Second World Problems

Well...maybe Second World is a bit harsh.
There are a few things I like a great deal about owning and wrenching on a Ural 650 from the 'Dark Years'.
Everything is pretty straight forward...no complex computer controlled Dyno-tuning chipsets that require me to use the odd skill I have of being able to read machine code/binary.
When all else fails...quite often enough cussing and hitting it with hammer has a [usually] positive result.
For those times it doesn't...replacement parts are surprising available for a nearly 20 year old, no longer manufacture supported machine, based on a 70 year old design.
I mean...have you tried to source parts for a Shovelhead lately?
Parts are easy to find through the wonders of the Interlink.
Some are NOS[New Old Stock: means stuff we found in the warehouse left over from back-in-the-day], some are Breaker parts[meaning someone bought a wreck/non-live bike to part it out],
and some are currently manufactured parts.
Regardless of their pedigree...here is a surprising fact about this Smörgåsbord of Ural 650 parts.
There are all affordable.
I mean...I can get my digits on a full top end for around $300-400US.
This includes:

• Cylinders, 2pc.
• Heads w/valves & springs
• Head Covers
• Pistons
• Ring set
• Wrist pins (2) and Circ-Clips (4)
• Push Rod Tubes and sealing caps
• as well as gaskets for all three mating surfaces at the cover, head and cylinder base.

So...what you ask is the Second World Problem I am referring to?

Shipping.

Most of these parts are in the Ukraine and Russian Federation, with a smattering coming from China.

Shipping cost are at times a bit steep, so it is best to try and get everything ya need from one shop in one big order. The shipping actually gets easier to stomach when you are looking at a pretty good haul.

That's not the worst part though....

Shipping is S L O W.

To be fair, I don't hold this against of the retailers/sellers, and I understand I am ordering parts often from the other side of the globe from me.

Still nothing is worse that thinking you know what parts you need, to fix what you figure is wrong with a rig, laying out the funds....and then waiting 3.5 to 5 weeks for your goodies.

Especially when for the first time in months, the weather forecast calls for 50 degrees (F) and sunny rather than mid-20s and sky-slush this coming weekend.

GRRRRRRRRR!