Latest Russian choppers

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, motorcycle manufacturers found themselves alone with a brutal market economy and lack of money for buyers. And bikes, which many used to buy as an alternative to cars, have become irrelevant. Used foreign cars were inexpensive and were available for any budget.


Russian manufacturers of two-wheeled motorized vehicles tried to survive by all means. Basically it came down to the release of new models. But there was no money for modernization, we had to come up with something.

Izhevsk and Irbit motor plants decided to master the classic choppers, although now these bikes would be called cruisers. Izh produced only one small-scale model. Ural pleased fans with three modifications of American-style heavy motorcycles.

Izh Junker - the last hope for success

In 1999, the Izhevsk Machine-Building Plant suddenly gave birth to a new model, outwardly completely different from the traditional "Planets" and "Jupiters". They showed "Junker", which went on sale in the same year.



Externally, the bike was a success:

• ? Lots of chrome
  
• ? long fork
  
• ? Buck-drop
  
• ? Two level seat
  
• ? Backrest at the back
  
• ? Disc brake front
  
• ? Low landing
  

The motorcycle was successful, at least outwardly. As for the technical side of the issue, the "Junker" can be said to have turned out to be revolutionary, although unfinished.

The frame geometry was changed, but it itself remained the same system as on Planet and Jupiter - a tubular structure.
The implementation of the gas tank is interesting - it is two-section with a pair of necks and a dashboard in the middle.



But on the other hand, water cooling, as on the later Jupiters. The radiator is located in front, to protect it, the manufacturer installed regular safety arcs.



It seems that such a modern motorcycle should have an electric starter, but there is none here - only a traditional kick on the left side. But the exhaust pipes are stylishly pulled up.

Initially, the manufacturer planned to install a separate lubrication system on Izh Junker, but in the end it was abandoned for a banal reason - lack of finances. Although there were similar experiments back in 1973, it is enough to recall the Planet Sport model of the first years of production. So gasoline on this motorcycle has to be mixed with oil.



The Izh Junker motorcycle is interesting, but problematic - water cooling is unfinished, and it is difficult to find parts for this model. In any case, this is definitely a collectible bike, if only because they were produced in small batches.

You can now buy such a motorcycle from 100 rubles and more, although the choice is small - 000-3 copies are on sale.

Ural Cobra - the first, but not the best

The very first chopper of the Irbit Motorcycle Plant is IMZ-8.1024, aka Ural Cobra. The model debuted in 1997, in fact - this is the first Russian factory bike of this class.



The motorcycle was created as an experimental one, to study demand. The first 16 pieces of equipment turned out to be the last - 15 pieces were sold with difficulty over several years, one remained in the museum of the plant.

The bike is rather strange - it looks like a classic retro from the 1970s. The gas tank is located especially unusually - very high and at an angle. The model is rigid, every hole is felt - the lack of a rear suspension affects.

In fact, this is a copy of the American "Titan", only made much rougher. A toy for the rich, eye-catching, but with a minimum of versatility. Ural Cobra is not suitable for daily use, it is a typical show bike. It is not surprising that he was not appreciated in Russia.

A 750 cm3 engine was put on the first motorcycle, but options with a 650 “cube” engine went into the series.



Although the "Cobra" did not go to the buyer, it was this bike that became the basis for the release of newer and more advanced models of Irbit choppers.

Ural Voyage

The Ural "Voyage" became the most popular motorcycle. The motorcycle now seems somehow strange and incomprehensible, but when it debuted, it was an ideal. Then the model was proudly called a chopper, but it is rather a mixture of a road builder with a cruiser. Typical chopper elements, such as a long fork, are not here.

But the Irbit Motorcycle Plant created the perfect motorcycle, given the deplorable state of the enterprise at that time. Of course, the model had enough shortcomings, but there were certainly no more of them than the traditional "carriages".

Well, an electric starter and disc brakes on all wheels are generally something incredible for the domestic motorcycle industry. On early models, they put one disc in front, then they began to install two.



Throughout the years of production, "Voyage" was made in small batches, but the demand was low. Time wasted - in the late 1990s, used Japanese equipment was enough, which surpassed the Urals in all respects.

Motorcycles were equipped with different engines:

• ? 650
  
• ? 720
  
• ? 750 cubic centimeters
  

All motors are of the same type - air-cooled boxers, four-stroke. These bikes are now on sale, but rarely. They ask for them from 80 rubles.

Ural Wolf

The last attempt to win domestic buyers from the Irbit Motorcycle Plant was with the Ural Wolf model. This is a typical chopper. Interestingly, this time they acted correctly - they contacted the Night Wolves club, and created a bike under the guidance of specialists from Wolf Engineering.



The custom workers did not disappoint, and made the canonical motorcycle, unofficially called the "Russian Chopper". The model is really beautiful and stylish, but using a boxer engine is not the best solution. The motor is structurally outdated, of course, it would be better to put a classic V-twin. But in the conditions of lack of funds, I had to take what is.

Features of the Ural Wolf model:

• ? Disc brakes on all wheels
  
• ? Classic long fork
  
• ? Comfort fit
  
• ? Genuine leather seat
  
• ? The most powerful engine in the line - 750 cm3 with 45 hp. With.
  
• ? Electric starter
  
• ? Abundance of chromium
  

The motor is designed for gasoline with an octane rating of at least 92. Unlike other chopper-style motorcycles from the Irbit plant, the Wolf received a new crankshaft. This part has been tested for more than 60 km on a test bench.



As a result, the production of Russian choppers was curtailed. The motor plant in Izhevsk finally stopped its work in 2008.
As for the Irbit enterprise, they decided to reorient themselves to export, where there are enough single motorcycles. But no one makes bikes with a sidecar, so the manufacturer has occupied this niche, where it continues to work to this day.



Some claim that other choppers and cruisers, like Baltmotors and Irbis, were produced in Russia, but these are Chinese models. It would be wrong to call them domestic.