Motorcycle specifications Ural650 1992

What motorcycle should you buy, in 1992, when your budget was less than 30,000 Frs (€4,500)? Apart from a few trail bikes (DR 650, XT 600 K...) and a flock of 125s, only a few basic roadsters, many of them from Eastern Europe, met this economic criterion. The MZ and Jawa are perfect min-priced utilities, but for the motorcyclist who loves a big cube, the Ural 650 is the ideal model.

this Russian motorcycle is a Soviet interpretation of the BMW 2 series, with a design as advanced as a construction machine, but also with an old-fashioned charm. And yet, while its design is almost "antique", the basic equipment is there. What's more, the Ural is fitted with some surprising but rather practical equipment: a neutral reset lever, a steering brake (to harden or soften the steering according to individual taste or road conditions), and a two-branch gear selector that's very useful given the quality of the gearbox.

kick-starting is a little impressive at first glance. The two-cylinder's respectable displacement suggests that you'll have to work up quite a sweat to get the thing to kick. All in all, the Ural gets off to a pretty good start, but it's not easy to get the hang of, especially in town. Its size is bulky and handling is limited. The gearbox could accentuate this handicap, but the two-branch selector is a great help in handling it.

once out of the urban landscape, this 650 goes to great lengths to please, or rather to make itself forgotten and allow the rider to enjoy the scenery. Its engine pulls energetically from 50 to 140 km/h in 4th and last gear. Suspension is quickly overwhelmed. The drum brakes are sorely lacking in progressiveness, but with good practice and if the Ural is not rushed, it remains stable and fulfills its utility role quite correctly.

what's more, the Ural is almost a traveler, with a pleasant engine capable of putting on the miles on torque, and a comfortable seat for both rider and passenger. And if the protection is non-existent, this is not redhibitory given the relatively modest cruising speed (110-120 km/h).

in 1992, as much as today, riding an old (even new) bike had a certain charm. Admittedly, the bike was outdated in many respects. But its goodwill and the pleasure of riding vintage were well worth a few concessions.

Tanthallas - DR photos