Editorial
Martin
Ural 750 Leading link
forks/brake problem?
After consulting with
David Angel (F2 Motorcycles) it was established, that if this problem exists on
a machine of this model, it is caused by badly fitting bushes at the centre of
the front brake back-plate. These bushes are supposed to contact together and
the back-plate has a steel insert to rotate upon these two bushes as the
suspension rises and falls in use. Careful machining of one of the bushes,
removing just enough material for the bush to firmly contact the opposite bush
will remedy the problem. Other than my own machine, there has been one other
occurrence of this error, so there may be others too, though it is not thought
to be many. Once identified as a problem, it is highly recommended that the
owner should seek to have repairs made as soon as possible. Mine was repaired at
F2’s at a modest cost and short wait. Thanks David!
Martin
Mike Stevens writes regarding his recent accident:-
Thanks for the mention of
my accident and the good wishes in HN. It was entirely my own fault, I can't
blame anyone else. I suppose we all think we are invincible but this is not the
case. Unfortunately I have been laid up for most of the early part of the year,
but now I am out and about again, unfortunately not on a motorcycle anymore. My
heart attack seems to have weakened my resolve, just cannot cope with the
heaving and mauling anymore. I am not a great lover of outfits, not that driving
them is a problem, I’m just not that keen on them and in any case I have nowhere
to keep one. Perhaps in twelve months time I may feel differently but for now I
am leaving bikes alone. Been on and off them since 1959 so I have had a good
innings without serious injury until last Christmas, cannot complain really.
Mike
I’m sure we all wish Mike
well and hope he returns to biking some when soon.
Martin
In The Shed & a late Normandy Landing
Following trips to the
Hebrides and Normandy on my outfit and Northern Scotland and Uttoxeter on my
solo some time in the shed has been required. Even though I am clearly a fraud
for having BMW engines in my bikes (how can he be secretary of a Russian bike
club when he runs BMW engines in them?) I feel compelled to report on the nature
of these necessities lest other members pass the same way, in the unforgettable
knowledge that nobody told me that if I connected a BMW gearbox to a Russian
rear drive my bike would go backwards.
The
fuel tank on my Ural/BMW is leaking again, this time round the front mounting.
This is not a reflection on the quality of the workmanship – it is a high
mileage bike used all winter. Nevertheless it is still leaking. Twice I have
fixed it from the outside using fibreglass resin, and without emptying out the
fuel - once in the same place and once around the rear mounting. A more
permanent job is needed.
Tony Jones provided me
with a second-hand tank that had been modified to take a BMW tap. I haven’t got
a BMW tap, and they are expensive. I have got two British taps, so I decided to
modify the tank again, in the process doing away with the awkward balance pipe
arrangement. BSP nuts are apparently not available, but threaded steel sleeves
are available from plumber’s merchants - £3.80 for two. One of these cut in half
and with a step machined on it did the job. I also made little plugs to fill in
all the extraneous holes in the under side of the tank left by the balance pipes
and the original tap. These all now need brazing in.
When this is done the
tank will be lined with fibreglass resin, and will hopefully last longer than I
will.
My second problem was
with the Dnepr solo. When I fitted the BMW engine and transmission I had to
lengthen the drive shaft so the two ends would reach each other. This is a
difficult job to do without the proper equipment and the end result was slightly
bent. I knew it wouldn’t do and other people said it wouldn’t do, but our lass,
whose advice I always take, said to ‘let it develop’ like she always does.
Inevitably it eventually knacked the gearbox output bearing, causing the bike to
now be stood, less gearbox and shaft, while Roger Bennett the BMW doctor sorts
it out.
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Incidentally in Normandy,
while visiting landing beaches and museums, numerous people blatantly took it
upon themselves to mount my machine for their photograph taking. Generally I
don’t mind this sort of thing, but it would have been nice if they’d asked. What
it does go to show is that if you painted a fridge olive drab some people would
think it was from the war.
Dave Ramsden
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Alan &
Julie Jahn tied the knot with their Ural 750cc outfit, long may they all
be together! |
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Kev Alexander
Invites ALL Cossacks owners to
join in on this forum:-
http://cossack.11.forumer.com/index.php
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Featured in INDIANA JONES AND THE
LAST CRUSADE
was a mock up of a BMW
R-75 and sidecar as supposedly used by the German forces of that era. The film
sees Indiana Jones, played by Harrison Ford, pitting his wits against fledgling
Nazi regiment intent on recovering the fabled Holy Grail in order to harness its
legendry powers to assist them in their quest for world domination. Sounds
straightforward enough but they hadn't counted on two Dr Joneses to contend with
in order to fulfil their devious mission. Set in 1938 the plot requires Indiana
Jones to rescue his father Dr Henry Jones, played by James Bond, from Brunwald
castle in deepest Austria and then travel to the Berlin annual book burning
festival where publications such as Haynes manuals for British motorbikes are
confiscated and given over to the local pyromaniac community to satisfy their
lusts. It's here that Dr Connery retrieves his 'grail diary' containing a
lifetime’s research of clues to the whereabouts of the holy chalice and gets
Adolf Hitler’s autograph as a bonus. Their mode of transport on this occasion
was the aforementioned Beemer which just happened to be sitting in a crate fully
assembled and ready to go. They even made it to Berlin without stopping for
petrol as luck would have it.
Closer inspection would
have revealed that this was a in fact a 1980's model with electric start and
that the sidecar was off a Dnepr, the petrol tank from an Ural (the petrol tank
is false - the bottom was cut out to make it sit lower, petrol is taken from a
'jerry can' fixed to the sidecar) and the back wheel is from a Suzuki (this was
done to lower the gearing as its a smaller diameter than the original). If
anyone is interested in giving it the once over for themselves it will be
appearing at a couple of rally's in Suffolk over the coming weeks. The 35th
Grand Henham Steam rally will be on the 19th and 20th of September, their theme
for this year is road haulage past to present and speedway. A couple of weeks
after that you can see it at Rougham airfield for their 1940's themed 'ploughs
to propellers' weekend on October 3rd and 4th. If you're bringing a camera then
don't forget your bull-whip and fedora hat for that ultimate 'Indy' pose.
Martin
The Three Magpies ~ Cossack National Summer Rally
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What a great weekend,
sunshine, great company. 21 units turned up with a mixture of 650cc & 750cc
Urals and Dneprs, no two strokes though. David from F2 also joined us with his
wigwam! Steve Lyons led us a merry dance through the Wolds of Cot. I led a
little deviation along a Byway through an old mill, that put smiles on the faces
and mud on the tyres, the best way round I find! Besides the wealth of sidecars
and a caravan we had two Ural solos, who managed the muddy lanes that Steve
found very well. Many of us backed off our engines on the ride, thinking they
were seizing, but unknown to us Steve had arranged for the Red Arrows to buzz
us, then somebody informed us that one of the pilots was a lady ~ now they tell
us! Good for her though! We also thank those members that attended on other
lesser models and 4 wheelers as they did not have access to real transport or
were of more mature years. I also thank Dave Cox for providing the rather
impressive candles and Chris for the log that he had cut a cruciform into before
allowing it to burn from inside out, al la Ray Mears me thinks! Lit up the
evening well. The 3MP pub provided great food and drink as well as rather
sumptuous breakfasts.
See you at the AGM then!
Peter J. Ballard
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Top photo by self and others from Kev Boyle~