This 1978 IZH Jupiter 3 was produced in the Soviet Union by a subsidiary of arms maker Izhevsk Mechanical Works and was imported from Russia to the US in 2017. The bike and attached sidecar are finished in blue, and it is powered by a 347cc two-stroke parallel twin paired with a four-speed transmission. Bike equipment includes a telescopic fork, street lighting, a stepped two-up seat, a valanced rear fender, drum brakes, an enclosed drive chain, and a chrome dual-exhaust system. The sidecar features a clear windscreen, a single seat with a lift-out back, a sliding nose panel, leaf-spring suspension, a drum brake, lights, and a rear luggage rack. The bike was acquired by the seller in October 2022, and service at that time included replacing the tires and battery as well as the turn-signal flasher relay and the neutral/battery indicator bulbs. This Jupiter 3 sidecar rig is now offered at no reserve with service records, a vintage Russian license plate, a set of removed Russian-made tires, and a clean Massachusetts title in the seller’s name.
The bike is finished in blue and features a valanced rear fender, a 4.76-gallon fuel tank with black rubber knee grips, and a stepped black vinyl seat with white piping and a passenger grab strap. Additional features include street lighting, a chrome lift-assist handle, and folding passenger foot pegs. The turn-signal flasher relay was replaced in September 2022.
Chrome 18″ rims laced to hubs equipped with drum brakes are wrapped in Duro tires said to have been mounted in October 2022. Suspension is provided by an inverted telescopic fork as well as a pair of chrome adjustable shocks mounted to the swingarm.
The aluminum-bodied sidecar is finished in blue and features a white nose panel that slides forward to facilitate passenger access in concert with a side step. Equipment includes a clear windscreen, fender-mounted running lights, a brake light, a rear luggage rack, a black tonneau cover, leaf-spring suspension, a drum brake, and an 18″ wire-spoke wheel mounted with a Duro tire. The interior features a white-painted handrail, black padded armrests, a footrest, and a black rubber floor mat. The single seat features black vinyl and red cloth upholstery, and a rear storage compartment can be accessed by removing the lift-out seat back.
A chrome handlebar with a left-side mirror is clamped by post-style risers ahead of the adjustment knob for a friction-plate damper in the steering stem. Instrumentation consists of a 140-km/h speedometer inset atop the replacement headlight bucket along with charging- and neutral-indicator lamps for which the bulbs were replaced in September 2022. The five-digit odometer shows 1,200 kilometers (~745 miles), approximately 125 of which were ridden by the seller.
The 347cc two-stroke parallel twin features a kick starter, a shrouded carburetor, a one-into-two intake manifold, and a dual exhaust system with low-mounted chrome mufflers. Service in December 2017 included cleaning and adjusting the carburetor, changing the oil, replacing the engine gaskets, and sealing and aligning the exhaust system. The battery was replaced in September 2022.
Power is sent to the rear wheel through a four-speed transmission with a heel/toe shifter as well as an enclosed drive chain.
The bike is accompanied by a set of removed Russian-made tires bearing an orthographic of the Central Committee of the Communist Party (CCCP).
