Took the K for perhaps the last ride of the year yesterday, was again amazed how smooth and refined the old girl is compared to the Ural I bought 4 years ago. In 30 years and 190,000 miles non-routine maintenance on the K has been; rebuilt trans around 100k for bent shift fork and new shift drum. Usual issues with the instrument pod. New starter, ironically the only time it ever stranded me, on the way home from the dealer after I put money down on the Ural. That's really about it, except for extensive tupperware damage after a deer hit. The Ural, on the other hand, 4 1/2 years and about 30,000 miles. Replaced rubber donut in driveshaft twice. Replaced all 3 u-joints. Bad bearing in rear end, complete rebuild. Extensive rust, not really it's fault, I ride in the salt all winter but the paint is a joke. New speedometer. Innumerable loose screws, bolts and adjustments. Replaced HES. Transmission jumps out of 3rd, so far not enough to bother pulling it. All this on top of a service schedule of oil changes and valves every 2500km (1550miles!) and a major service at 5000km.
Love em both, the K for distance and speed, the Ural for around town, hauling family and lumber, riding in snow, it's simple design makes maintenance easy, thankfully. Really two completely different machines that compliment each other well. After all I read about Urals before buying I actually expected more problems, what I didn't expect was how much it would make me appreciate both the bikes. No good reason for posting this, just recovering from a cold wishing I was out riding. :falldown:
