WIN A BRAND NEW URAL
Matt and Reese, the Sidecar Guys in Northumberland, England want to build a bigger home for all things sidecars - the ultimate sidecar destination in the Northeast of England.
We love the idea!!
We encourage everyone to participate. The crowdfunder is international, you can enter to win from anywhere. If you end up winning in the country where the sidecar is on the right hand side, we’ll help the guys replace their LH unit with the proper one :)
If you win in US or Canada, we here at Ural HQ will be more than happy to assist with delivery and logistics in US and Canada.
Check out the rules and enter to win!
Uralistan. A Glimpse Inside The Minds Of Two 'Uralers'.
Rolling along the Pamir Highway with Uralistan.
Ural motorcycle riders are known for being adventurous, free-spirited beings.
They are happiest when rolling along on their three-wheelers through some of the most beautiful and remote locations our planet has to offer.
With the luxury of the internet, I am able to follow some of these "Uralers" adventures, and one of them stood out above all: Uralistan.
Two adventurers. A Ural three-wheeler. Eighteen months. Twenty-one countries. More than 40,000 K’s!
Not a journey for the faint-hearted by any means! I wanted to find out more!
Currently they are somewhere on the Pamir Highway, part the legendary Silk Road traversing the Pamir Mountains through Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.
During a couple of rest days, I got to ask them some questions about their trip.
In a former life in France, Marion used to be an architect and Jérémy was an electrical engineer, specializing in fibre optic networks. Come 2016, they felt the need to experience something different. So they decided to move to Laos, south-east Asia. For four years, they worked in a small local tourism agency offering off-the-beaten-tracks tours. They were involved in many different aspects, communication, marketing, sales, tour design and accompanying customers. Whether it was about hiking or enduro riding, the aim was the same: explore the remote places and meet isolated tribes.
March 2020, they returned to France to start their big road trip. And then, a worldwide pandemic occurred. Instead of exploring the Mongolian steppes, they were stuck in France.
At this moment a famous French publishing house contacted them asking if they were up to write a book about the best motorbike itineraries in France. They had to think for at least 2 seconds before accepting! A year later, their travel guide is published: ‘Weekends à Moto, 50 Itinéraires Insolites en France’.
Now, Jérémy and Marion have embarked on an ambitious journey from France to Mongolia. I was interested to find out what inspired them to undertake a trip of such magnitude.
Why did we make this trip? Good question. There is no easy answer. I think it all started back in 2016. We thought that reaching Laos by land would be badass. However, we didn't feel ready for that. In 2020, we had the idea again. "Why not go back and do some overlanding in France?". However, it was a pain to buy a vehicle and get the proper papers in this part of the world (Laos). Thus, we decided to start from France and make a loop.
Why now? Well, we have no kids, no credit, no house, no proper job, it's just the perfect opportunity for us do a long-term trip of this kind. Moreover, you don't know what life will bring you, so why wait?
I was curious about why they chose a Ural sidecar for their Eurasian tour. Especially as I found out later, they had never even ridden one before! Surely it wasn’t for its speed?
To other people, our choice to ride a Ural sounded like the most irrational decision ever. But, in fact, it was very logical. First of all, we needed a sidecar because Marion doesn't ride and going off-road with an overloaded 2-wheeler doesn't make sense. Also, we were looking for a rig that was still in production, so we wouldn't have trouble getting spare parts. It was also very important for us that it was originally a side-car and not a "shed-made" vehicle. Therefore, it would be so much more complicated. All ad hoc creations are unique (the model of the bike, the make of the sidecar, the choice of subframe, everything...). And finally, we were looking for an outfit with decent ground clearance and simple mechanical design (which means very easy to fix!). With all these criteria, choosing Ural was the best decision.
I couldn't stop wondering why they chose these windswept roads, specifically, what encouraged them wander around these more remote locations?
Mongolia has been on our minds for years. For us it is the quintessence of the nomadic spirit. Thus, exploring theses steppes on our own motorbike was really a dream. The Pamir area was also legendary for us with its high mountains and all the myths around it. Overall, we really wanted to discover the relatively unexplored "stan" countries.
