Ural Solo - what it was and what it became - MY MOTORCYCLE

Specifications

Style and more

Looking at the photo of the Ural Retro Solo, it becomes clear why this model takes the place of the favorite trailerless vehicle. The military vintage, unchanged over the years, is always “dressed” strictly in black, the streamlined teardrop-shaped tank, the chrome-plated shine of visible parts and the pleasant-to-touch leather of the adjustable saddle do not serve to disguise the “filling” of the boxer. Going against Irbit’s traditions of producing paired motorcycles, the single Retro Solo is difficult to fit into the usual factory lineup.

Ural Solo - what it was and what it became

Today I want to talk about an unusual representative of the Irbit motorcycle industry.
What could be unusual about it? We are all used to the fact that Urals have always been produced with sidecars and few people dreamed of a single model, but the motorcycle plant, I think, surprised everyone by starting the production of single vehicles. Why suddenly? In the 90s, the demand for motorcycles with sidecars fell, and the Irbitsky plant decided to save the situation by releasing a single Ural “Solo” model, and then the oppositionists’ dream came true. After all, they tried to convert wheelchair users into singles and encountered more than one problem, but here everything is ready right away, you just need to complete it “for yourself” and ride. An inexpensive, reliable and powerful motorcycle with a low, straight handlebar and a classic riding position has become very popular among fans of city riding.

So, let's start with the motorcycle itself: the motorcycle is a bit surprising and pleases with a lot of chrome. There are many of them: fenders, mufflers, arches, wheel rims. In combination with the strict black color of the remaining parts, they give the car a solid and at the same time festive look. When it appeared, it immediately attracted the attention of not only ours, but also foreign fans of this style of motorcycle.

Actually, it was prepared for production with the expectation of the foreign market. Most of the plant's products are sold abroad (USA, England, France, and, more recently, China). But domestic fans were not forgotten; they also dropped a little, and “Solo” began to appear in our stores in scanty quantities. Most of the differences from the base model IMZ-8.103-10 concern the appearance. The Solo is equipped with two small mufflers (Nikonov exhaust system), gracefully raised at the rear and protecting the passenger’s legs from hot surfaces. Another thing that immediately catches your eye is the double mono-saddle and the side decorative plastic panels (the tool, as before, is stored in a drawer on the tank). Elements of passive safety include roll bars with reliable fastening to the frame and folding footrests for the driver and passenger. The front fender—it has become a little smaller—attached to the fork stays is unsprung.

Increasing the compression ratio to 8.5 due to spherical head pistons raised the engine power to 29.5 kW (40 hp) and requires the use of AI-93 gasoline. In new pistons, the piston pin axis is shifted 1 mm from its axis of symmetry - this reduces engine noise and cylinder wear. In addition, the “heart” of the motorcycle has become more “environmentally friendly” due to the use of a closed crankcase ventilation system. The gearbox has “lost” reverse gear - it is not needed for single driving. The Solo uses electronic non-contact ignition, which does not require adjustment during operation and ensures reliable engine starting even with a partially discharged battery. The reduction in the weight of the motorcycle and its total load capacity (225 and 175 kg, respectively) entailed a change in the suspension characteristics: the latter became softer. Leaving the hydraulic part of the shock absorbers unchanged, the developers lowered the stiffness of the springs by using wire with a diameter of 4 mm instead of 4.5 for the front and 7.5 mm instead of 8 for the rear.

The position of the lower support washers of the rear shock absorber springs has changed - they have dropped by 20 mm. Abandoning the sidecar and switching to 18-inch wheels required reducing the rear axle final drive ratio from 4.62 to 3.89. The Solo's maximum speed increased to 135 km/h, and fuel consumption was 5-7 l/100 km. The motorcycle can be equipped with a conveniently shaped fairing and plastic mudguards. The brake system remains the same drum type.

This was Solo at the beginning of its release, in the 90s. But I don’t finish the description here. I would like to show you now the modern model of this motorcycle. Of course, no major changes happened, but still…….

So, a more modern single Ural in our time:

Externally, it remains with a rich color and a good balance of painted and chromed parts. It looks good, as befits a classic motorcycle.

Brakes - the Irbitsk residents finally changed the front brake to a single-disc one. The front one, even in the single-disk version, copes with its functions perfectly. The rear one was left as a drum type, but considering that no oil flows from the axle, nothing slippery will get on the pads, which means its efficiency is quite sufficient.

The tank is a “droplet”, its appearance is impressive, the lid on it is of a new design and is airtight. Now I would like to talk about the configuration: Irbitsk residents probably decided that they had made an eternal motorcycle, it would never break. Apparently they think so at the factory, since there is no space for tools. But - this, of course, is just terrible - but the tire pump is fixed in the most visible place. Although this is a small thing that can be eliminated.

The motorcycle has two options for completing seating positions: the basic model has a single seat, which is characterized by a rubber coating, or a double seat. In addition, there is the possibility of having two single seats. The price for the basic configuration of the Ural Solo motorcycle is about 215 thousand Russian rubles, which is considered a very competitive price compared to models from competing manufacturers.

