What I've garnered over the past year or so...

A few things about names you Dneed to know... KMZ and Dnepr can be used synonymously and interchangeably, as can IMZ and Ural. However, most folks follow the convention of applying the names Dnepr and Ural to the newer overhead valve (OHV) bikes from the respective factories and reserve KMZ and IMZ for the older sidevalve (SV) flathead motorcycles. KMZ is the Ukrainian factory near the Dnepr River translates to Kiev Motor Works. IMZ is the Russian factory in the Ural Mountains and means Irbit Motor Works. So... Dnepr = KMZ = Kiev = Ukraine    Ural = IMZ = Irbit = Russia      And a few other definitions... RPOC- (Russian Piece O' Crap) is a term of endearment applied frequntly to all Soviet bikes regardless of make or model. Foilhead- is a RPOC rider/driver. Solo- a motorcycle without a sidecar Hack- is any sidecar. Most all of the KMZ and IMZ production was motorcycles with a hack included. You'll see like 20 bikes with a hack for every one Ruskie solo. Flying the chair- is a manouver where the sidecar wheel is lifted from the driving surface, often unententionally on a hard right-hander. Monkey- is a sidecar passenger. SV- sidevalve. This is the older model engine with valves built into the head, parallel to the cylinder bore. 750cc only. OHV- overhead valve. The newer motor easily identified by the two parallel steel sleeves visible on the top of the cylinder heads. Available from KMZ only in 650cc. Available from IMZ in 650cc until about 2002 when the 750cc engine was introduced. Swingarm- a Russian improvement in rear suspension with shocks. Plunger- the original rear suspension design Leading link forks- a front suspension improvement specifically for sidecar operation. Think of it as power steering for a hack rig. The newer leading link (LL) is not generally suitable for solo use.  Top speed and reliability... If you are looking for a "gas-n-go", high-speed autobahn sort of Japanese bike, you've come to the wrong place. If you are shopping for a backroads, eye catching cruiser, you are getting warmer. One must remember, especially on the older models, the technology is 70 years old and the metallurgy is Russian. They can be made into reasonably reliable daily drivers with some work, however. Requisite for long life, is a proper break-in with frequent oil changes and speed variations with no overloading. The newer Urals are approaching the "gas-n-go" stage with minor scheduled maintenance and tinkering like setting valves and balancing carburetors. Don't let that scare you, though, it's not as hard as it sounds. These are seriously robust machines with maintenance akin to keeping a lawnmower or tractor running. There are very few instances that require whole engine or gearbox replacement. Most things can be repaired by a person with moderate mechanical skills and some horse sense. Repairs are generally straight forward with no hidden suprises. The top speed for an old sidevalve powered rig is about 60-65 mph. The cruising speed is about 50 mph. Add about 10-15 mph for the newer overhead valve models. Where and what to buy...

I'll give you the low-down as I know it regarding most of the stateside Russian bike suppliers, both Ural and Dnepr. There's a lot of variance on these bikes that appear mostly the same to the sane person on the outside looking in. So I'll try to break it down a little for you: 1.) New Ural-most reliable, closest thing to American expectation of craftmanship and 2 year warranty. Their sidecar's storage area opens like a trunk which I wish I had. The max MSRP on the premium bike is only $10,500. http://www.imz-ural.com/ 2.) New Dnepr-the ONLY Dnepr importer with DOT/EPA approved rigs, Lloyd from RAMCO in Washington. Only Dneprs have automatic clutches and generally stronger (heavier) frames. Ready to ride, 6 month warranty (I think). http://www.dnepr.ru/ 3.) Ric with Arbalet and Greg of Scooterbob's import and fix up classic stuff. Basically M-72's, K-750's, and military quality (best QA/QC) 2WD bikes. Ready to ride, 30 day warranty. http://www.arbalet.net/ AND http://www.scooterbob.com/ 4.) The kit bike guy in Ohio, Yuri (and the other guy in Florida, as well as most Chang-Jiangs). Think two jigsaw puzzles in one Ziploc baggie at a garage sale with no boxtop showing big picture. I've heard everything from "gas and go" to complete basket cases that require thousands of dollars extra to get them running. Just because it comes in one pretty chromed piece doesn't mean all those pieces work together. DO NOT GO THIS ROUTE unless you have money, time, experience, patience, tools, know-how, other reliable transportation, and an understanding wife. No warranty, batteries not included. eBay. A little bit about "kit" bikes... Here is my canned answers to FAQ's. The biggest problem with kit Dneprs seems to be tight piston/cylinder or out of round cylinders causing overheating. They can be made reliable with time and money. So, kits should be discounted accordingly. For the amount charged by the kit suppliers, you should get a rideable bike, not a bent-n-dent, factory seconds outlet rig. Additionally, KMZ/Dnepr never produced a factory OHV motor larger than 650cc for public distribution. I believe some only some police models were made with an 800cc OHV motor. So, don't believe the hype about the 800cc motors which are actually closer to 765cc. This was some aftermarket thing someone probably did in their backyard machineshop in the Ukraine.

Is it a Dnepr or a Ural???

The easiest and fastest way to tell if the bike you saw, drove, bought, stole, or wrecked was a Dnepr or a Ural is to check out the rear swingarm. That is the bar that the rear axle goes through and has a shock mounted on it somewhere. If this bar is on the inside of the frame, it is a Dnepr. If it is on the outside of the frame it is a Ural. Or at least that is how the bike started out life. Everything else, to include motors, transmissions, forks, rims and even sidecars can be swapped with minimal effort and a little determination.

The Dnepr auto-clutching gearbox...