Moreover, all these places are reachable by land from France. It didn't really make sense to ship a bike in a boat or a plane. Needless to say, riding a Ural in these former soviet countries has made the trip magical.
Why Europe? Well, after 4 years of exploring the most isolated areas of Laos, we became addicted to it. Why? Are we sociopaths? No! Or at least, not completely. It's just that we really like to get off-the-beaten track, meet people that are not used to tourism, we feel that's it's more authentic. That's why we decided to explore Croatia and Bosnia almost exclusively riding on the trails of the TET. What a blast!
I know from the many trips I have taken; I usually learn something new every time. Taking a trip of this magnitude, I wanted to find out what their biggest lessons have been?
Enjoying simplicity. For this kind of road trip, you can only carry the most essential things. And in the long term, we ended up appreciating living with so few things. Is it the same in life? We think yes. Well, we're not saying that we will live like hobos for the rest of our existence, but keeping it simple for sure.
Taking our time. It took us few months, but we figured out that slow-travelling was the only way to achieve a 16-month adventure. You can't rush for that amount of time, right? For us, that means riding for about 100 to 150km a day average or spending 4 or 5 days at the same spot when we feel to rest (and if the place is cheap).
Being outside in our daily life is essential for us. I mean, we absolutely love living in cities, but we figured out that spending time in the nature is also much needed.
In a more general aspect – and I think, this is the very point of travelling – we enjoyed discovering new ways of living, housing, co-existing or eating. All these different cultures made us re-evaluate our own (in a good way). This is not about a specific point, but more like we've been shown alternative ways to do certain things, and from now on we can choose rather to stick to our western traditions or to pick in other ones.
Last but not least. We realised how much we love motorbiking and the solidarity it offers. We have obviously experienced it before in Europe; however, it took another dimension in the 'stan' countries. This was especially the case in Kazakhstan where the warmth and friendliness shown to us by the locals was incredible. Moreover, riding a Ural sidecar motorbike triggered so many nice encounters! We really enjoyed the bike Mongolia where the Ural created an instantaneous bond with the Mongolian shepherds
With such a gruelling journey, on the road for days and weeks on end, each kilometre must be a challenge. I wondered what their biggest challenge had been?
Well, mechanically, we haven't had any major issue. Of course, we had many small things to fix, but overall, nothing unmanageable.
I think that the real challenge was to keep our enthusiasm. It can be hard to understand from a outside, but motorbike riding and discovering new places everyday can be very exhausting. And in the long term - we've been on the road for 14 months - our appreciation for travelling started to wane.
The solution to prevent that? Make long stops., we "broke-up" with our Ural for 4 months in Ozurgeti, Georgia. No riding at all. No moving. Nothing. Only after this time had passed, did we get the pleasure and urge to explore again.
I dream of one day following in the footsteps of Jérémy and Marion, to ride along the mystic Pamir Highway and Silk Road on a Ural. I couldn't miss this opportunity to gain some insight as to what it takes to undertake a trip of this magnitude. What advice could they give me?
Go for it! Don't hesitate! A Ural sidecar is an incredibly robust bike, easy to fix and it has a built-in good vibes generator. But! Learn the basic servicing of your bike. How to drain oil, wash the air filter, clean the carbs, swap rims, etc... I think this advice stands for every bike: know your vehicle. You can't dive into a 50.000km trip and expect your bike to run straight with absolutely no issue.
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In the end it seems that it all boils down to two things, desire and attitude. Mechanical and technical subjects can be learnt. Machines can be fixed. But if someone hasn't got the desire, or the attitude to step out of their comfort zone and say, "I'm gonna do it", no amount of mechanical or technical know-how will take you on adventure.
It was a pleasure to get a small insight into the minds of a couple of "Uralers", and I have no doubt that many more incredible unforgettable moments along the track.
Thanks. Bon voyage.
Naked Truth
It is expensive and difficult to build motorcycles. All hands on deck went to steering production, logistics and support through our big transition. That left little resource for marketing. Haven’t even had a chance to mention Base!
