Izh 56 - a tribute to the traditions

The increased popularity of Izh-49, as well as the victories of Izhevsk cars in the competitions, created favorable conditions for increasing the production capacities of motorcycles that everyone liked so much. Analysis by experts of such a model has shown that it needs substantial improvement.

However, it was not possible to build a new plant, since it was very expensive. Therefore, the company's management decided to create a more modern motorcycle on the basis of the already existing model. At the same time, the best option was to apply progressive technological solutions and change the design of Izh-49, thus bringing the Izhevsk plant to a more advanced technological level. This is the delicacy to make by creating Izh-56.

The fact is that in the early 50's, designers, plant engineers , riders and just amateurs, sports judges - all unfolded a discussion about how to improve Soviet motorcycles. Especially it worried those people who visited abroad and got acquainted with the advanced innovations of foreign companies, because they saw that the world motor industry is steadily striving to force engines of modern units.

However, during the Soviet era, it was simply impossible to technically rebuild the plant in the context of economic planning. Support the steady growth in the manufacture of motorcycles could be, using the unification of models with a gradual increase in product quality. This approach led to the creation of Izh-56.

That is, modernizing the old Izh-49, received a completely new machine. This became possible only due to the improvement of the motorcycle device and the process of its production. The main emphasis in the Izh-56 model was put on design changes that were implemented by the Central Design Bureau "Izhmash".
In this case, the designers changed the stamped frame to a more lightweight construction of thin-walled pipes. However, this entailed changes in the entire production process of Izh-56. Instead of the old technology of casting directly into the ground, steel was used with excessive pressure. For the manufacture of crankcases, hubs, pistons and cylinders, even a special workshop was built. To make a tubular frame, mastered new technologies and equipped a separate room.

In 1956, the Izhevsk factory finished work on designing a new machine. That's how the motorcycle Izh-56 was created. The front part - the wing, the wheel, the steering wheel and the fork - was only slightly changed, leaving them as they were on the Izh-49 model.

In 1956 they started serial production of new items. For two years, it was produced jointly with Izh-49. July 10, 1960, they created a million-dollar car. In the summer of this year, most specialists of the plant received awards VDNH. On a rough calculation, at this time motorcycles Izh-56 reached the production line of 700 thousand copies. After some modifications began to produce "Planet".

Looking back at the events of those years, you realize that Izh-56 was the first swallow of motorcycles that made the plant producing Planets famous. Many of the developments and innovations of the 50's remained unchanged even to our time. Merit is, of course, the designers of the time. We can say for sure that the "fifty-sixth" is the main link in the entire chain of motorcycle production.