Ural Solo: Pros and cons

So, what attracts you to the Ural Solo ?
One of my acquaintances, already an elderly motorcycle owner, saw my motorcycle for the first time and said only two words: “This is solid.” Yes, the specific power - 0.178 hp / kg - is the highest among domestic motorcycles (the closest in terms of characteristics, IZH-Yu5, has 0.15 hp / kg). This means that you can, without straining the engine, take off on a par with foreign cars, feel safe when maneuvering in traffic, load up well and go to distant lands. Some may be attracted by the distant relationship between Solo and BMW. (The participation of motorcycles of this company of the R100GS brand in the prestigious Paris-Dakar supermarathon is known). Others who prefer a quiet ride should be enchanted by the torque of the four-stroke engine. One way or another, you preferred this motorcycle to all the others. The store decided to deliver the purchase under its own power. This will require. a small supply of gasoline, some motor oil, electrolyte for a dry-charged battery. My motorcycle was low on oil in the rear axle, but it would be a good idea to check the levels in the engine and gearbox as well. I immediately advise you to pour the required 150 g into the air filter. Be sure to remove the preservative grease from the exhaust pipes and mufflers with a rag moistened with gasoline, otherwise it will burn and will be much more difficult to remove.

It is possible that the front fork of the motorcycle will not work well. The reason is that preservative grease gets under the oil seal. At the store you will have to put up with this, but at home you need to disassemble the plug and wash the seal in gasoline. The brakes may be overtightened, so after driving a couple of kilometers, stop and feel the hubs of all wheels. If they are hot, slightly unscrew the front brake cable sheath stop screw or the rear brake linkage nut.

The engine on the Urals, as a rule, starts with half a turn. However, at first it can get very hot, and until the first hundred on the speedometer, it is advisable to make stops for 10-15 minutes every 15-20 km.

At this point, the “pre-flight briefing” can be considered complete. Now is the time to talk about the extent to which a motorcycle meets such an important requirement as safety.

On any motorcycle it consists of many factors, but the decisive ones are stability and controllability, low fatigue of the driver and passenger. Let's start with the last one.

The fatigue of a motorcyclist largely depends on his seating position. Thanks to the high and wide steering wheel and low-mounted footpegs on the Solo, I found it very comfortable. By foreign standards, such a landing is considered classic and is rarely found on road motorcycles, except for the “chopper” class. On most modern road models, the driver is leaned forward, almost touching the tank with his chest, he holds the low and narrow steering wheel with straight arms, and his feet are positioned quite high on the footrests. The passenger, if there is room for him, sits somewhere on top, his legs are strongly bent, and his body literally lies on the driver. Which landing is best for our broken highways and manhole-filled streets is an open question. I personally, maybe due to habit, found it more comfortable to sit on the Solo than on some Japanese models.

The Solo's large power reserve, which allows it to easily accelerate to 130-140 km/h, increases safety when overtaking and maneuvering. But here the “fly in the ointment” can be the brakes. In addition to the general desire for disc brakes for a car of this class, there are comments on the existing design of drum brakes. Their break-in period is too long! On my motorcycle, for example, the front brake began to skid only after... 4 thousand km (!), and the rear brake does not work properly to this day due to the axle collar seal constantly leaking oil.

Motorcycle suspensions play an important role in ensuring traffic safety. When they work well, the stability of the motorcycle increases, since the wheels have better contact with the road surface. This also increases the service life and reliability of the motorcycle; the driver and passenger are less tired from riding. Unfortunately, the “Ural” suspensions do not work the best. Although the stiffness of the springs, compared to the sidecar version, is slightly reduced, the hydraulic part of the shock absorbers remains unchanged, and the suspension almost never works all the way. And if on the Ural with a sidecar this is not so noticeable - spring “frog” seats help, then on the Ural Solo, when driving over uneven surfaces, you are literally thrown out of the saddle. However, the driver can stand up on the footrests, holding the steering wheel, while the passenger, to a much greater extent, feels all the “charm” of the overdamped rear shock absorbers.

The handling of a motorcycle is greatly influenced by the tires it is shod with. For many years, our motorcyclists were spared any hesitation when choosing tires. “If only there was one” - that was the motto. The situation has not changed even now. The 18-inch Izhevsk tires installed on the Ural Solo are not the most ideal option. I don’t know if they were tested anywhere, but on my previous motorcycle, the IZH-P5, the cord began to deteriorate in such a tire after only 13 thousand kilometers. But IZH is much lighter than Solo.

I’ll mention one insidious little thing, because of which I lost my balance several times and almost fell. The culprit is... the protruding lever of the right carburetor enricher.

"Ural Solo": Pros and cons

You approach an intersection and brake, and when you stop, you want to put your right foot on the road. But then the ill-fated lever clings to the trouser leg, and meanwhile the motorcycle begins to fall on its side. The only way out is to jerk your leg and, tearing your trousers, hold the car. So don't ride in wide pants, or at least tuck them into your boots!

Convenience

Ural Solo sT is equipped with two transformable seats: standard single-seat solutions have rubber-covered seats or 2-seater motorcycles.

also choose two single seats .

First of all, this modern motorcycle is designed for comfortable movement on asphalt surfaces.

However, it can easily cope with movement on the roads of villages or in the absence of a road.

It handles the track quite confidently, and is highly stable when cornering .

The motorcycle has excellent aerodynamic characteristics.

Manufacturers have provided the motorcycle with excellent shock absorption, so small bumps on the road are practically not felt .

A perfect braking system adds a high degree of safety to this vehicle. Especially when maneuvering along city streets.

An excellent Kawasaki Versus 650 motorcycle, designed for long trips, both on highways and on rough and mountainous terrain.

The design of this bike from Kawasaki, even taking into account the time that has passed since the creation of the motorcycle, is considered very fresh and ultra-modern.