[Transportation] Motorcycles & scooters

Peakprepper · Heavy Crude Joined: Jun 15, 2006 Posts: 104

I've always kind of liked the Ural and CZ stuff, but never quite managed to strike up the courage to buy one.

I would imagine that spares are unavailable because you could probably use a tin can as a replacement piston, and a sawn off piece of broomstick as a con-rod if you ever needed to. Owners I have met have sworn blind by them.

I've always kept an eye on Russian/Eastern bloc technologies since the day years ago when I was at a military airshow (I used to do a lot of defense and military exhibitions all over the world), and a colleague and I were sniggering at the valve operated electronics in one of their planes.

I managed to strike up a conversation in broken English with one of the technicians, and arrogantly said something like "So, you guys haven't discovered transistors yet, eh?"

To which he smiled and calmly said "Yes of course we have, but in the event of a nuclear incident, valves will keep on working, whereas transistors wil not".

Humbled for weeks and months after that...don't know if this would also apply in case of a large dose of EMP though.
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spear

Yeah,I was looking at the URAL a while back.It caught my eye but I didnt pay too much attention to it then.
But I just took a better look and noticed that the model posted above and the patrol model on their site have dual traction on the rear wheel.Now thats hard to beat.

Too bad they dont make a diesel.

The drawback is the gasoline engine.You wont have the option and luxury of choosing from whatever fuel is available,unless you have your own still.Then you'll be allright.

If I was going to do the diesel ,I would consider the motor swap as I cant see paying 18000 for a bike.even if it can climb 60 degree slopes.
(Unless you happen to get chased and you bolt up a cliff and get away,then its probly worth every penny).

The perfect PO two wheeler has to do it all.
Economical,fast,all weather, all terrain,all purpose,easy parts,last fifty years with minimum maintenace and repair.

If it has to go through what my truck goes through,it will have to be tough.

Ive been on the lookout trying to make a future decision for a bike but since this one will be the last ,and it will probably be going to my son,if he needs it at some future date,its going to be a very hard decision.

Wonder if spoked wheels would be better or cast aluminum.
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Peakprepper · Heavy Crude Joined: Jun 15, 2006 Posts: 104

spear

I'm beginning to think the whole point of this bike costing $18k is that members of the public WON'T be able to afford it... but the Army et al will have a whole fleet of them, and will be able to speed around the countryside like cowboys lassoeing(sp?) fat people so the army trucks can then pick them up later to stuff into giant ovens to generate electricity.

On a serious note, avoid spokes and go for cast - in case of wheelspin (intended or otherwise) you can seriously bend the spokes, and whatever people say, the wheel is then mostly irretrievable.
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spear

To be honest ,I was looking at the Huskvarnas a lot lately.
650 Husky.Go anywhere,climb anything.Last forever.Not cheap.
Another favorite is the old Yamaha Tenere 600 with the big gas tank.

Can pick them up fairly cheap these days.Rebuilt motor and its set for another lifetime.

The reason I mention the wheels is,if you are on the road,and something happens,like the wheel gets bent from a pothole and its warped to crap,you can still bang out the spoked wheel to a point where it will rotate enough to keep you going where as the cast wheel will be trashed unless you know how to repair a cast wheel.
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Peakprepper · Heavy Crude Joined: Jun 15, 2006 Posts: 104

Agreed - but it will take *a lot* more to trash a cast wheel than a spoked one.
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spear

Not so much as one might think.Almost any impact to the front end from the side will trash the front wheel.Like from a car.
.Its something to think about if one is serious and trying to cover all the bases.
The wheel issue is one of those things that dosent seem so important until it happens,I think
Thats one reason why I like the Tenere 600.Its a very common bike over here and theres no problem with parts even from junkyards.
I wouldnt want to have to look for parts for the Ural or the Husky.
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codesuidae

What about the Ecorider diesel cycle?

For the cost of some of the full sized cycles you can buy three ecoriders and a good cache of spare parts. It isn't fast (35mph on the road), but it gets good mileage (they claim 125mpg) is designed with a tow bar and has big balloon tires that should be resistant to damage and last a long time (I imagine on-road use would cause excessive wear though).

Depending on your planned activities post-peak a small vehicle of this sort might be useful for farm work and local transportation. You could probably use it for long distance travel too, but it'd be slow and I personally would want to be conservative about the mileage on such a vehicle.

Peakprepper · Heavy Crude Joined: Jun 15, 2006 Posts: 104

I tried one of these at an agricultural fair last summer - they were fairly pedestrian, as you mentioned, but also they were not road-legal - you had to purchase a "road kit" then get the whole thing registered and approved - certainly one to bear in mind though, particularly with the towing power at your disposal.
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gg3

If the word "petrol" wasn't enough of a clue, the phrase "over-engineered" certainly was. Good to see another datapoint showing that the UK is back on track with manufacturing, after Mad Cow Maggie nearly de-industrialized the place altogether.

120 MPG on biodiesel Reverse gear. Tows trailers, up to 500 #. And it probably climbs grades like a Caterpillar (or should I say, like a JCB?). It would be nice if they made a 3-wheel version but what the hey.

Way cool. I can see a bunch of uses for these after we move to the woods. Site survey, general hauling, utilities maintenance, perimeter patrols, possibly hunting. Probably not for trips to town, which will probably be far enough away that it's worthwhile using an enclosed vehicle & hauling as many people & as much stuff each time as possible. But even so... 120 MPG on biodiesel... hmm!

JPL

spear

JPL,you look like Steve Mcqueen getting ready to jump the infamous fence in the movie.lol
I found an old rebuilt Enfield from the forties,same thing,burns anything.4000euros.Not too much,but not too little for an old classic.

That ecorider isnt too bad either.No top end but you wont be going faster than 35 mph in the woods anyway.If its needed to go to the city,it can always get you there through the back roads,the fields and the woods.No need to be moving on the major arteries.
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JPL

elocs

skyemoor

elocs