Originally Posted By: Studebaker
Running a Ural in the 2001 Iron Butt is like running a plowhorse in the Kentucky Derby. They are not made for that.By the same token, try plowing a field with a race horse.
The Ural is designed to be a tough, go anywhere unit. The Ural is the Jeep Wrangler of the motorcycle world. Your Speedster is the Chevy Impala. Both have their place. Some people consider the Wrangler as crude. It is what it is, and many people want that.
Riding within its' design parameters, the Ural is a very reliable package.
The Ural warranty is 24 months, unlimited mileage. The company really stands behind their warranty.
Two wheel drive, reverse gear, purpose made sidecar motorcycle. No one else makes one available in the U.S.
The inability to run on Americas highways does indeed speak to the overall quality of the machine. As far as comparing it to a Jeep Wrangler, I can drive one of those off a dealers lot and across the country at interstate speeds and it wont come apart. If the darn things held together better, that would be a more accurate comparison to an automobile.
As far as it being a go anywhere machine....well if it has a propensity to break down often, taking it off the beaten path is the LAST place I would take it. Pushing it out of the wilderness sounds less than enjoyable.
I know someone who had a 750 Ural...it was the last one they ever owned. The person was technically proficient and bike was a constant headache for them. They sold it about 5 years later with very few miles on it (Couldn't trust it enough to take it out of town) for a massive loss.
Again, not sure why you feel the need to make excuses for a 21st century machine that suffers from so many issues related to poor manufacture and poor quality of materials. I think they are a cool looking bike and a neat idea for those of us vintage BMW nuts. However, the idea is poorly executed far too often. But if you have money to burn, by all means, go for it. I hope you get a good one in what is essentially a game of Russian motorcycle roulette.