Everybody knows motorcycles are cool. I know it. You know it. Your grandmother definitely knows it. Due to this unassailable coolness, I’ve often contemplated acquring a bike. But which one is right for me?
I’m not badass enough for a Harley. I’m too scared to ride a Ninja. And as for the Hondas and Yamahas, I can’t get behind a motorcycle made by companies that also produce Civics and keyboards respectively.
And then I found this: 
The Ural Gear-up. It’s camouflaged. It has a sidecar. And, for all your rough-track needs, you can engage a driveshaft to the sidecar wheel, turning this bike into a two-wheel drive bruiser. It will climb like a goat and is built like a tank, so much so that Wired declared as one of the top-ten best post-apocalypse rides. Sweet.
Ural is a Russian (nee Soviet) company that developed its first bikes in 1940 by reverse-engineering the BMW R71. In the process, the bike took on a distinctive Russian quality- ugly as a boar, but nearly unbreakable. And if it does by some chance break down, you could probably fix it with a pocket knife and some twine.
The asking price of $13,599 is pretty steep for a bike that maxes out at 100km/h. But it’s the bike for me, as it fits most closely with the Nunc Scio gear philosophy: it ain’t pretty, but it gets the job done.
Besure not to wear a helmet and to have your father ride in the sidecar, with his umbrella pushed through his valise. Insist he refer to you as “Junior” dureing the entire ride….
June 25th, 2008 at 11:59 amDo you enjoy doing your own maintenance and getting your hands dirty?
Not meant to discourage, but I have owned one for 2 and half years and absolutely love it, my other bikes languish in neglect.
But…….although the QA has been increased many fold in the past few years, like British bikes of the ’50s and ’60s, they do require regular maintenance and tinkering. The good news is that just like those Brit bikes, they are dead easy to work on.
Great warranty (2 years, unltd miles) but few dealers mean DIY often.
I would not give mine up or sell it for any reason. When I bought it, my level of mechanical knowledge was limited, but I have learned much in the time spent with this wonderful machine.
Plus my dog loves to ride in the sidecar.
June 25th, 2008 at 4:22 pmI fit in with your philosophy!
June 26th, 2008 at 10:06 am