Choosing routes for Urals
Forum rules
Here's the place for those who are newb or thinking about buying a Ural or Dnepr to introduce themselves ask those typical "newbie" questions. Try using the "Search" link at the top of the page to see if your question may have been asked before. Please post any tech questions in "The Order of the Greasy Wrench" section.
Here's the place for those who are newb or thinking about buying a Ural or Dnepr to introduce themselves ask those typical "newbie" questions. Try using the "Search" link at the top of the page to see if your question may have been asked before. Please post any tech questions in "The Order of the Greasy Wrench" section.
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- Comrade
- Posts: 43
- Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2020 4:33 pm
- Location: Denver, CO
Re: Choosing routes for Urals
When I first got my Ural, I tried to avoid Interstates. I always tried to go from point A to point B without using Interstates. Man, it was more trouble than it was worth, here in Denver CO, so I just said screw it and started taking the Interstate. I pretty much just stay in the right lane the entire time.
Bikes I currently own:
2003 Yamaha FZ1
2016 Yamaha R6
2018 Ural Gear Up
2003 Yamaha FZ1
2016 Yamaha R6
2018 Ural Gear Up
Re: Choosing routes for Urals
Any of my ride routes in Ontario almost all have an alt 80 kph B road near the 100kph A road, but unfortunately every one expects you to maintain 110kph on the B roads:)
Anything above 95 makes the right side pull unbearable so i am quite happy to stick to 85 or lower.
Anything above 95 makes the right side pull unbearable so i am quite happy to stick to 85 or lower.
Current:
2020 Ural Gear Up, 1986 Honda NS400R, 2014 Moto Guzzi Stelvio NTX
Location: Toronto, On Canada
Past rides:
1978 CR80, 1984 CR250, 1980 RD400 ds, many 81-82 RD350 lc, 80's XL650, 1978ish KZ650, 1979 KZ1000, 1979 Goldwing
2001 DRZ400, 2014 Aprilia Dorsoduro 750, missing some i am sure.
2020 Ural Gear Up, 1986 Honda NS400R, 2014 Moto Guzzi Stelvio NTX
Location: Toronto, On Canada
Past rides:
1978 CR80, 1984 CR250, 1980 RD400 ds, many 81-82 RD350 lc, 80's XL650, 1978ish KZ650, 1979 KZ1000, 1979 Goldwing
2001 DRZ400, 2014 Aprilia Dorsoduro 750, missing some i am sure.
- GHGoodwin
- Hero of the Soviet Union - 2020
- Posts: 5403
- Joined: Sun Jul 15, 2012 5:43 pm
- Location: Aurora, Ohio 44202 (SE of Cleve)
Re: Choosing routes for Urals
Get a road map. Plan your route. Take your time and enjoy America. Can't see fudge from a superslab. Short hops on the freeway are fine, and sometimes necessary, but I avoid them if possible. I don't like being the darn near slowest thing out there.
Hal
2011/12 Tourist - "The Russian"
It's a long list.
2014 Patrol - "Blackbird"
2011/12 Tourist - "The Russian"
It's a long list.
2014 Patrol - "Blackbird"
- Mr Wazzock
- Hero of the Soviet Union - 2020
- Posts: 6445
- Joined: Wed Feb 01, 2017 8:22 pm
- Location: Boston, UK
- Contact:
Re: Choosing routes for Urals
Lofty wrote: ↑Wed Jan 13, 2021 4:34 pmOn a mildly humorous note, an early lesson in my Ural ownership was that the same twisting roads that I glided through on any [single track] motorcycle was now one hell of a workout when trying to tiller a sidecar through the same snug curves. So, I do still occasionally choose routes for the sidecar that I'd ignore when piloting the Suzuki.

It was a shock to me too.

Pretty much what everyone else says, prefer the minor roads avoiding main roads. Sometimes not possible and then motorway is really only practical answer, where alternatives are just too congested and complicated. However if I'm towing I mustn't exceed 60 mph on a dual carriageway or motorway so that answers that.

Otherwise I agree 65 is my comfort barrier.
