The history of the motorcycle with the sidecar "Dnepr" MT and its features

Soviet motorcycles with sidecars were of two types - medium IZH and heavy Ural, Dnepr. If the models of the Izhevsk Machine-Building Plant were most often loners, then the boxers were supplied only with a side cradle trailer.


"Ural" and "Dnepr" without a sidecar were considered rare - they were made in limited series for the police and motorcades. Ordinary Soviet citizens were not allowed to remove the cradle.

Many fans of heavy motorcycles argue about which bike is better - Ural or Dnepr. Each model has its own advantages and disadvantages, but they are structurally similar. "Urals" are still being produced, although this is already a niche product, costing more than a budget car like Lada Vesta.



But the “carriages” of the brand “Dnepr” remained in history. The Kyiv Motorcycle Plant has been almost completely demolished. The rest of the equipment was removed in 2017.

But in Russia and other CIS countries, Dnepr motorcycles have been preserved in large quantities. They still work in the countryside, although more as recreational vehicles. Today we will tell you about the Dnepr MT - the most popular and massive bike in the KMZ lineup.

Appearance

It is believed that the history of the Kyiv Motorcycle Plant began around the 1950s, when it was decided to produce heavy military M-72 boxers. For those who don’t know, this is an almost complete copy of the German BMW R71 and they have been produced in Moscow since 1941.



The first KMZ motorcycle was the light K-1B "Kievlyanin" - created according to the Wanderer-1Sp documentation obtained during reparations. It happened in 1946 and at the same time a motorized wheelchair for the disabled K-1V was being developed.



Heavy motorcycles with boxer engines began to be made later. This happened after the liquidation of the Gorky Motor Plant in 1949. At about the same time, specialists in the production of the M-72 arrived at the KMZ along with the necessary equipment.

The first batch of heavy motorcycles appeared only in 1952 - this very moment is often called the beginning of the founding of the Kyiv plant. After that, the models were modernized and produced in large quantities. The first Dnepr MT motorcycle appeared only in 1968.

Appearance

All MTs are the same. Of course, they differ in nuances, in earlier models, bicycle-type seats are rigid and spring-loaded. But if you put the BMW R71 side by side and the latest Dnepr MT-11 of the 1984 model year, you can immediately see that the motorcycles are similar to each other.

Engines
Motors with a working volume of 650 cm3 were installed on the Dnepr MT. This is what the series differs from previous models, which were equipped with 750 cm3 power units. The only exception was the MT-12 - it received an engine from the K-750. It was a lower valve engine with a power of 26 hp. With. against 36 l. With. MT-10-36, which was produced at the same time. But the MT-12 had a sidecar wheel drive and high traction at low speeds.



Engine power "Dnepr" MT - from 27 liters. With. on MT-8 up to 38 liters. With. on MT-11. The maximum speed is declared from 95 to 125 km / h, but this is more likely to apply to single bikes. "Kolyasychi" rarely accelerated more than 100 km / h, and it was also dangerous.

The Dnepr MT engines are four-stroke, which is how they compare favorably with other Soviet-made motorcycles. If we compare constructively the engines of the Ural and Dnepr, then the Kyiv engine is more reliable and better assembled. Although the Irbit power unit has its advantages - it is more loyal to maintenance, that is, if it is completely absent, it will work longer.



The resource of the Dnepr MT engine with proper care ranges from 20 to 50 thousand km, depending on the modification.

Other technical features

The gearboxes of the Dnepr MT motorcycles differ from the Ural ones primarily in that they have a reverse gear. Bikes from Irbit are deprived of this option, due to which they are lighter by about 20 kg. Many owners of the Urals put a gearbox from the Dnepr, especially since this unit also compares favorably with the softness of the switch. But some Irbit motorcycles still had a reverse gear - such models began to appear since 1986, but they were produced in small batches.



Chassis "Dnepr" MT is the simplest, distinguished by endurance and maintainability. All motorcycles of this line were equipped with hydraulic shock absorbers. The bike easily withstood overloads, although sooner or later this led to frame deformation.

But there were questions about the brakes even in the USSR, not to mention the present. They stop the heavy "Dnepr" badly, often the newly-minted owners of single motorcycles simply slip past the turns.

The electrical equipment on the first MT models was six-volt, but starting in 1974, when the MT-10 appeared, it was replaced with a twelve-volt one. The exception is the MT-12 model with a 750 cm3 lower valve engine.

The motorcycle with a sidecar weighs 330 kg on average and about 210 kg without a sidecar. Managed by "Dnepr" is mediocre, you need to adapt to it. Turns are especially difficult for beginners who decide to ride a bike with a sidecar.

Fuel consumption on a motorcycle with a trailer is the main reason for the sharp drop in demand for heavy boxers in the 1990s. "Dnepr" MT, even in good condition, is able to "devour" about 10 liters of gasoline, and in advanced cases this parameter can increase to 20 liters. This is comparable to the consumption of an average car, which in any case is preferable for the village.



But if the motorcycle is fully serviceable and adjusted, you can achieve fuel consumption of 7-8 liters. If you replace two carburetors with one Japanese one, then in 5 liters. meet gasoline.

Basic Modifications

All motorcycles of the Dnepr MT line can be divided into 7 versions. Each of them is similar to the previous one, but minor improvements to the design were made regularly.

List of modifications:

• ? In 1968, the first Dnepr MT-8 appeared. Often it is called K-650 by analogy with the previous K-750. Despite the reduction in engine capacity by 100 cm3, the engine has become more powerful from 26 to 27 hp. With.
  
• ? In 1971, the MT-9 motorcycle appeared. Its engine power was increased to 32 hp. With. It was on this model that standard direction indicators first appeared in accordance with the new traffic rules.
  
• ? 1974 - "Dnepr" MT-10. The main changes are a solid seat, 12 volt electrics, a new dashboard
  
• ? 1977 - "Dnepr" MT-10-36. Received a parking brake and improved carburetors, engine power increased to 36 hp. With.
  
• ? 1978 - MT-12. The first motorcycle in the range with side trailer wheel drive.
  
• ? 1984 - "Dnepr" MT-11. The latest classic motorcycle in the line. Motor power - 38 liters. With.
  
• ? 1986 - MT-16. The model that replaced the MT-12. It has a side trailer wheel drive and an engine from MT-11
  

It is the Dnepr MT-11 that is considered the most common bike in the line. They were produced until the mid-1990s.



You can now buy a Dnepr MT motorcycle for about 70 rubles, although prices for the most advanced options start at 000 thousand. The acquisition of the Soviet opposition is rather a tribute to the past, a return to youth.

You can also paint the motorcycle in camouflage colors and ride on fine summer days. Such a model will attract more attention than the modern Mercedes S-class. But using a bike as a daily means of transportation is not worth it - it is too difficult to get spare parts for it, and fuel consumption is not encouraging.