Motorcycle "Chang-Yang" 750: dispelling the secrets about the Chinese "Ural"

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42

Vintage motorcycles are becoming more and more popular among fans of two-wheeled vehicles not only abroad, but also in Russia. People buy and restore old models of motorcycle equipment, "Urals" and "Dneprs" plow the expanses of European and American roads. Particular attention is drawn to the motorcycle "Chang-Yang", more than others shrouded in a halo of mystery.

A trip to history

The path of the Chang Jiang 750 (CJ750 for short) begins in the Soviet Union. In 1940, the development of a heavy motorcycle under the leadership of N. P. Serdyukov began at the Iskra Moscow experimental plant.

Engineer trained at the BMW factory for five years. The task was to create a heavy motorcycle that would be used for military purposes, and the BMW R71, which had proven itself well in the Wehrmacht, was chosen as a model. Several copies were secretly purchased, and in the spring of 1941 the Soviet Union began to produce its own version of the motorcycle. It received the name M-72 and the class "armored vehicles". More than eight thousand pieces of equipment left the assembly line both in the version with a sidecar and in a single one.

At war

The motorcycle was used for military purposes. Provided for the installation of bags for ammunition, spare parts, as well as brackets for attaching a light machine gun. They are called swivels. They could be mounted, for example, a Degtyarev machine gun. It was attached with bipods to its plate, and it was possible not only to conveniently transport the machine gun from place to place, but also to fire even while driving.

There were even modifications with the ability to install an 82-mm mortar in a stroller, however, they were supplied in very limited quantities. A few years after the end of the war, civilian motorcycles based on the M-72 were also put on sale: the M-72K cross-country motorcycle, two sports models (with and without a sidecar) and the racing M-80. However, the release was small.

New Country

In the fifties, the development of the M-72 was sold to the PRC. The motorcycle was named Chang Jiang and was produced at an aircraft factory (China Nanchang Aircraft Manufacturing Company). The unit was produced until the nineties, but today its production will be illegal due to non-compliance with environmental standards. However, small parts for this motorcycle are still being produced in China to meet the needs of those who purchased the equipment in the past. There are modifications of the CJ750 with an electric start and a tilted fairing with two headlights.

Due to the limited speed and control, the motorcycle was mainly used by the police and the medical service in the sidecar version. China made attempts to export Chang Jiang to European countries, but prevented himlow competitiveness. After all, it was a copy of a motorcycle produced before the war, and despite some advantages (a proven design, the ability to carry quite heavy loads), it could not oppose the new generation of motorcycles.

Specifications

The motorcycle is equipped with a four-valve, two-cylinder boxer engine with a displacement of 745 cm3. Transmission - four-speed, the diameter of the wheels is the same - 19 inches. Each cylinder receives fuel from its own carburetor. Motorcycle "Chang-Yang" refers to the road. It is quite heavy - about 230 kg with an empty tank without a sidecar and 350 - with a sidecar. Motor power is 27 horsepower, the maximum speed of the motorcycle is 120 km / h. However, drum brakes cannot provide adequate braking at high speeds, and the overall controllability of the unit is rather poor even in a single version, although the opposed arrangement of the cylinders provides balance and a low center of gravity.

The "Chang-Yang" motorcycle is well suited for leisurely riding even over long distances, besides, it copes well with heavy loads and is equipped with a large gas tank of 24 liters.

Today

Given that the Chang-Yang motorcycle has not been produced for more than twenty years, the search for it can be compared to buying a Ural or Dnepr abroad. It's difficult, but possible. But in the country of origin, these are not uncommon and inexpensive motorcycles. Samethe CJ750 also applies - it can be found in China, where it still surfs the expanses of country roads. For a true lover of retro motorcycles, of course, there are no barriers, but buying them abroad, transporting and processing documents can result in a round sum. You can still add money to everything, which will probably be required for repairs.