AND JUST A TOUCH OF AGENT ORANGE!)
- vetsurginc
- Hero of the Soviet Union - 2018
- Posts: 1061
- Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2012 2:55 pm
- Location: Parkland, FL
Re: The Ural Disappointment Factor
Final drive stud backouts have made me a friend of safety wiring.
Re: The Ural Disappointment Factor
Ural will teach you how to be humble, even (cough, cough) 2019 efi
- BigJames
- Hero of the Soviet Union - 2018
- Posts: 5583
- Joined: Mon Oct 17, 2011 12:15 pm
- Location: Macon, Ga. USA
- Contact:
Re: The Ural Disappointment Factor
a 2015 sure will, and I'll just leave that there...bring on the e-bike...
BigJames
15 Ural M70 (КРИСТИНA)
11 Ural Retro (100K and counting)
95/79 Bural Sportsman (Myrtle)
88 HD FLHS Watsonian Cambridge (232K and counting)
51 HD Servicar
15 Ural M70 (КРИСТИНA)
11 Ural Retro (100K and counting)
95/79 Bural Sportsman (Myrtle)
88 HD FLHS Watsonian Cambridge (232K and counting)
51 HD Servicar
- Happytrails
- Comrade General
- Posts: 517
- Joined: Tue May 29, 2018 7:35 pm
- Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Re: The Ural Disappointment Factor
...we'll have to get one of those huge gloves to work on it.


Last edited by Happytrails on Sun Sep 30, 2018 8:06 pm, edited 2 times in total.
-JR
2018 Ural GearUp, Urban Camo
1991 Honda Goldwing SE
"riding is good therapy"
2018 Ural GearUp, Urban Camo
1991 Honda Goldwing SE
"riding is good therapy"