Satra Corporation was a US trading and metal processing company.[1] It is primarily known in the United Kingdom for its Satra Motors Limited subsidiary, which was the official importer and distributor of Soviet Union cars and motorcycles in that country from 1973 to 1979. Satra is an acronym for "Soviet American Trade Association".[2]
Subsidiaries
Satra Motors imported, modified, and distributed Soviet cars, such as Lada and Moskvich, and motorcycles made by Ural, Dnepr, Voskhod, Minsk, and the IZh whose Planeta and Jupiter were marketed. The motorcycles were sold in Britain and Australia under a single brand name, Cossack.[3]
The term Cossack Motorcycle can apply to any number of motorcycles, made in the former Soviet Union, a reference to the horseback riding Cossacks. Some are derived from the design of the 1938 BMW R71 sidecar motorcycle. Examples include the Russian Ural or the Ukrainian Dnipro.
Cossack was also the brand name applied to all Soviet motorcycles distributed by Satra Belarus from 1973 to 1979, originally located in Surrey, southern England,[4] later moving to Carnaby in eastern England and being used by the Australian importer, Capitol Motors until May 1976 when their motorcycle division closed.
Ural, Dnipro, IZh, Voskhod and Minsk were some of the former Soviet Union manufacturers whose bikes were imported and rebadged.[2]
^Motorcyclist Illustrated, October 1974, p.63 The Cosssack Range. Voskhod 175, Jupiter 350, Ural 650. Satra Belarus Limited, Canada Road, Byfleet, Surrey, KT14 7JX Accessed and added 2015-03-09
General and cited references
"Business Summary: Western pays 20.6 million pounds for Lada distribution", The Times, London: – via General OneFile(subscription required) , October 24, 1987
Kramer, David (July 23, 1985), "Soviet nickel embargo could be ending: Satra", American Metal Market, vol. 93, – via General OneFile(subscription required) , p. 2
