Olga-From the Russian mountains

[andyberg]

Right then here we go. For years I have had a small hankering for a simple motorcycle with character, this small hankering seems to have got bigger the older I have got. Was really looking at, and really liking the Enfield's even took a Meteor out for a test ride. That confirmed two things,

1. I definitely want a simple, relaxed bike that is able to do a few miles.

2. At the moment I can't afford an Enfield.

Back burner time.... until a member of this parish chucked a for sale thread up for a Russian Ural! Now I'll be honest I hadn't really thought about one of these simply because they mostly come with a sidecar attached. A bit of a Google, a chat with my lovely wife and the wheels were set in motion. She arrived Friday. I do like the much older (60/70s ) style of the boxer BMWs and this is not far off that. I know she needs a bit of tinkering but just a quick gander at her shows everything is so easy to get to so away I go.

Quick list.

New headlight (supplied)

New seat cover (supplied)

New indicators (supplied)

New battery

New throttle cables

New air box pipework

Clean carbs

New rear tyre at least, most likely both as they are the finest that Russia produced 20+ years ago.

That's really about it. I have decided to keep her in 'used' condition with just a bit of cleaning T cut, autosol and polish. I found an old battery and with the aid of a jump pack she turned over very nicely. Below are a few of the 'now' pictures so you can see the areas I will be addressing.

The aim is to get her through the MOT in time for the Bristol distinguished gentlemans ride next May. 

[purplebargeken]

Those plastic side panels would look great in white mate.

[purplebargeken]

Stainless fasteners would be a boon too. That was part of my original plan...

[andyberg]

20 minutes ago, purplebargeken said:

Those plastic side panels would look great in white mate.

I was going to get ' Olga' in Russian script on the side? Maybe??

[andyberg]

Stop the press!!

New headlight fitted and working! First job done.

[purplebargeken]

Anything else light-wise working?

[andyberg]

7 hours ago, purplebargeken said:

Anything else light-wise working?

Brake/tail light, battery light, high beam light and the front right indicator 😂 I'm not too bothered about that initially. I'll get her running and a new battery then check the lights properly.

[andyberg]

Made a start on Olga. Thought I would do a nice easy* job first, recover the seat. Didnt look too bad a job. However seat foam is soaking wet and the base is a bit* crispy. It's been by a dehumidifier for a few days so the foam is dry now. 

I think I'll take the foam off , wire brush the base and coat it in vactan before liberal amounts of black hammerite are added. Then I'll put the new cover on. A new seat is over £100 so that's not going to happen. 

New tank pads ordered, new throttle cables ordered. This weekend I'll take the carbs off, strip and clean them. Hoping for a potential start up within a couple of weeks weather permitting.

[purplebargeken]

Crispy but not terminal. I did look at reinstating the rail and solo seat. Much prefer the look.

[andyberg]

13 minutes ago, purplebargeken said:

Crispy but not terminal. I did look at reinstating the rail and solo seat. Much prefer the look.

Exactly mate, I'll sort it. Solo seat would be nice but Mrs.Berg wants to go out on the back next spring/summer. I may get the twin solo seats at some point 🤷 a bit like this.

[Cookiesouwest]

2 minutes ago, andyberg said:

Exactly mate, I'll sort it. Solo seat would be nice but Mrs.Berg wants to go out on the back next spring/summer. I may get the twin solo seats at some point 🤷

Umm surely a side car is the answer

 

[andyberg]

1 minute ago, Cookiesouwest said:

Umm surely a side car is the answer

 

I would love a sidecar, they are hilarious. But I reckon they may be a tad expensive and I'll have nowhere to park it.

[Cookiesouwest]

Build a little side car garage for the front lawn

[purplebargeken]

Sidecar would be a hoot but a bit useless for filtering through traffic lol.

[castros_bro]

On 15/10/2023 at 17:50, purplebargeken said:

Stainless fasteners would be a boon too. That was part of my original plan...

I seem to remember that they used  different Metric threads then European.

