1958 50s, fifties, 1950s MZ-URAL, BMW R71 motorcycles, Russian wartime heavy motorcycle & sidecar; World War II, Second World War, WWII, WW2. Military vehicle at Lytham 1940's Festival Wartime Weekend 2022
The origins of the IMZ-Ural are linked to developments in the Eastern Front during World War II. The Soviet Union was preparing for possible military action by Nazi Germany. Joseph Stalin ordered the Soviet military to prepare in all possible areas, including the ground The origins of the IMZ-Ural are linked to developments on the Eastern Front during World War II. The Soviet Union was preparing for possible military action by Nazi Germany. Joseph Stalin ordered the Soviet military to prepare in all possible areas, including the ground forces that would be defending the Soviet Union against invading German tanks and infantry. Mobility was especially stressed after the Soviet Union had witnessed the effect of the blitzkrieg on Poland.[2] A meeting was held at the Soviet Defence Ministry to devise a motorcycle that would be suitable for the Red Army. The Red Army wanted to modernize its equipment after the suspension of the Winter War with Finland. The motorcycles used up to that point had not been satisfactory; their technology was outdated and the manufacturing quality was inadequate to endure the harsh Russian climate and terrain. The motorcycle was "modeled after a late-1930s BMW sidecar bike called the R71, which Nazi Germany provided to the Soviet Union after the countries signed the nonaggression Molotov–Ribbentrop pact in 1939."[3] According to official accounts, after a lengthy discussion, the BMW R71 motorcycle was found to closely match the Red Army's requirements. Five units were covertly purchased through Swedish intermediaries. Soviet engineers in Moscow dismantled the five BMWs, reverse engineered the BMW design in every detail and made molds and dies to produce engines and gearboxes in Moscow. Early in 1941, the prototypes of the Dnepr M-72 motorcycle were shown to Stalin who made the decision to enter mass production. One of the original BMWs purchased through the Swedish intermediaries survives and is displayed in the IMZ-Ural factory museum.[2]
Size: 4836px × 2711px
Location: Lytham ST Annes
Photo credit: © ZarkePix / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: -road, -wheel, 1, 1940s, 1940s-themed, 250cc, 3, allied, armed, armies, blue, bmw, britain, change, cherished, classic, collectable, collectible, cyclinder, decals, drive, engine, equipment, era, festival, gear, great, hand, heritage, historic, historical, imz-ural, lorries, lorry, lytham, maker, military, motorbike, motorbikes, motorcycle, motorcycles, parked, preserved, r71, restored, russian, sidecar, sidecars, steel, time, timer, transfers, transport, trucks, ural, vans, veteran, vintage, war, wartime, weekend, wheel, wheelers, wwii, yesteryear
