Voskhod-175

Восход-175

Motoball is a game that is not very well known now, but was quite popular in Soviet times. Each regional center had a motoball section and team, and the industry produced special sports motorcycles for this game.

Motoball was an extremely popular sport in the Soviet Union, although it originated in France in the 1930s. It came to the USSR only in the mid-60s with established rules of the game and standards for equipment.

The game is played on a field the size of a football field, but with slightly different markings.

The field surface is usually not dirt, but cinder or asphalt. In the latter case, the asphalt is sprinkled with a little sand to improve the maneuverability of the motorcycles.

The main manufacturer of motoball equipment in the USSR was the Kovrov Motorcycle Plant, which, starting in 1965, developed and produced motoball motorcycles for DOSAAF organizations.

There were about a hundred motoball club teams in the Soviet Union, which represented different regions of the country: not only the central part, but also Ural, Central Asia and even Yakutia.

One of these motorcycles was the Voskhod-175 SK, which was manufactured at the Degtyaryov Plant in Kovrov (Vladimir Region).

History

Already in the early 1960s, ZiD began producing two unified models: Kovrovets-175 SK and Kovrovets-175 SM.

In 1972, the Kovrovets was replaced by the improved Voskhod model. The plant continued to produce motocross motorcycles, which were now called Voskhod-175 SK.

The main change was the new 175-cc engine, unified with the engines of more modern Voskhods, but forced and with a number of reinforced internal parts.

Incidentally, it was the engine of the Voskhod-175 SK motocross motorcycle that served as the basis for the Voskhod-175 ShK2 road-racing motorcycle.

To increase the performance of the new engine, first of all, the cast-iron cylinder was replaced with an aluminum one. The shapes of the bypass channels were also improved and other changes were made.

The motorcycle frame was additionally reinforced with gussets in weak spots.

The motocross model received a wide handlebar with an additional crossbar to strengthen the structure, as well as a single seat.

The Voskhod-175 SK was similar to the Kovrovets-175 SK, but in fact it had several original parts. Among them were the fuel tank, the rear wing, and the method of attaching the front wing, which was carried out using a U-shaped bracket.

Between 1973 and 1982, three main modifications of the SMB motorcycle were released: SMB (1973-1977), SMB-2 (1977-1982) and SMB-3. All models in this series were distinguished by incredible traction and the ability to quickly accelerate from the lowest revs.

Восход-175 СМБ-2

At first glance, the Voskhod-175 SK motocross motorcycle and the Voskhod-175 SMB-2 motoball motorcycle seem very similar. However, if you look closely, you can see many differences that make them unique.

The motoball motorcycle’s wheelbase was slightly shorter, and the front fork had a smaller angle of inclination.

All this was done, first of all, to increase the motorcycle’s maneuverability. After all, in motoball, players often have to make turns in a small area.

The specifics of motoball competitions were also reflected in the design of the motorcycles.

The front wheel was smaller than that of motocross models. Usually, these were wheels with a diameter of 18 inches.

Arms were installed on the front wheel of the motorcycle, which helped control the ball. So-called “plows” were also usually used, which prevented the ball from getting under the motorcycle.

The athlete’s landing was also different: it was more vertical, in order to have straight legs.

The engine of the motorball “Voskhod-175 SMB-2” was improved by analogy with the motoball version.

Its power was 16 horsepower, and the working volume was 173.7 cubic centimeters.

This engine was designed not only to provide fast acceleration, but also to create good traction at low revs, which was especially important for motorball competitions.

Motorcycles “Voskhod-175 SMB-2” were produced from 1977 to 1978 and distributed through primary organizations and motorball clubs of DOSAAF.

Восход-175 СМБ-3

The third series of motorcycles differed not only in appearance, but also in a longer first gear. In general, this model is considered the most successful. Due to their popularity, these motorcycles quickly became the basis for motorcycle ball teams in the USSR.

The factory team “Kovrovets” was the first to test the “Voskhod-175 SMB-3” on an industrial scale. In 1982, they became the USSR champions in motorcycle ball. Subsequently, the “Voskhod-175 SMB-3” became the main motorcycle for intra-union motorcycle ball competitions, which experienced a real boom in the 1980s.

The cylinder with extended purge channels was attached to the crankcase with four studs, and the head – with five. As in the previous model, both the cylinder and the head were made of aluminum alloy.

The seat was designed so that its front part went onto the fuel tank. The new 5-liter fuel tank had a pear-shaped form. The front mount of the tank remained unchanged, and at the rear it was attached using a stud with an M8 thread welded to the upper beam of the frame. A nut installed through a silent block securely tightened the structure. These changes allowed the athlete to move freely on the seat during the game.

The design of the yoke was changed, which protected the front wing from damage and significantly improved the ball retention during the game.

Changes were also made to the rear brake drive. The axis of the duplicate rear brake lever now passes inside the pendulum axis. Two rods are attached to the axle bracket: one goes to the rear wheel, and the other connects to the right rear brake lever, which has become shorter and is located slightly lower than on the previous model.

The wheels remained unchanged, and they were equipped with L-131 tires of size 3.25×19, manufactured by the Tire Plant of Leningrad. Motorcycles were painted blue, red or yellow enamel.

About 120 motorcycles were produced per year, which the Central AutoMotoClub (TsAMK) distributed to DOSAAF clubs throughout the country. Motorcycles assembled for the Kovrovets factory team were significantly different from the production models. The Voskhod-175SMB-3 motorized bicycle cost 670 Soviet rubles at the time.

In the early 90s, serious changes took place in the country: borders appeared between the former Soviet republics, DOSAAF collapsed, and sports clubs were unable to purchase new motorcycles. All this had a negative impact on the production of motorized equipment, and in 1992 its production ceased.

However, despite the difficulties, in the same 1992, the remains of the motorized motorcycles were supplemented with lighting devices and sold to the population through retail chains under the new trademark “Voskhod-175 SMB-3-01”. Along with the SMB-3 model, which has an engine capacity of 175 cc, a version with a 250 cc engine was also produced. This equipment was used by the USSR team in international competitions.