No further reconstruction has taken place since the blog was last updated.  However we now have a replacement piston and ring set to replace the broken piston and a second split link for the cam chain. So hopefully progress on this engine can resume in the new year.

  The workshop continues to go from strength to strength. WIth a recent workshop session attended by as many as 27 people.  It is great to have the support of some very skilled members… Dave Moon whose electrical and general mechanicing skills are helping to ensure that the Ural 650 will return to life in the near future. Phil James (Fingers Phil as we now call him) who is working his magic on the Jailing 125 to help us transform it into something approaching a trials bike. Andy Jenkins who is demonstrating engine disassembly, measuring  and rebuilds to a small band of dedicated enthusiasts. Terry (Yanto) Evans who is bringing along his very useful skill set to the club based on his experience in the motorcycle industry. In other news the kitchen water heater in the vestry recently failed causing water to cascade from it.  I was quite chuffed to be able to help out by employing my knowledge of the heater to install a new replacement in double quick time. Other great ...

This bike had sat unloved in the workshop for an eternity.   Nothing significant had been planned for it until we recently came up with the idea of turning it into a trials bike for the club to take to a local trials course for a bit of fun off-road riding.  The engine, although tatty, runs well and runs without the need for a battery.  To turn this trail bike into a trials bike requires alterations to its frame to lower the seat height.  Fingers Phil James stepped up to the plate and has been putting his frame fabrication skills to excellent use.  As always a variety of other problems showed up as soon as he started working on it.  He found that the swinging arm was twisted and needed to be straightened.  He also found that the Chinese had managed to leave a large lump of weld in the way of the lower steering head bearing race. Phil has also found that the rear engine mount was cracked and needed the length of its spacers altered to make the engi...

Since this member’s bike last featured in our blog, a lot of puzzling and head scratching finally solved the problem of the ill-fitting rear wheel.  It transpired that the manufacturers had chosen to install the taper roller bearings  with the outer race facing inwards.  This may not mean much to the less mechanically inclined amongst you but let me tell you that Ural seem to be in a minority of one.  I have never seen  taper roller bearings fitted in this fashion.  However once installed in this way the wheel is finally wobble free.  Attention then moved to the front forks and we found they were as flexible as the average piece of hosepipe.  The forks were stripped and bushes swapped with some from another set of forks.   This helped to give some rigidity to the front end.  Apparently those in the know tell us to expect a little flexibility, it is quite normal.  Praise must also go to Dave Moon who has kindly reconstructed the...

 End Of Year Roundup 2022 Over the past couple of months significant progress has been made on this project.  Andy Jenkins is using the engine as the basis for a series of demonstrations during which he has stripped it to the point where the crankcases have been split and all the internal components examined for wear and tear.  The good news is that apart from some wear and tear on the camshafts and a few stuck piston rings, the internals look to be in good order.  At his last demo Andy used a cunning device called ‘Plastiguage’ to measure the main bearing clearances and bingo they were all spot on!  So there is real hope that this grotty looking engine can be restored to run once more.