We are recalibrating, though, stand by. Here’s quick and simple overview of what we offer for 2023.
Please contact our 8, they will help guide you through all the options and accessories.
2023 GEAR UP 2WD
One Model, Three Trims.
Gear Up Base and Gear up Standard are available at dealers now.
Gear Up Expedition coming soon.
Plus lots of a la cart options and over 90 custom colors.
BASE
This is Gear Up Base in Bronze Satin color. All 2023s come with Heidenau tires.
INCLUDED IN THIS TRIM:
On-Demand 2WD • Enduro Bench Seat • Passenger Handles & Footpegs
Sidecar Tonneau Cover • Floor Protection Sidecar & Trunk
Tool Kit • Touch Up Paint
STANDARD
INCLUDED IN THIS TRIM:
On-Demand 2WD • Enduro Bench Seat • Passenger Handles & Footpegs
Tonneau Cover Sidecar • Floor Protection Sidecar & Trunk
Universal Spare Wheel • Spare Wheel Luggage Rack
Sidecar Auxiliary Power Outlet • Front Sidecar Bumper
LED Fog Lights • Jerry Can • Folding Utility Shovel
Tool Kit • Touch Up Paint
STANDARD COLORS
(no extra charge)
POPULAR FACTORY OPTIONS
BLACK POWER TRAIN:
Black Powder Paint
MSRP: €1000
UNDERCOATING:
Anticorrosive protection under sidecar tub and underneath front and rear fenders
MSRP: €600
INNER COATING:
Anticorrosive protection inside the sidecar and the trunk
MSRP: €600
*MSRP Excludes tax, license, registration, delivery, set-up, and dealer-installed options. Bike may be shown with additional options. Dealer prices may vary.
Winter Ride: Cape Soya, Hokkaido
Crazy idea, freezing cold, icy roads, fatigue but also good company, good food, good sleep and some good stories to tell. The team at Ural Japan organized the traditional winter ride to the northernmost point of Japan - Cape Soya, Hokkaido.
Ultimate Adventure Sidecar Experience: O Nosso Dakar on 2WD Urals
“Riding a motorcycle with a sidecar fast off -road is an absolute thrill.”
— Rob McDonald, Gusto Motorbikes
Credits: Rob and Zayne of Gusto Motorbikes, Bartek Kosiorek, XREPO and Anton Malyshev, Motul.
Sugar On The Ural: A Sidecar Superstar
“I told my wife, I think I have an obligation to Great Falls to go out and ride around with Sugar in the sidecar. ‘Cause constantly people are smiling, people pulling up the side and taking pictures”
— Kern Lee, '22 Ural Gear Up, Great Falls, MT
2023 Urals Are Here!
Dear Friends,
Any other year, for any other motorcycle company, this would be great news, but not as much of a big deal as it is for us. For Ural, 2023 might've not have happened at all. It is only because of the unwavering spirit and the will to move forward of the people behind Ural, this past year we pulled off the biggest feat in the brand’s 80 year old history - we managed to move and restart production in Kazakhstan!
To honor this remarkable undertaking, we decided to make every 2023 Ural with a special badge. The colors of the badge represent the colors of the flag of the country that welcomed us. We thank everyone who believed in us, supported and encouraged us along the way. This badge, and every Ural we make, comes with one promise that stands: to Never Give Up.
May 2023 bring Peace, first and foremost. The rest, we can overcome.
Safe travels and happy adventuring!
The Team at Ural
PS: Check out this 20 second video made by Heindl Engineering. We think Jon nailed it.
2023 Upcoming Product Changes
Dear Friends,
2023 model updates are now posted on our Yearly Model Changes page in Support section.
Watch the detailed overview with thoughtful and informative insights that you have come to expect from David’s videos on our YouTube channel. Please remember to subscribe! :)
Stay tuned for more updates on 2023’s availability and customization options coming soon.
