How do you know when you’re ready for a URAL sidecar motorcycle?
My buddy Bill stopped by my office to show me his new URAL sidecar motorcycle. I have to say it’s one of the more elegant incarnations I’ve seen. Almost enough to dispel the mental idea I have of them as “mules” or “trucks”. I’ve put a few miles on these machines and I can say they ride more smoothly than the 1949 Willys Jeep truck we had.
Still, they are amazing contraptions and I have them filed in my head for “when I can’t walk too well” times. But who knows, they could surface sooner for a variety of reasons. Fear and loathing just to name a few.
Dom Chang of Redleg’s Rides has been pitching the URAL to me for years. I’m confessing now, for all to read, that his patient efforts have been in vain. I am not closer to purchasing a URAL today than I was in 1957 when I was sending in Kellog’s box tops in hopes of winning a Ford Thunderbird Junior.
Don’t give up though Dom. You just never know.
I saw a video today show up on the Scooter in the Sticks Facebook page courtesy of Fuzzygalore.com that offered one of the most impressive looks at the URAL I have ever seen. Part motorcycle, part mule, part pontoon boat — a machine for wilderness adventure for sure.
Have a look at the video and ask yourself, “Is it time for one of those URAL sidecar motorcycles?”
My wife is positively narcoleptic when she’s in a car at night. To the point that she fell asleep at the wheel (on 99 near Altoona, when we lived in your neck of the woods). She drove across the deep ravine median, then hopped over the southbound lanes, pinning the front of her car under the retaining fence, right above a sheer drop. I know all this because I was driving a truck behind her.
She no longer drives at night.
I do not ride any more because of that as well. There is no safe way to have a sleeping passenger on a motorcycle. I value her far more than riding, so I’m perfectly okay with that trade off. However, the Ural and stories of putting kids in the sidecar and it being safe for them to snooze makes me consider getting one. Especially with me at 6’3″ and her a bit under 5 feet tall; she’d have plenty of room in there. We do long road trips in Max, our camper/minivan, but it has been a long time since I’ve had two wheels under me. Three… well, that sounds good too.
The URAL definitely sounds like a possible vehicle for a return to quasi motorcycling. I’ve ridden in the sidecar when I was in Colorado and at 6’2″ I was comfortable. So your wife would set up camp in the tub.
Falling asleep on I99 sounds frightening. Watching it happen even more so. Glad she’s ok!
On former long days on the saddle on our BMW, my wife on the back was quite tucked in, what with roll bags on both sides of her on top of our fiberglass saddlebags, and a backrest behind her. Five-hundred-plus mile days on the interstate, and she’d resort to reading books to pass the time. Often she’d take naps as well, as the spirit moved her. I could always tell when she was asleep, as I’d just blip the throttle a hair, and if she was asleep, I’d feel and hear the gentle tapping of the front of her helmet on the back of mine.
Heh. I tried to put in a sentence to the effect of “and of course, everybody has different comfort levels, and I’m sure somebody will reply who has their wife sleep on their back,” but the post suffered.
Like riding in snow and on ice, or choosing to wear or not wear a helmet, we all make our own judgement calls. I absolutely respect yours, and I know where my lines are drawn (especially with somebody who wakes up groggy, taking a second to remember where she is). It sounds you had a wonderful setup you both enjoyed!
I have been impressed with them since I first read about their history and what they are capable of. I’m not not mechanically inclined (and I understand with the Ural it helps if you are) nor do I feel I’m experienced enough to drive a rig. So it’s filed away for the future.
The URAL is definitely a unique experience that’s worth considering should age or circumstance intrude on two-wheeled riding. But for many, the sidecar experience is preferred for a variety of reasons. It has a permanent place in my imagination…
I liked the video, but then again I’m biased having drunk the look-aide. Thank you for the link. I don’t believe I will be trying that anytime soon.
BTW, my wife falls asleep in the Ural all the time. It must be the cloud-like ride combined with un-stimulating performance.
I suppose no one ever gets scared from riding too fast on a URAL. I would be scared sitting in the tub making that river crossing though….
I wonder if they thought about the return trip before diving in–you know, when the sidecars would be UP river… I guess they could weigh the cars down with rocks so there’d be less chance of the rigs flipping over.
Whatever the outcome, it looks like a refreshing way to begin a day’s ride.
I thought for sure the second rider was going to be swamped but the old URAL kept on chugging. Having the tub upstream would be a challenge though.
I put over 400 miles on a Ural cT last weekend and enjoyed every mile. Like someone said, they don’t go anywhere fast but go everywhere cool. It was a great time riding thru the Northern Tier of PA!
Craig — riding a URAL up in the northern tier would be fun. Lots of great roads and forest paths to explore. The burnt orange URAL cT may be my favorite. The one you let me ride some years back was that color. They had not upgraded to fuel injection yet. I bet the response to the throttle is crisper now. I’ll have to stop by and have a look at them again.
I thought about a Ural until I rode one. Not for me.
It’s definitely not a motorcycle. The feeling of fluid, sweeping and flying are missing. More like a fast lawn tractor. But they are cool.
Just a matter of time for me…..it’s a price-point thing.
I’ll look forward to you thoughts when you have one in your garage.
If the reviews are to be believed, the latest models with a proper steering damper are much better behaved on the highway.
I’ll have to see if Kissell Motorsports has a demo I can try and report back on the steering damper.
The hydraulic steering damper was a huge improvement over the friction damper. Best upgrade I made!
Steve,
A Wonderful story once again!
We have 2 Urals here and a bunch of their sister machines- the Dnepr. Nothing other than my wife, has stolen my heart like they have. They have everything a man needs: you can repair, ride, repair, ride and maybe ride again. They are the best hobby in the world.
I do not go long distances or across many states- but the riding I do is a pure joy.
I love your stories… It is like you live next door… All the best- SB
While they don’t offer the flying feeling I get on two wheels, the deep involvement necessary in the machine coupled with the sort of go anywhere, anytime functionality still intrigues me. Your description “They are the best hobby in the world.” pretty much sums up that feeling.
Thanks for the kind words about the stories of my little rides. Be safe!
Speaking from the dark side side:
All passengers in my sidecar, given time, fall asleep to the sweet murmurings of the engine…it is inevitable.
Sidecars are definitely not something for everyone. I went into the world of URAL sidecars seeking to uphold the oath I made that snow would never stop me from riding, so far, so good. Hell, I prefer snow riding to hot summer riding now.
In a rush? The URAL is not for you. Steve knows the joys to be found at taking the slow pace….and I, as well.
I suppose you’re the evangelizing equivalent for URAL as I am for the Vespa. We each see the deeper meaning of life astride the machines….
You’re right about not rushing and slow pace. Every other part of my life seems a rush so it’s good to have something that pulls me out of that madness.
I like the idea on paper (Ural), but I don’t trust them as to their quality and reliability at all.
If one of the big Japanese manufactures would come up with an equivalent, I’d be interested.
I think URAL recognizes their quality problems and seems to be making continual improvements. Some of the URAL owners can comment more specifically. I wouldn’t mind seeing another utilitarian sidecar rig on the market but something sized and priced reasonably, not one that will go 130mph and costs as much as an SUV.
Hey Steve, cannot a sidecar be added to pretty much any motorcycle? Yeah, I know – except for Ural it would be just an one-wheel drive, but the stability and cargo capacity would be there.
If so, then the challenge would be how to buy it and get it installed, I guess.
I’m no sidecar expert but theoretically with enough time and money you could put a sidecar on anything. I think some bikes are better than others because of the suspension but that’s only a guess. What’s nice about the URAL is it was designed with a sidecar in mind. It’s ready to go.