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A brief guide to Ural (aka Uralmoto) 650cc ohv motorbikes.
This site is not intended to give a detailed history of Russian motorcycles, but should, with luck, allow you to easily identify the various models.
Ural bikes are built in Russia and are very much still in production, although the 650cc has now been replaced by the 750cc.
They are built in the town of Irbit on the edge of the Ural mountains.
Two classic images of mid 1970's Ural 650 M66.
The M66 replaced the earlier M63, the only significant change was the addition of the oil filter. This is located at the bottom of the front engine cover.
It can be seen on the blue bike sticking out between the exhaust and the frame.

 

The Ural 650cc engine and how to identify it.

The general look of the Ural engine is rounded and soft, with no sharp angles.
The rocker cover to the left shows the almost oval shape with three raised lines half way up. The space between these lines is painted on 70's models

The timing cover which can be found on the bike by looking back between the two frame down tubes at the front of the bike is tall and rounded towards the top. It nearly always has the Ural logo cast in to it

The common Carburetors found on 650cc Ural motorbikes
All the carburetors below have been fitted as standard to Urals, some are good and some are terrible, so if the bike you are looking at has some conversion to a modern carburetor, and it works well, view it as a blessing,

K301 carburetor
Up to late 1970's
Absolutely awful, leaks, floods, spits, fuel almost anywhere except into the engine. What does make it to the engine is rarely the correct mixture.
If you are an originality freak and you want a M63 or M66, this is what should be fitted.

K63/K65 Carburetor
1980 to late 90's
A massive step forward from the K301. Can be very reliable, but needs setting often to remain in peak condition. Thankfully rebuild and repair kits are easily available in the UK.

Jikov Carburetor
1998 to 2000 UK models
Really nice carb, mixes fuel well, even power delivery and good economy. Only fitted for a short time between 1998 and 2000. Unfortunately there are no spares for these any more, so if you have them, look after them well.

K68 Carburetor
Late 1990's to 2000 Russian models
About the same as the K63/K65 but with a round slide to replace the earlier flat slide. They run a little rich most of the time, so economy is not good. These are still in production in Russia so repair kits are not a problem.

Ural 650 charging systems from mild to wild
The original Russian 6 volt dynamo fitted to M63 and M66 models up to about 1979. Reliable, as long as you don't try to get 12 volts out of one.
The L424 fitted to M67 onwards up to 1998, some last forever, and prove reliable, some don't but don't be put off, they are good enough
The 300 watt (some even claim 500 watt) alternator fitted after 1998. Change it before it destroys your engine, Russian roulette for bikes
Ural Body work, Not the same as Dnepr

The Ural tank is very easy to tell apart from the Dnepr tank. It has a horizontal seam running all the way round with a rubber (actually strange Russian plastic) band to cover the welded seam. This goes under the knee pads. Early Urals have a white band, later ones have a black one as shown here.

1970's Urals (M63 and M66) have a very nice simple light with the speedo set into it and the ignition key just in front. Many of these have been butchered as for a long time it was impossible to get original ignitions and keys in the UK. Thankfully they are now available through specialists

Later Ural Motorbikes, have this more modern dash panel set above the light, with more warning lights than before and the ignition key relocated to the left hand head light support bracket. Square warning lights replaced round ones in about 1998

Early ural bikes and later combinations all have these high mounted mudguards made up of three individual pressings welded together to form two side seems. The guard hangs from the yoke and does not move.

Later Ural solo only front guard are attached to the fork lowers and move with the wheel. This chromed Soviet Knight model was sold by Neval in the 1980s and 1990s
Pros and Cons of the 650cc Ural
Good
Bad
Find
Avoid

Smooth engine
Pulls well as solo
Spares supply generally OK
The very last ones had electric start

Works hard as a loaded combo
Spares not so easy for early models
Early 6 volt electrics only just OK

Nippon Denso alternator conversions
L424 alternators
K65 carburettors
Mikuni carb conversions
Owners who use good oils
12 volt late model for every day use

Russian 300 watt alternator
K301 carburettors
Badly maintained rough bikes
Motors run on cheap oils
Early models, unless it's as a second bike or a hobby
Some of the picture on this page are reproduced with permission from F2 Motorcycles ltd (they supply parts for new and old Urals)