September 10, 2022: Field Notes with Ilya Khait
David George sat down with Ilya to discuss the latest news. Watch full conversation here:
July 23, 2022: First Ural Assembled In Kazakhstan
We did it again! First Ural was assembled at the new location in Petropavlovsk, Kazakhstan on July 23, 2022.
It’s a true milestone. We are humbled and grateful to the Ural community around the world for believing in us. Every word of support counts and fuels our team to keep on going. We are excited and determined to move forward, more than ever.
Thank you!
The Team at Ural
July 22, 2022: Setting Up Assembly Stations, Parts Shelves, More Components Arrivals
It’s been a busy week in Petropavlovsk with set up, more deliveries of parts and components, couple hiccups at the customs but overall good round the clock work week. Our guys are putting in the sweat, the hours and a little bit of crazy - crazy dedication.
Assembly of the first bikes is about to start. Stand by for updates!
July 16, 2022: New Set Up in Kazakhstan - Almost Ready To Go
Latest Operations Update here:
The process of setting up our new assembly facility is very near completion (!) We are now in the last phase of the set up: bringing in the necessary pieces of assembly equipment and filling warehouse shelves with parts and components.
We’re moving some old (refurbished) assembly fixtures from Irbit, however most of the equipment, hand tools, work benches, test stands, compressors, quality control “tunnel” and other pieces are brand new.
The trial shipment of spare parts has successfully made its way from Kazakhstan to IMWA in Redmond. Factory is now putting together two large air shipments to fulfill backorders and warranties, and also gearing up to restore “normal” way of supplying parts to our distributors with the shipments of bikes.
We received the first two shipments of production parts from our Asian suppliers in Petropavlovsk last week. There are more production parts on their way to Kazakhstan from other Asian suppliers, as well as from Europe. We’re very close to completely restoring all incoming logistics.
Most importantly: the first truck with motorcycle assembly sets has arrived at IMZ-Kazakhstan from Irbit. We’re expecting the second shipment from Irbit to arrive in Kazakhstan next week. The team of workers from Irbit is going to Petropavlovsk to assist with the assembly of the first shipments of bikes in the next few days.
If everything goes well, we expect the first shipment of bikes from our new assembly shop to depart around July 25th. It will be heading to the US with ETA sometime early to mid-September. Following production orders are booked for Japan, Australia and Europe.
Wish us luck and follow us on social media channels for updates.
We thank you for being there for us, stay tuned for more developments!
Ride safe and be well!
The Team at Ural
Field Notes with Ilya Khait
David George sat down with Ilya to discuss the latest, including the moving of the assembly to a new home. Watch full conversation here:
Ural HQ Update, March 31st
Dear Friends,
We have been working on adjusting our operations to the new reality and we’d like to give you an update on the latest.
As we informed you earlier, the assembly of new motorcycles at our factory in Irbit has been suspended. Since our last update the situation with logistics in and out of Russia hasn’t improved. We are still not able to import components to the factory.
Majority of our suppliers are holding our orders patiently until we figure out when and how we can restart the assembly. Some suppliers, however, are pulling back from shipment of components to the factory which, among other things, amplifies the need for moving the final assembly outside of Russia.
We estimate approximately 6 months gap in supply of new motorcycles. As far as supply of parts made at the factory, we are cautiously optimistic about our ability to organize export logistics within a month. Our parts managers have been building up stock levels for a while in response to supply chain issues, it is now coming in handy.
We are having some success with moving the two stuck containers that have been sitting in port in Europe for over a month, and if all goes well, they will arrive to NY end of April/early May.
Our dealers have been extremely supportive of us and of each other as we all navigate the limited supply of bikes. Please contact your local dealer - they will help you find the Ural you want so you can enjoy this riding season to the fullest.
We will start adjusting and correcting production plan for the remainder of the year and 2023 in the first week of April. If you are planning to place a custom order for future production, please contact your dealer as quickly as possible. When we receive information on actual orders, we can allocate production accordingly.
We pray for peace and we thank you for your support.
Be safe and stand by!