Mike H
2016 Ural cT, in glorious terracotta
(aka Oranzhevaya Opasnost, "The Orange Peril")
2016 Ural cT, in glorious terracotta
(aka Oranzhevaya Opasnost, "The Orange Peril")
- sagerat
- Hero of the Soviet Union - 2020
- Posts: 2304
- Joined: Sat Sep 27, 2008 1:12 pm
- Location: Bend, OR
Re: Choosing routes for Urals
I generally avoid the interstates, but when I have to slab, I keep to the righthand, aka outside, lane. My ‘04 Tourist would do 60-65mph for a while if it had to, same with the ‘12 Gobi.
2004 Ural Tourist (2004-2018, 48,000 klicks)
2012 Ural Gobi (Forward to the horizon)
2009 BMW R1200GS Adventure (KIA, sniff)
2017 Kawasaki KLR650 (Semi-orphaned by Urals)
2012 Ural Gobi (Forward to the horizon)
2009 BMW R1200GS Adventure (KIA, sniff)
2017 Kawasaki KLR650 (Semi-orphaned by Urals)
- cdscoot
- Order of Victory
- Posts: 11315
- Joined: Mon Oct 05, 2009 9:22 pm
- Location: The lower southern tier of central upstate NY ,Binghamton,NY
Re: Choosing routes for Urals
I never plan a route using any interstates. I never reserve hotels either. Limiting yourself will cause you to go by things that you wish you would have stopped for. Stop and enjoy the trip. That's the way I travel.
Craig
Experience is a wonderful thing, it enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again. Every morning is the dawn of a new error .
2010 Patrol T
2016 BMW R1200GS
Experience is a wonderful thing, it enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again. Every morning is the dawn of a new error .
2010 Patrol T
2016 BMW R1200GS
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- Hero of the Soviet Union - 2020
- Posts: 8108
- Joined: Sat Jul 14, 2012 10:45 pm
- Location: New Rochelle, New York
Re: Choosing routes for Urals
With the Ural I take the highway when I have to. But that's the same with any of the 2-wheelers as well. I-95 going South or North pretty much sucks on any motorcycle (does in a car too) but sometimes you have to.
Nothing specific to a Ural preventing or making me avoid a highway. Just where I'm going to get the most enjoyment from riding.
Nothing specific to a Ural preventing or making me avoid a highway. Just where I'm going to get the most enjoyment from riding.
Stagewex
2019 Honda CRF450L (Elec Start)
2008 Vespa 150S (Elec & Kick Start)
2007 Ural Patrol (2WD, Elec & Kick Start)
1991 Honda XR250L (Kick Start Only)
2019 Honda CRF450L (Elec Start)
2008 Vespa 150S (Elec & Kick Start)
2007 Ural Patrol (2WD, Elec & Kick Start)
1991 Honda XR250L (Kick Start Only)
Re: Choosing routes for Urals
When I did x county few years back on my 11 gobi, I started out using back roads going though town, lot of stops, go and shiftings.
I told myself , I m not going to this for 8000 miles.
I got the interstates, 55 mph, nobody ran me over, few times I did short burst at 65mph to pass a low vehicle.
Ural is fully loaded, engine, gb and fd did not blow up.
I told myself , I m not going to this for 8000 miles.
I got the interstates, 55 mph, nobody ran me over, few times I did short burst at 65mph to pass a low vehicle.
Ural is fully loaded, engine, gb and fd did not blow up.
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- Hero of the Soviet Union - 2020
- Posts: 2712
- Joined: Thu Apr 19, 2018 11:59 am
- Location: Anchorage AK
Re: Choosing routes for Urals
2019 has no limits. Its just what works.
Haines AK to Anchorage as I was talking to the son I inherited (he insists I am a dad, but he has not mowed my lawn so until he does....) its not a limited choice, its one choice if you are lucky!
Good news for AK? They are ALL good choices.
Stateside, I took what got the mission done. Freeways out East of the Cascades are pretty spectacular. Everett WA to Bellingham the parallel state highway was all traffic lights.
Haines AK to Anchorage as I was talking to the son I inherited (he insists I am a dad, but he has not mowed my lawn so until he does....) its not a limited choice, its one choice if you are lucky!
Good news for AK? They are ALL good choices.
Stateside, I took what got the mission done. Freeways out East of the Cascades are pretty spectacular. Everett WA to Bellingham the parallel state highway was all traffic lights.
