2012 Ural Patrol Review

The 2012 Ural Patrol 750 is one of the more unique motorcycles that you can ride today. You don’t see many sidecar motorcycles on the roads these days however that doesn’t mean they are functionally useless or unbearable to ride. The 2012 Ural Patrol 750 has more storage space than most other motorcycles for weekly errands or luggage for overnight trips, it is off-road ready with its boxer style engine and stiff suspension yet is comfortable when ridden on the highway.

The Ural name got its start during World War II when they were being manufactured by the Soviet Union. They are still just as tough and multifunctional as they were in the 1940’s however they have been slightly modernized to keep with the changing times. A carbureted, dual Keihin L22AA system fuels the twin-cylinder, 750cc kick-start engine. The carburetor is made for the Russian winter so this bike will start up with no choke very easily in less extreme weather conditions. The engine has a compression ratio of 8.6:1 with two overhead valves per cylinder, a dual plate dry clutch and four-speed transmission with reverse. The rear wheel is powered by an exposed shaft delivering approximately 40 horsepower and 38 lb-ft of torque. This won’t give you much drag racing potential, making its most useful in rUral farm towns, while hunting, or fishing. The recommended top speed is 65 miles per hour so highway riding is possible but keep to the slow lane.

The rider seat is very relaxed and has a natUral contour to it. The sidecar seat is also very comfortable with its thick cushion and supportive back rest. The sidecar also has a very generous amount of leg room so a tall passenger won’t have any trouble staying comfortable. The handling of the Ural is very unique and takes some time getting used to. The sidecar tends to push the bike slightly to the left when the throttle is released or pulled to accelerate. The braking system is powerful enough to give all the braking power needed to stop the bike however, the linked mechanical rear drum brakes in the rear and on the sidecar are more for hill holding purposes rather than braking so most of the power comes from the Brembo four-piston caliper and giant floating rotor up front.

The Ural side-by-side was designed to meet a 1940’s military demand for a bike with rugged construction, purpose-built features, easy-to-fix mechanics and high load capacity and handling. Much hasn’t changed over the years, yielding a bike that still has all the features that made it so useful during the second world war while taking on a few modern additions.