National Ural Demo Day
 

Decided to put this here.

Today was National Ural Demo Day and the local Ural dealer partook. We had a heck of a snowfall last night but I took the Ural anyway. The roads were dicey, to say the least. It was a ride of trial and error just to find the right speed that allowed for something that felt like traction and the right gear to keep the engine from lugging. I ended up being the first one there, so I sat and had coffee with Randy for a while.

Folks started showing up about ten, the first being a young Indian couple. The demo unit was a 2018 Gear Up in a burnt orange metallic. Sharp. Randy's sales guy instructed the couple on the ins and outs of how to ride it. Then both asked me for some pointers. Basically, all I said was drive it like a snowmobile and don't bother putting your left foot down.;)

I was getting ready to leave when the youngsters came back after a half hour ride. The young lady ran into the shop to warm up and the guy told me that his upper arms were sore and the steering felt sketchy. I took a look and they were in 2wd. No diff, so steering can be a struggle.
Next pair were an older couple. I think there were six or eight more waiting for their turn, but I didn't stick around. Wanted to get home and finish digging out.

The ride back was on cleaner roads so I was able to do something that had some semblance to a speed limit. Downside was that the wind was picking up and the temp was dropping. It was getting pretty cold. 19F when I got home. And then I got stuck in my front yard. Snow was so deep that I floated the sidecar, which lifted the bike. No traction at all. Took me about a half hour to get myself dug out.
Last ride for the next two weeks.


Getting ready to head out.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7853/...c0164993_z.jpg


At Randy's. Folks were impressed that I rode in.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7861/...e09a6049_z.jpg


Cute little SSR.
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Selfie of me and my commie hat.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4814/...55fab4b5_z.jpg
Randy also took a pic of my Ural and myself in that hat to send to IMWA.


Just another view of my sorry self stuck in my front yard.:ohno:
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7809/...e50683d9_z.jpg

so much for 2WD, huh? :D

I've not even gotten brave enough to take the rig out in snow yet. what little I did in the driveway gave me some confidence though. the car tire on back seems to grip through the snow pretty well. certainly more than a standard motorcycle tire.

Well, I did tell folks at Randy’s that the 2wd will just get you more stuck. Just proved it to be true. The snow was almost to my hip in the spot I chose to ride thru.

You didn’t feel like showing off by flipping the front wheel in the air and riding it through ?

With no momentum and 4” wide tires? Nope.

The Ural looks great in its "milieu".

There was a really bad accident out here a few years ago involving a Ural. Seems a guy was out riding, and the railway crossing arms weren't working. The guy got hit by a train going full speed down the tracks. It was terrible. Nobody on the train survived. :lmao::lmao::lmao:

I had to read that a couple times. Then I snickered.

Must be the cold up there slowing the brain down a bit. That's ok, you get a pass for putting up with the weather. Is it really as bad as the news reports are making out? Do you guys need anything?

As I am working in Miami this week, I have little input for how bad it is up there. Every time I call home, I get called rude names. However, folks in Miami think I am crazy because I am working outside with short sleeves because 63F is, supposedly, too cold.