The MV-750 was the military version of the Dnepr sidecar outfit, introduced in 1964. Its sidecar wheel was driven through a differential that could be locked, the front and rear of the sidecar carried machine-gun mounts, and the whole machine was built to keep going where a solo motorcycle could not.
Dnepr MV-750 at a glance
| Maker | KMZ, Kyiv |
|---|---|
| Introduced | 1964 |
| Role | military sidecar outfit |
| Mass | 345 kg |
| Engine | 650 cc OHV flat twin |
| Power | 26 hp |
| Torque | 4.2 kgf·m |
| Electrics | 6 V |
| Gearbox | 6204, four-speed |
| Fuel tank | 21 litres, A-66/72 |
| Seat | separate |
| Drive | sidecar wheel drive with differential lock |
The record was filed as “MW-750”; the model is the MV-750 described in the military section of the Dnepr histories.
History of the Dnepr MV-750
Two-wheel drive for the army
KMZ introduced the MV-750 in 1964 as an armed-services version of its heavy sidecar outfit. The military models were equipped with sidecars that drove their own wheel, and the MV-750 went further with a differential that could be locked, giving the outfit real two-wheel drive when the surface demanded it. The English history of the marque notes that the armed-services outfits had as much as 15 cm of ground clearance, which explained their reputation for off-road work. The MV-750 weighed 345 kg, used a 26 hp 650 cc flat twin and had a six-volt electrical system.
Machine-gun mounts and kit
The military equipment was part of the design. The sidecar carried machine-gun mountings at the front and rear for the Degtyaryov light machine gun, and a spare-parts box was fitted. The rider and passenger sat on separate seats, the gearbox was the four-speed 6204, and the fuel tank held 21 litres of A-66 or A-72 petrol. The MV-750 was not a converted civilian model but a version built around the needs of a crew that might have to fight from the vehicle.
Later military versions
In 1973 the MV-750M raised output to 32 hp, dropped the differential lock and replaced the Degtyaryov mountings with those for the RPK light machine gun; it also received the MT804 gearbox with reverse and mountings for a canister, a sapper’s shovel and an axe. The MV-650 of 1976 moved to a 34 hp engine and twelve-volt electrics, and the MV-650M of 1985 reached 36 hp with a compressed mixture for A-76 petrol, a revised camshaft, a lower first gear and a 75-round drum magazine for the Kalashnikov light machine gun. The family remained in military use long after the civilian range had moved on.
Design and features
- Two-wheel drive: the sidecar wheel was driven, with a differential lock on the original MV-750.
- Ground clearance: up to 15 cm on the armed-services outfits, which made them unusually capable off-road.
- Machine-gun mounts: front and rear mountings in the sidecar, for the Degtyaryov gun on the MV-750.
- Military kit: a spare-parts box and, on later versions, mountings for a canister, shovel and axe.
Dnepr MV-750 versions
- MV-750 (1964): 26 hp, six-volt electrics, differential lock, Degtyaryov mountings.
- MV-750M (1973): 32 hp, no differential lock, RPK mountings and the MT804 gearbox.
- MV-650 (1976): 34 hp and twelve-volt electrics.
- MV-650M (1985): 36 hp, revised camshaft and a lower first gear.
The MV-750 was a military branch of the M-72 family; its civilian relative was the MT-16. More models are in the Dnepr collection.
Sources
- Dnepr (motorcycle), English Wikipedia: military two-wheel drive, ground clearance
- Днепр (мотоцикл), Russian Wikipedia: specifications, MV-750M, MV-650 and MV-650M
