IMZ-Ural M72

We came across this Russian motorbike from the 1940's today in Barnoldswick. It's named after the Ural mountain region where the factory was based. We've seen this bike in old war films as I'm sure you have too.
Back then the Soviet Union was looking to modernize its ground forces in preparation for invasion from German tanks and infantry.
They needed to upgrade the motorcycles used until then by the Red Army and acquired the design of a BMW R71. 
Five models were covertly bought and dismantled in order to learn how to build them.
After WW2 ended the factory expanded, making bikes for the domestic consumer. In 1950 production reached 30,000.
In 1957 the production line of the M-72 was sold on to the People's Republic of China.
I'm not all that interested in motorbikes as a rule but I am interested in anything that is old and has some history behind it. ;-)