The Most Rugged Sidecar Motorcycle Just Got Updated For 2023

The latest Ural receives some small, but significant updates

When someone says "sidecar" and "rugged" in the same sentence, they can only be talking about a Ural. Everything about this bike screams utilitarian, from the name to the antiquated technology. But that is exactly what got them a cult-like following. If Triumph can make money on nostalgia, Ural can too. It also helps when there is a lack of competition in the ‘sidecar-motorcycle’ department. Anyway, for 2023 Ural decided to freshen things up a bit for the first time in a while.

Related: Yamaha Unveils The Tenere 700 Explore And Extreme Editions

The specifications are more or less what one would expect from a bike like this. It has a 749cc, air-cooled boxer twin capable of producing 41 horsepower at 5500 rpm and 42 foot-pounds of torque at 4300rpm. It has a 4 speed manual transmission with a reverse gear. With the dry weight of 730lbs, this is not a fast bike.

Since 2009, Ural have been making slight improvements every year. This year it gets a new 2-in-1 exhaust system with high mounted silencers, a new intake manifold, high compression pistons, a new crankcase and a new camshaft. To reduce the internal friction Ural went with roller tappets and got rid of the old-style flat-heads which will make the new engines more reliable.

One thing that definitely stands out is the choice of colors. While most motorcycle brands offer just one or two colors at most, Ural is giving you eight different color options to choose from.

Related: Why The KTM 390 Adventure Is The Best Entry Level Adventure Bike

Founded back in 1941 in Irbit, Russia, with the sole purpose of building motorcycles for the military. Those first bikes that came out of the factory were based on the BMW R71. After the war, the potential of this simple but capable machine was recognized by the general public, so the company kept them in production. For decades these bikes served as affordable transportation, but today they have more of a novelty appeal.

Since July 2022, production moved from Russia to Kazakhstan. The international sanctions imposed on Russia in response to invasion of Ukraine hit this relatively small motorcycle company hard. Hence, the decision to move the production to another country.

The first Urals were imported to the U.S. back in 1993, and demand has steadily grown since then, today there are 45 dealerships in North America. The price for the 2023 Ural Gear-Up in standard trim starts at $21,999.

After getting a degree in international politics and working with NGOs, decided to do something a bit different. Always had a strong affection towards sports cars, especially motorcycles. Prefers fast and sleek, dislikes big and chunky.