[andyberg]

I know it won't be seen but I have, hopefully, given the seat base a few more years life. Wire brush, Vactan and black hammerite. At the weekend I'll put the foam back on and the new cover. More pics to follow.

Also took the carbs off. One was full of dark brown ' varnish' and one was dry. Very simple in design by the looks of it, however the dry carburettor's slide is stuck firm. At the moment both are in a bath of WD-40 until the weekend then I'll have a go with carb cleaner. I really hope they are both saveable as rocking horse shit is more easily available. Conversion kits are available for more modern carbs but they are not cheap and I would like to keep Olga as original as possible. Again more pics at the weekend.

[purplebargeken]

The carbs on Olga are seemingly the better ones. It might be worth investing in an ultrasonic cleaner, they aren't expensive.

[andyberg]

2 minutes ago, purplebargeken said:

The carbs on Olga are seemingly the better ones. It might be worth investing in an ultrasonic cleaner, they aren't expensive.

Yeah looking around the web these are the better carbs until they went modern* in the early 2000s. I am kind of thinking about getting one of those ultrasonic cleaners that you can use for glasses and try that? They are about £20. A mechanics ultrasonic cleaner is about £130 from what I can see and I'm not sure I can justify that for just 2 carbs. 

Oh, my Polish neighbour loves the bike! He says it reminds him of home and can't wait until he sees it running.

[purplebargeken]

Think mine was 25 to 30 quid. It's a usable size. Good old Amazon. Ha, cool.

[andyberg]

48 minutes ago, purplebargeken said:

Think mine was 25 to 30 quid. It's a usable size. Good old Amazon. Ha, cool.

Do you reckon it would do the job?

[Cookiesouwest]

1 hour ago, andyberg said:

Do you reckon it would do the job?

It should do.

No guarantees, but worth a go.

[stuboy]

On 15/10/2023 at 18:10, andyberg said:

I was going to get ' Olga' in Russian script on the side? Maybe??

О́льга

[andyberg]

11 hours ago, stuboy said:

О́льга

That's exactly it 👍 thank you

[andyberg]

Quick update, not much going on as it's my birthday but I thought I would treat myself with an hour's tinkering before Mrs.Berg gets home from work.

New seat cover fitted, not perfect but much better. It kind of keeps in with the 'well used' style of the bike. I still think that when she is back on the road then I will go for the twin saddles as per original.

After almost a week of bathing in WD-40 and a good spray of carb cleaner the throttle slide is now free! So Monday will see me strip and clean the carbs properly, throttle cables on order. Airbox hose and new fuel pipe arrived this week so I am still on course to try to have her running as soon as the cables arrive 🤞

[purplebargeken]

Glad you are making progress still mate. The single seats look bloody ace.

[purplebargeken]

Gotta keep us updated on the lovely Olga... any progress?

[andyberg]

Sorry all, work and birthdays got in the way.  Not much progress to be honest. I bit the bullet and got an ultrasonic cleaner and this morning gave the carbs a blasting. They seem to have come up a lot cleaner now.  So all things are ready for reassembly, just awaiting the throttle cables to arrive then I can have a go at starting her probably for the first time in about 3 years. She has good compression and I did put a spot of oil down the bored just to help things along. Cables hopefully will be here at the end of the week/ early next, they have left Ukraine. New airbox pipes are here and fitted. I have fitted the new indicator lenses, they are proper orange now. And all indicators work after a bit of jiggery pokery with the wires.

[andyberg]

New tank rubbers arrived today. Doesn't really show in the pictures but it's a good improvement. Onward and upward.

[bezzabsa]

isn't F2 or summat like that the Go to for Ural stuff???

remember seeing a ural with the 2wd sidecar drift round a island in Leeds few years back 

[andyberg]

28 minutes ago, bezzabsa said:

isn't F2 or summat like that the Go to for Ural stuff???

remember seeing a ural with the 2wd sidecar drift round a island in Leeds few years back 

Yeah they do a fair bit of stuff. I got my tank rubbers and throttle cables from a Ural shop on eBay, based in Ukraine. They are a bit cheaper. Another place is Russian Garage in the USA, cheap but shipping costs seem a bit excessive.