The Team at Ural
Ural HQ Update, March 7th
PHOTO CREDIT @MICHAELBIELECKI
Dear Friends,
We are incredibly grateful for the support we’ve received over the course of these endlessly long days. Coming from the Ural community it wouldn’t have been any other way. We are a small and fiercely independent company building sidecar motorcycles in Siberia. Yet, our challenges are nothing in comparison to the devastation and human suffering caused by the war in Ukraine. It's hard to find the words in this unfathomable reality; our hearts bleed for the victims and all we can repeat again and again is that this war must stop now.
As a business with responsibility to our customers we want to make sure we keep you in the loop and here's the latest regarding operations:
Assembly of new motorcycles in Irbit is on hold at this moment.
There are several containers with motorcycles and parts currently in transit with arrivals in March (US bound) and in April-May (Australia, Japan).
We also have a number of containers that are built and waiting to be shipped. We are working on ocean export logistics, which is the main challenge right now.
Spare parts manufacturing at the factory remains fully operational. We are currently rearranging logistics for these parts. Outsourced parts and components from outside suppliers are being rerouted directly to our distribution companies.
Parts, warranty and tech support by distributors and dealers is uninterrupted and remains our highest priority.
Overall, the situation remains difficult to forecast. Regardless, we are fully committed to ensuring continuity of the brand and are prepared to take all steps necessary to support our customers and the product.
Be safe and stand by!
The Team at Ural
Message from Ural HQ, Feb 23-d
Dear Friends,
We wish we wouldn’t have to update you under the circumstances we find ourselves in.
Questions and concerns inevitably come up about possible sanctions, availability of bikes and parts, support and so on. The short answer is that we are as ready as we can possibly be to address whatever challenges may come our way. Over the years we've learned to navigate ups and downs, to make plans B, C and D both strategically and on the fly. We’ve weathered storms that were very real and dealt with obstacles that were not so publicly known. The history of our brand shows that Ural always finds a way to move forward.
Our highest priorities have always been our employees, our partners and our customers. We still hope for people to remain human, value life and stand for living instead of fighting.
We pray for peace.
The Team at Ural
2022 Product Changes Insights
People often say Ural never changes, it looks exactly like my grandpa’s, which is true, sort of…. The look is almost just that, until you delve into the details. In this video, David George, as you have come to expect of him, gives you an insight into the changes, the reasons behind the changes and even some of the thinking and decision processes that let to 2022 as we have it now.
PS: About keeping “the look”……we meant it this way. Square lights forever! (jk)
First 2022 models are expected at the dealers in November.
DYATLOV PASS: FULL FILM
June 2020: The summer of closed borders. Quarantine restrictions deepen the the itch to get out, wanderlust is real and it’s calling!
One afternoon in Moscow, four old friends get together and decide on a road trip. The idea? Join the team of Irbit factory test drivers on the ride in northern Urals over to Dyatlov Pass. Why not? Everyone knows: the best ideas, and the worst, perhaps, come over a couple of beers… It’s what you do next makes for the the great adventures and stories to tell.
Dyatlov Pass Film: One epic adventure.
Now with English subtitles.
Special thanks to the team at Irbit Motorcycle factory, Anton Malyshev of Motul, Vladimir Chaikovsky, Dmitry Zakharov and Dmitry Khitrov. Watch the full film here on our YouTube channel.
Through Black & White Lens
Eighteen months after the world started to shut down, Ilya Khait is back at the factory, bringing us images from the assembly floor. Through his eyes and through the black & white lens of his camera: we made it through the worst of the pandemic. Time to ramp up.
LH 2WD Explained
Just recently, we released a new model, the Ural Gear Up 2WD left hand model with on demand engageable sidecar driveshaft to the Australian market. This is the world’s first and only production of a 2wd system for LH sidecars.
The Ural factory took the very first production bike to Dyatlov Pass where it was rigorously tested in most hostile and varied off road conditions. The 2WD system passed the test with flying colors, a proven solid success.
Decades long discrimination of the left handed markets is finally brought to an end!
Following the release, there has been much interest in how the system was developed and what the design is all about. By popular demand we are publishing the schematics to quench your gearhead thirst.
