Soviet motorcycle "Tula": history, description, characteristics

Tula for many is associated with gingerbread andsamovars. But adult motorcyclists still remember the Tulitsa scooters, which were distributed all over the country, and funny in today's perception of the motorcycle "Tula". This off-road motorcycle is a domestic development.

How it all began?

At that time, in the fifties of the last centuryThe USSR and Japan literally soared in the development of motor vehicles. Before the war, in both countries, only a small number of them were produced, which, compared to foreign models, looked very out of date.

But after the war, Germany was deliveredequipment, which became the basis for the domestic motor industry. Since 1956, during the "thaw", in Tula began to produce Goggo TA200 of German origin. But some of the nodes in it were replaced by domestic ones. So the Tula German began to gather from the purchased units.

Unsuccessful attempt by the manufacturer of agricultural machinery to build motorcycles

The fact is that the manufacturerspecialized in agricultural machinery and assembled scooters from finished parts, which in any case purchased separately. Such designs allowed production to become more flexible.

The German company began to produce motor scootersGoggo in 1951 and within five years released over forty-six thousand devices. However, she could not realize herself as a motor-car manufacturer because of the specialization of agricultural machinery. But the schemes of pre-fabricated motor scooters were used by the Tula designers and created first a cargo scooter, and then a motorcycle "Tula". It happened in the early seventies.

Enthusiasts of the Tula factory

In those years, the development of technology and everything elsebased on the indicators of planning organizations. And they did not plan to include motorcycles. However, employees still wanted to create their own motives. After all, the team that worked in the rally of the International Motorcycle Federation, since 1963, worked at the plant itself. To representatives of the planning organization did not prohibit the production of motorcycles, they went on a trick and even came up with a special term: "motomachine." Apparatuses with this name could be produced.

Cheburashki

The motor motor was suspended on a backboneThe frame, which was open from all sides. Thus, the forced cooling, which was on a German scooter with a fan, could be abandoned. The weight of the motor decreased, which eased the position of the spinal frame.

After making a number of changes, I managed to release a wholea series of motor-cars. They differed significantly from ordinary motorcycles and scooters and very much resembled the favorite device of the crocodile Genes from the cartoon known to all. Unfortunately, there was almost no financing for them, so there was simply no prospect for broad production.

Switch to wide-profile tires

But outside the Soviet Union, motor cultureblossomed and many fell in love with moths as sporting shells and the kind of active recreation. Manufacturers as a result of this began to produce a large number of low-cubature models for people who did not have the experience of riding. One such model was the Japanese Suzuki RM.

Tulchane, as soon as possible, bought a motorcycle to familiarize with it.

As a result, they decided on their "Cheburashka"put on wide-profile tires. Designer Vlasov Evgeny Dmitrievich, who was the driving force of the Tula motor-car, succeeded in promoting the idea of ​​its release in the ministry. Then Izhevsk, Kovrov and Tula plants were instructed to create motorcycles on a competitive basis. Since the Tula factory already had experimental motor-cars, he won the tender. Then came the staging party with the same wheels in front and behind.

Motorcycle "Tula": characteristic

The motorcycle used a modified enginescooter. The exhaust system consisted of a resonant part and a small silencer, which saved costs and simplified the search for spare parts for owners in the future. Due to forced cooling, the motor did not overheat, even if it moved for a long time in the first gear.

Those who first met the motorcycle "Tula", the reviews bordered on delight. Everyone was sure that there was a real foreign car in front of them.

Motorcycle "Tula" was produced with a round headlight, which was typical for all domestic motorcycles and other vehicles.

Among the weak points were found cracking frames,which, as it turned out, were made in the factory, where the treated alcoholics were attracted. The problem was eliminated after the welding place of the pipes was strengthened with a kerchief.

Until the eighties, the factory produced 80%motor scooters and 20% cargo. Later the motorcycle "Tula" began to be sold both as a two-wheeled motorcycle, and together with the module, and the module separately, and a tri-chassis assembled at the factory.

The Inevitable Sunset

Despite the fact that the design ideas werea lot, since the mid-nineties production has been declining. The market received a large number of foreign motorcycles, the tastes of buyers changed, and there was no way to react to them from the domestic manufacturer. Moreover, the general state of the country and its legislation have led to sad consequences for Tula. In 1996, it was withdrawn from production.

Today it is rare to see a motorcycle "Tula". Tuning, the photo of examples of which sometimes simply amazes, is capable of transforming the original variants beyond recognition.

Famous wide-profile tires and in generala non-standard look for Soviet motorcycles - that's what the Tula motorcycles were like. Nevertheless, the design of the device is made by Tula developers harmoniously, which gives a sense of perception of it as a whole.