Wood Gas Powered Ural Sidecar

russianmotorcycle1russianmotorcycle2russianmotorcycle3Talk about low tech. Wood gas, the byproduct of partial combustion of wood was used mainly in Europe countries before, during (because of fuel rationing) and after WWII. As you can see, the system to produce wood fuel is quite bulky and uses a process called gasification through a generator to create combustible hydrogen and carbon monoxide. You can still find this system being use in rural poor countries. Maximum speed of this Ural is stated to be 50 mph. And a lot of smoke…

8 Responses to “Wood Gas Powered Ural Sidecar”


  1. 1 Ken Glenn Aug 27th, 2013 at 8:58 am

    In the book ” Worlds fastest Indian” he talks about using a similar system during WWII.

  2. 2 Lyle Landstrom Aug 27th, 2013 at 10:11 am

    That’s a Dnepr not a Ural. But it’s still a neat bike.

  3. 3 Kirk Perry Aug 27th, 2013 at 10:44 am

    Yesterday afternoon, returning to the coast from Del Dios canyon, the “gas pump” icon appeared on my Sportster speedo, so I pulled into a sleepy little generic-gas station in the equally sleepy little town of Rancho Sante Fe. The station had two wide pump stations.

    On the far left of the pump cradled a single hose assembly for 87-octane.

    On the right side of the pump there was another fill-hose assembly and 4-octane choices of 91 (for Harleys), 93-octane for Ferrari’s, 95.5-octane for who-knows-what, and 100-octane for your drop-wing Cessna King-Air.

  4. 4 1550tc Aug 27th, 2013 at 1:41 pm

    i think i hear his theme song playing in the background??

    Sitting on this barstool talking like a damn fool
    Got the twelve o’clock news blues
    And I’ve given up hope on the afternoon soaps
    And a bottle of cold brew
    Is it any wonder I’m not crazy? Is it any wonder I’m sane at all
    Well I’m so tired of losing- I got nothing to do and all day to do it
    I go out cruisin’ but I’ve no place to go and all night to get there
    Is it any wonder I’m not a criminal?
    Is it any wonder I’m not in jail?
    Is it any wonder I’ve got

    Too much time on my hands, it’s ticking away with my sanity
    I’ve got too much time on my hands, it’s hard to believe such a calamity
    I’ve got too much time on my hands and it’s ticking away from me
    Too much time on my hands, too much time on my hands
    Too much time on my hands

  5. 5 David King Aug 28th, 2013 at 8:38 am

    I can think of worse uses of time. Good for the guy. Why not?

  6. 6 NOLA Sidecars Aug 28th, 2013 at 5:13 pm

    Great pictures here. I’d love to see the inside of the sidecar. Are there seats there or is that all for storage?

  7. 7 Terence Tory Aug 28th, 2013 at 11:28 pm

    NOLA Sidecars,where do you think he keeps the wood?

  8. 8 bigalyts Sep 3rd, 2013 at 3:40 am

    Cyril, love all the info and a choice of information for your Site.

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Cyril Huze