Dnepr MV-750 ("Дніпро" МВ-750)
| Manufacturer | Kyiv Motorcycle Plant (KMZ) |
| Model name |
Dnepr KMZ MV-750 ("Дніпро" КМЗ МВ-750) |
| Years of production | 1962 - 1973 |
| Engine |
Four-stroke, 2 cylinder 0.75 L. Opposed |
| Power | 26 hp. |
| Max speed | 90 km/h. |
| Fuel tank capacity | 22 L. |
| Fuel consumption | 6 L/100 km. |
| Dimensions | 2400x1650x1060 mm. |
| Transmission | 4-speed manual, drive shaft, driven sidecar wheel |
| Wet-Weight | 318 kg. |
The Dnepr KMZ MV-750 is the heavily modified Soviet-Ukrainian variant of the popular Soviet-era version of the WWII-era BMW R71 sidecar motorcycle.
The design for the BMW R71 had been officially licensed by the Soviets when they were still allies with the Germans in 1940. The first M-72s rolled off the production line in 1941 and the model became an important vehicle in the Soviet military throughout WWII and for decades afterwards as it provided transport for up to three men with their gear, but used far less steel and fuel than a full-sized four wheel drive vehicle.
The M-72 used a slightly modified version of the BMW 650cc side valve, horizontally opposed, air-cooled engine with a 4-speed transmission, mounted in a tubular steel frame with drum brakes front and rear, and a side car affixed. Both the motorcycle’s rear wheel and the sidecar’s wheel were powered by the engine, this two-wheel drive system proved able to negotiate many roads and trails that were impassable to heavier 4×4 vehicles.
The M-72’s ability to move quickly across varied terrain was particularly useful for carrying up to three soldiers and their rifles or two soldiers and radio gear, a mortar cannon, a heavy machine gun or a multitude of other equipment. Teams of M-72 based soldiers could be quickly deployed, moved, recalled, and redeployed – making the German sidecar design an invaluable asset.
The first M-72s built in Kyiv by Dnepr were completed in 1952 using 500 engines supplied by IMZ-Ural. A series of model upgrades were made over the following years replacing the original plunger rear suspension with a swing arm, increasing the engine size, introducing an OHV engine to replace the side valve original, and a slew of other improvements designed to make them more powerful and reliable.
Model names changed over the years to reflect these changes, the M-72 became the M-72N, followed by the K-750, the MV-750, and the K-650, the MT-9, and eventually the MT-10.
Although almost all of the motorcycles built by Dnepr and IMZ-Ural during the time of the Soviet Union were used for military purposes they’ve since become popular with enthusiasts. Although Dnepr no longer exists IMZ-Ural is producing modernised versions of the iconic sidecar motorcycle with uprated brakes, suspension, and electrical systems. Urals are sold in the United States, Europe, and further afield, and they’re quickly gaining a cult following.
© Tbilisi Automuseum. 2019
