History of M-72 motorcycle
M-72 is a legendary Soviet heavy type motorcycle. As most of its time in Soviet technology, the motorcycle M-72 was “copied” from foreign products, in this case it was the BMW R71 replica. Artifice was quite simple – the Government anonymously bought five BMW R71 motorcycles on the basis of which contructed the M-72. Motorcycle M-72 production started in 1941 in Moscow Motorcycle factory. The process was led by N.P.Serdyukov, who before then was training at Germany in the BMW factory. In the USSR, at that time there was no such thing that one plant was capable of producing ready-made products from the beginning to the end, so a variety of spare parts for the M-72 were supplied from all over the Soviet Union: engines – ZIS, gearbox – KIM (now “AZLK”), cardan shafts and strollers – GAZ. “M” meant Moscow. Motorcycle production was accepted by Stalin. The management planned to start production in the Kharkov and Leningrad plants, but then hit the second World War in the USSR territory, which changed all the plans. Therefore, on 25th of February in 1942, the production of motorcycles M-72 began in Irbit. At first, all the motorcycles came only for the military needs, but already in 1954 a civilian version appeared. Motorcycle was released the entire period throughout the war and after it, until 1961 M-72 was widely used as in active war zones, as well as outside. M-72 recommended itself as a reliable and indispensable motorcycle. Later, the frame and engine of this motorcycle was used for new model URAL M-63 creation. M-72 was equipped with machine guns Degtyarev DP-27. The machine gun was fastened with bipods to the plate of a special turning device – swivel, which facilitated its transportation and allowed to fire the machine gun even on the move. The tubular side brackets on the front and behind the stroller, into which the swivel was inserted, allowed to shoot both the frontal goals and objectives through the back. In very limited numbers, the troops received modifications with a 82-mm mortars mounted instead of the hull and a sidecar made of wood or aerial plywood. Also on a motorcycle were hung easily removable bag for ammunition and spare parts. Each M-72 motorcycle was equipped with small weapons, so it was classified as “armored vehicle”. In the history of Soviet machinery, the M-72 was an example of exceptional longevity, due to the combination of progressive design and perfect technology. In 1953, the supply of Irbit motorcycles for export began. Basically, they were exported to developing countries and Eastern Europe: most were purchased for army and police needs. Since 1954 motorcycles for Soviet Army began supplying the KMZ (Kiev Motorcycle Plant). The model K-750 design was almost entirely identical to the M-72. Logo On a motorcycle M-72 logo depicted a red star, which symbolized the Soviet power in those days, the name of a motorcycle – the M-72 (the letter ‘M’ stands for Moscow) and abbreviation IMZ, which means Irbit Motorcycle Plant