At least for 2019+ That is what 3rd gear is for! Once I got the RPM and speed chart, 60 mph in 3rd is ok (with some common sense for OAT and how long the climb is)Urals are not-a so good at hill climbing
Fear No Gravel
Formerly Owned: ( various rides on others)
Honda 90
2 x CB750K (one a true Japan Model flown to Hawaii by a P3 Orion Sub Patrol Aircraft!)
1 x CB700 SC ala Shaft Drive Nighthawk S (RC20 is the actual in house production Model)
1 x R80GS (ok to start with, learned to love it for what it was)
1 x CB450K
Current:
1 x 2019 cT Terracotta
What I Did (I quit June 2 , 2019)
Mechanic/Technician/Engineer: Electro Mechanical Systems
Formerly Owned: ( various rides on others)
Honda 90
2 x CB750K (one a true Japan Model flown to Hawaii by a P3 Orion Sub Patrol Aircraft!)
1 x CB700 SC ala Shaft Drive Nighthawk S (RC20 is the actual in house production Model)
1 x R80GS (ok to start with, learned to love it for what it was)
1 x CB450K
Current:
1 x 2019 cT Terracotta
What I Did (I quit June 2 , 2019)
Mechanic/Technician/Engineer: Electro Mechanical Systems
Re: Choosing routes for Urals
I generally try to stay on back roads, or two lane highways, but I do ride it on the main route through Pittsburgh, which is an interstate, and have had it on the PA turnpike as well, though I would only go from one exit to the next one, about 15-20 miles. On trips I have hit interstates for short runs, when it seems to be the better option. I generally stay at 55-60 though. Of course after getting GPS, I now know that my cruising speed of 55-65, was really 60-65 mph. I have not had issues on the larger highways and interstates, as long as I stay to the right and don't do anything stupid.
- Rich Maund
- Order of Suvarov
- Posts: 2666
- Joined: Tue May 19, 2009 9:05 pm
- Location: Virginia
Re: Choosing routes for Urals
The 15 years I spent traveling on these bikes I would chose the old "blue line" hiways with 45 to 55 speed limits as my primary routes. I there to enjoy the journey vice do it fast. But that said, I also always made sure the machine was well broken in before a trip and well serviced! No problem doing the occasional bit of freeway travel at 60 mph. For some years we'd even put the travel trailer behind the rig and travel all day at 55 or even 60 on a downhill. Listen to the bike constantly. It'll tell you if it is in distress. I had a Ural 650 solo and before we put the sidecar on it later, it would happily do 70 all day on the interstate running solo gearing with 19" wheels. One year I rode mine and Sid Pollard rode his matching solo all the way to Asheville for FART. 440 miles each way! Our bikes were 7 serial numbers off from each other. We figured they could see each other in 1995 on the assembly line!
This is my step ladder. I never got to know my real ladder.
2002 Kawasaki ZR750 Sport
2002 Kawasaki ZR750 Sport
Re: Choosing routes for Urals
Thanks for all the responses!
Yup, I'm definitely on the same page as you guys. I'm not in a hurry to get anywhere, and don't expect to get anywhere in a hurry on the Ural. I bought it to enjoy the ride.
I think I will buy another mount for the Zumo so I can use it on the Ural in case I get a wild hair and want to go offroad, but honestly with the streets, Waze is the best choice IMO since it's free and gives up to date road info.
If it helps anyone else, I've used this for car trips in the past. Will eventually try it for a motorcycle trip. It's really good at helping find interesting stuff along the route.
https://roadtrippers.com/
Yup, I'm definitely on the same page as you guys. I'm not in a hurry to get anywhere, and don't expect to get anywhere in a hurry on the Ural. I bought it to enjoy the ride.
I almost always used Google maps or Waze with my phone and a RAM mount, but last year I finally broke down and got the Garmin Zumo XT($$$s) because I was doing fireroads on my KTM and Maps / Waze was pretty useless. I had looked at previous Garmin motorcycle GPSes, and they weren't worth the money. This model has a lot more useful functionality including terrain maps. But, yeah the Garmin app is disappointing. I did download someone else's map data for a fireroad, and I was able to import it into Garmin and the Zumo and it worked fine. It does irritate me that Google won't route our waypoints. The Garmin software will (if you set waypoints, Garmin will route between each of them). Maybe we can set waypoints with Google and let Garmin do the routing? I'll try that; if it works, I'll post the results.
