Here is Rob Stewart and his faithful Ural sidecar companion on patrol in Oliver.
A good friend of mine surprised me last year by riding by my office window on what looked like a motorcycle right out a scene from ‘A Bridge Too Far’.
Turns out, the bike was not decades old, but a brand new Ural 750 with sidecar. I was immediately impressed with the looks of his new ride- classic military styling, powder coated gray paint, but with all the updated mechanics and finish of a modern motorcycle.
I was intrigued and looked more into how this Russian motorcycle manufacturer has become quite appealing to many riders in North America.
The Ural motorcycle is built in a modest sized factory in the city of Irbit, nestled in the Ural Mountains of Russia.
The 1940’s re-location of the factory to these remote mountains was necessary to evade the wrath of Hitler’s bombings of Moscow.
The motorcycle is essentially based on BMW’s R71 motorcycle, a motorcycle that made German mobilized infantry so formidable. The Russian’s took a few of the original stock German BMW bikes (some say they were smuggled in from Germany shortly before the war) and created a version of their own.
The URAL M-72 proved to be an invaluable military tool for troop deployment and reconnaissance. After the war, the bikes continued to be produced. Eventually, during peacetime, Ural became focussed on domestic production.
Today, the Ural lineup includes 9 different models. In Canada, the sidecar versions are available.
My friend drives the “Gear Up” model. It comes complete with a two wheel drive mechanism (the wheel on the side car acts as another drive wheel to assist in climbing over rugged terrain), boxer engine, shaft drive, spacious passenger room, spare tire and the genuine look of an iconic military bike- sorry though, no machine gun mounts.
When I follow him on rides I can’t get over how many double takes he gets from people and when he stops the questions fly at him faster than the blitzkrieg. That said, his dog often rides with him which probably adds to the curiosity.
Jasper, a shepherd cross, equipped with her ‘doggles’ (those are goggles for dogs) is one of the luckiest canines on three wheels in the Okanagan for sure.
Good thing is that a trip to Russia is not necessary to buy of these nostalgic, yet technologically advanced bikes. There are dealers across Canada and locally Kelly Flynn, owner of SWM Adventure Motorsports in Kelowna carries select models along with other harder to find bikes such as the new Royal Enfield’s.
I spoke with Kelly recently and he told me that after three years of selling the Ural’s their popularity is on the rise and so is their demand.
To quote the Ural website: “The sidecar is something utilitarian and dreamy—a combination of wanderlust and practicality—combined in a manner nearly unavailable in any other form but ours, the Ural”.
I definitely have the purchase of one on my bucket list.
Keith Boric
Special to the Chronicle
