Ok, it's been a year since I've been mulling it over, and it's been a week since I know I am gonna get one, and now I am holding myself back until I do some more research.
So I have a few questions.
There is a 2006 Tourist that looks good, but I've found out that the 2007 has better gearing.
1) How much of an upgrade are the new gears?
2)Any problem bringing a Ural into Canada? I can imagine being hit with a 30% duty as it is not made in the States, and that would hurt. A LOT.
3) Any other significant upgrades from year to year that I should know about?
ANY feedback would be helpful. I've got a 1200gs and way too many tickets, plus I want to bring my aging dog on my trips now. NOt to mention the marketing potential for a nice Ural to provide for my granola business here in Vancouver!
Thanks for your input, comrades, in advance

Welcome to the gulag!

You might do good to check the CURD site. They might have specific info in Canadian questions. But, by all means hang out here to. There's several other Canadians that cross the border to this site...

And there are many of our American friends who have crossed over to the Great White North, as our CURD membership roster shows.

But to answer the question, handsomened, you can import a used post-'04 Ural to Canada, but it will take a bit of paperwork and legwork. The VIN numbers for the US and Canadian models are different and as such any US model will not show up on the database up here. Part of it is Transport Canada's doing, in that there are subtle differences between them (such as the right side signal light requirement on all '06 and later Canadian spec versions) that resulted in different VIN's. But mechanically speaking, both versions are the same and your best bet is to get a late '06 or newer model simply because of all the improvements done by the factory. BTW, the "gearing" per se wasn't changed - post '06 models benefit from the addition of quality Austrian made timing gears, as opposed to the soft metal, high wear units made by the Russians.

Note that you can NOT import a brand new Ural from the US... no if's and's or but's.

Your choices will be limited buying used when they only imported a few hundred per year in the first place.

But, the upgrades for '07 WERE significant. In addition to the Herzog timing and transmission gears, better quality seals, bearings and hardware through out. Possibly a better ignition system as well; http://www.uralnw.com/ural/yearlychanges.html

Thanks Gents! So if I am to understand . . . importing a 06 or later model Ural is possible and acceptable by Transport Canada? I am looking at an 08 Gear Up in Colorado.
Thanks for the welcome. Have any Canucks here done this? I am really excited about this!
Cheers
Handsome

Gummiente, what specifically does Transport Canada require? Hmm, legwork . . . am I gonna have to train for this? Like a marathon?

Sound more like jumping through hoops to me!!!!!

You'd really be much better off buying a used one in Canada. There are two Ural dealers in BC, one of them in Vancouver where you're at, and there is a dealer in Ontario who has shipped new and used units all over Canada - including all the way up to Cambridge Bay, NU. To purchase a used late model Ural from the US is going to require a LOT of paperwork and some modificaions to the bike in order for it to meet Transport Canada regs (at a minimum, you will need to install signal lights on the right side of the bike, front and rear). All Urals shipped to Canada from the factory have the VIN's registered in a main database that is used by all the provincial licencing authourities and insurance companies. To import a US spec Ural, one of the first hassles you'd undertake is to get the US VIN registered on the database - without it, the rig does not officially exist and therefore cannot be registered.

I'm not saying the entire process is impossible, but it will be difficult and involve a lot of time, effort and money on your part. Personally, I would suggest you check with your local dealers first about getting a used one, as well as browsing all the online classified resources such as Kijiji in your region before you commit to buying one from the US.

Oh, and btw when you do buy one, you are required by law to join our CURD group.

Thanks G! I tried to join up there but you won't have me UNTIL I buy one? Hardcore, definitely hardcore.
By the way here is a link that I got on ADV from someone about Ural upgrades over the last several years:
http://www.triquestcycles.com/news.html
Feel free to pass it on to other newbs!!
cheers

Ya gotta read ALL the words on our website... anyone can register and participate on the CURD message forum, but you need to be an owner to get a full membership in CURD.

Read? Who has time to read?
Ok, I am coming back to do it properly
Thanks, eh?

All this and them guys can READ TOO ??


Who knew ?????


;-))

kermitski
of the desert
( ridin solo in the sunshine on Tadpole whilst Froggy is in hibernation )