12-10-2006

Tyumen - Irbit

My sleep was good but short as I want to make it to Irbit on time. After a cup of coffee, I meet Alexey outside and get my motorcycle out of the garage. Alexey and Lyosha do not like the sound of my engine. Well, I am keen on getting it looked at in the factory in Irbit, but am used to the sound my engine makes by now. I thank Alexey for everything. He is a good guy. I think I will see him again.

Lyosha guides me to the road I need to follow to get to Irbit. I thank him also for all his help. The road to Irbit is local road, but generally in good condition. Just one 5km stretch of gravel. Lyosha gave me the telephone number of Vasili in Irbit. Yesterday, I also had Lyosha call Marina from IMZ to tell her that I would be there the next day and I needed some service.

I ride into Irbit and head for the factory. After parking my motorcycle I call Vasili. He lives right across the factory and finds me immediately. His English is not so good, but we can communicate. He calls Marina in the factory and she gives him another contact. He calls Seryosha and shortly after he shows up. What he exactly does in the factory I do not know, but he has his own office and knows everybody. I do not remember meeting him during my first visit. He escorts me inside and takes me to the director’s lounge. There I bump into somebody I met in the UralRus office in Moscow. He is here for business reasons. I also see Andrey again, the director of production. He gave me the tour the last time I was here. We have coffee and cookies. Seryosha speaks some German and we manage to communicate. He is a nervous man, well either that or he just quit smoking. I have trouble keeping up with him when we walk around the factory. I explain him my troubles and he offers to have some workers look at the motorcycle. I hand over my keys and somebody drives my motorcycle to the workshop it was serviced in the last time I was at the factory. I also meet the lady that was my interpreter during my previous visit. She is glad to see me. She is still working here and met a lot of foreigners here during the summer. If I am not mistaken the European distributor for Ural organizes a pilgrimage to IMZ every summer. You can have a look at it at their site, but I personally think that you can have a lot more fun if you travel to Russia on your own. Anyway, the help and support I received from the European distributor (located in Austria) is easy to sum up: good luck and we will see what we can do when you have problems.

By the way, if I were in the market for a new Ural, I would look in to buying it in Russia and export it to Europe myself. The only real obstacle is the paperwork at the border, but it will definitely be cheaper that way. My apologies to all Ural dealers in Europe, but I think they make their money from servicing Urals, Dneprs and old BMWs.

Where was I … oh yes, the wish list. Seryosha is very interested in my adventure and organizes an interview with the local TV and newspaper for tomorrow. Seryosha gathers me and some employees around the motorcycle that is being exhibited in the lounge. I sum up all the problems I have had and what I would like fixed. Some of these things are covered by warranty, some not and I was aiming for some presents. Anyway, I figure there is no harm in asking and I go all the way: new “high-low” beam switch; new clutch control lever (it was a bit wobbly); repair the sidecar drive engageament lever on the final drive (it is also a bit wobbly); have a look at the carburators (current fuel consumption 10ltrs/100kms) and engine (some oil leaks and just general inspection); new oil and filter in the engine and transmission; inspect the sidecar wheel bearing; new wheel rim; 2 new tires; new cap for my jerry can; new holder for my jerry can; new shocks in the front and on the sidecar wheel; and last but not least a new air filter box. The guy taking notes is not really impressed by my achievement so far and says I will have to pay for some of the items on the list. I reply that he can make a price list for the items that are not covered by the warranty and I will then see what I will purchase. My budget is tight and if they are not in a giving mood … I will have to see what I can afford.

Once the wish list is completed I have to attend a meeting in Andrey’s office. All the different production department heads are present there and just want to hear me out. I explain the specifics of my motorcycle and trip so far. I complement them on making a fine product. My only remarks are the bad electrical connectors, the silly air filter box design and the drive shafts could use grease nipples to extend their lifespan. The 2007 model year will feature an automotive grade electrical system which will do away with the fuse box beside the front left fork (this is new to me and I will have to look into this). The 2006 model year already features a new air filter box (I know, that is the one I want). The grease nipples are an interesting idea and they know the drive shaft for the sidecar drive is not really very good (I guess this will be food for more thought to the designers). It is a quick meeting and they thank me for my input and wish me well for the rest of my journey. Once outside the office I bump into Jean, a French guy. He is the designer of the new engine that IMZ is working on to be in accordance with the euro-3 norm. I would have loved to talk more to him, but he is very busy and Seryosha wants to take me to a hotel for the night. Once in the car Vasili calls me and asks if I would not prefer to stay at his place. I like the company of people and it would definitely extend the lifespan of my budget, so I accept. Vasili’s flat is right across the factory. I even get a room overlooking the main entrance … what more can an Uralist wish for? Vasili shows me his collection of pictures. He also made the trip to Vladivostok a couple of years ago on an Ural, but without sidecar. After dinner Vasili invites me to tag along to the local billiards hall to have a drink, but I am very tired and just want to get some sleep. A lot needs to be done tomorrow.