I think I will buy another mount for the Zumo so I can use it on the Ural in case I get a wild hair and want to go offroad, but honestly with the streets, Waze is the best choice IMO since it's free and gives up to date road info.
If it helps anyone else, I've used this for car trips in the past. Will eventually try it for a motorcycle trip. It's really good at helping find interesting stuff along the route.
https://roadtrippers.com/
2011 Ural Gear Up - "Donna"
Snoqualmie Valley area, WA
@5K km:
Engine and Gear Box: Lucas Oil Hot Rod & Classic 20W-50
Oil Filter: Hiflo Filtro HF895
Snoqualmie Valley area, WA
@5K km:
Engine and Gear Box: Lucas Oil Hot Rod & Classic 20W-50
Oil Filter: Hiflo Filtro HF895
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- Comrade
- Posts: 96
- Joined: Sat Oct 26, 2019 11:19 am
- Location: south central TN
Re: Choosing routes for Urals
My 2¢ & I know a lot want agree.
I've got a 04 Troyka. I have no problem running 60-65 for several mile stretches. I run 60 a lot. I've been up to 75 on several occasions but not long stretches. My thinking is I'm running @ what's comfortable to me & take my time. Occasionally higher speeds is no worse than dragging one through mud & muck where the air flow is almost non existent on the engine & heats it way above normal. If I have to ride with kid gloves on then I don't want it. I do my regular scheduled maintenance on schedule plus. They are not as delicate as most owners think.
I've got a 04 Troyka. I have no problem running 60-65 for several mile stretches. I run 60 a lot. I've been up to 75 on several occasions but not long stretches. My thinking is I'm running @ what's comfortable to me & take my time. Occasionally higher speeds is no worse than dragging one through mud & muck where the air flow is almost non existent on the engine & heats it way above normal. If I have to ride with kid gloves on then I don't want it. I do my regular scheduled maintenance on schedule plus. They are not as delicate as most owners think.
04 Troika,
10 BMW's
3 Harleys
1 Honda
1 Kawasaki
1 Suzuki
10 BMW's
3 Harleys
1 Honda
1 Kawasaki
1 Suzuki
Re: Choosing routes for Urals
Unfortunately, just going to work or running errands in the city requires me to travel on the Interstate highway. It requires a 15 - 20 mile or so jaunt, but just taking it slow (55-60) doesn't seem to cause issue with other drivers.
If I were to take a 2 lane bridge over the Missouri River would require a 25-30 mile detour - not fun going to work in the dark where deer are prevalent. The ride home, however is a blast!
If I were to take a 2 lane bridge over the Missouri River would require a 25-30 mile detour - not fun going to work in the dark where deer are prevalent. The ride home, however is a blast!
'16 cT - Terracotta 22k and climbing
2016 Kawasaki Ninja 300
2009 HD Heritage Classic (wife's)
2021 Kawasaki Ninja 400 X 2 (kid's)
Former bikes
2005 HD Springer Classic
1983 BMW R80RT
1998 Ural Italia
Other toys
2014 EZ GO Golf Cart Limo (gas)
2016 Kawasaki Ninja 300
2009 HD Heritage Classic (wife's)
2021 Kawasaki Ninja 400 X 2 (kid's)
Former bikes
2005 HD Springer Classic
1983 BMW R80RT
1998 Ural Italia
Other toys
2014 EZ GO Golf Cart Limo (gas)
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- Hero of the Soviet Union - 2020
- Posts: 540
- Joined: Mon Dec 14, 2015 12:04 am
- Location: Rapid City, South Dakota
Re: Choosing routes for Urals
One of my go to maps for choosing routes for KLR or Ural is a DeLorme Atlas & Gazetteer for the state I'm riding in. They use to cost about $20 per state but I find them worth the price. Many of the maps are old so some roads are no longer available but they do show good detail and interesting information.
Best,
Jeff
Best,
Jeff
Jeff Saline
2010 Gear Up
-Good, Fast, Cheap. Pick Two
-Just because something isn't true, no reason you can't believe it. Hub McCann Second Hand Lions
-Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
2010 Gear Up
-Good, Fast, Cheap. Pick Two
-Just because something isn't true, no reason you can't believe it. Hub McCann Second Hand Lions
-Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.