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Dnipro MT, commonly pronounced as Dnepr or Dnieper, is a heavy road motorcycle brand name that features motorcycles with a sidecar. The Kyiv Motorcycle Factory manufactures this brand.

Founded in 1945, this brand established itself as the basis of military production lines of the Kyiv Panzer Factory. Its first production, the K-1B-Kyivlianin motorbike, was a complete copy of the German Wanderer 1Sp bike that was gifted to the USSR as reparation after WW2 ended.

DNEPR motorcycles were crafted from the BMW R-71 and the BMW M-72 Soviet Union copy. The model evolved through different model series like the K-650 and the K-750. These bikes were created with overhead valve engines. The K-index changed to MT in 1970, which saw the model K-650 change to MT-8.

In 1971, the MT-9 model was introduced. The bike came with modern improvements like the MT 804 gearbox that has rear-drive features and an automatic clutch switch-off. It also came with direction indicators and reflecting lamp. The model was later equipped with a new fuel tank, which was later adopted in all MT models.

Over the years, the DNEPR motorcycles have undergone modifications to include sidecar wheel drive, automatic clutch mechanism as well as an electronic ignition system. The company has manufactured more than three million bikes since 1967.

Interesting facts about DNEPR

• Its first motorcycle was a simple that featured only 2hp, a 2-speed gearbox, no rear suspension, and bicycle peddles.
• The DNEPR and Ural bike brands share a lot of similarities and may even look the same at first glance. However, they are different in terms of engine construction, the material used, and placement.
• DNEPR MT has been a common occurrence in Russian movies. It has also featured in the legendary Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark movie and in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
• Once it was established that the DNEPR 11 was the ideal bike for tuning, the Rockers (First Soviet Bikers) chose it as the bike of choice for their movement. They worked on the bikes and turned them into artsy pieces, which were later sold as private collections.
• The first DNEPR export motorbike appeared in the marker in 1976. Most bikers went for these models as they were more advanced than the initial models.
• The export models were limited and were never availed in the Soviet Union market.