Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Culture

Three Wheeled Fury: Ural Motorcycles

By

Earlier this summer we were lucky enough to spend a long weekend getting a sneak peak at Coleman’s National Park Centennial camping gear (more on that soon). As part of our trip, we spent quite a bit of time cruising fire roads and ATV trails of Washington’s Kitsap Peninsula aboard a Ural Motorcycle. After gunning the engine up our first steep, washboard hill, the two wheel drive had us swooning – although that could have been the exhaust fumes too.

Related: 5 Tips For A Great Motorcycle Tour | What Kind of Motorcycle Should I Get?

Recommended Videos

Ural’s parent company has been building sidecar bikes in Irbit, Russia since 1941. Originally based on the venerable BMW R71, Ural’s early models were exclusive to the Red Army. In the 1950s they starting producing bikes for the public, and in 1973 the first motorcycles made it across the Iron Curtain into Great Britain. Over the years the sidecar design hasn’t changed, but modern ignition systems, disc brakes, and powerful 750cc engines have become part of each bike’s DNA.

Related

Ural’s USA headquarters in Redmond Washington is the perfect location for some serious testing, so we couldn’t pass up a weekend of riding when we had a bike at our disposal and pristine forest roads to ride on. At first blush, the two wheel drive is insanely grippy – too much for paved roads, but excellent for loose gravel and washed out dirt roads. The sidecar affects the balance enough that you’ll have to pay attention closely at first, but if you don’t drive like a madman (we’re looking at you Ryan Hayter) it’s not a steep learning curve. The best part is the cargo space. The sidecar has a seat for a copilot – or dog – and plenty of room for a weekend’s worth of camping gear. So if you’re planning on heading out for a weekend of fire road cruising and camping, your first choice should be a Ural.

Pictures Courtesy of Ural Motorcycles

Editors’ Recommendations

Austin Parker
Austin Parker
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Austin Parker is a former contributor at The Manual Parker is a powder skier and sport climber and is no stranger hauling…
11 of the Best Light Therapy Lamps to Treat the Winter Blues
light therapy lamp next to the bed.

Light therapy lamps are used to combat winter depression and low energy by helping offset the reduced sun exposure and intensity in the wintertime. Particularly problematic in northern latitudes, winter blues can be remedied by the consistent use of a light therapy lamp for just 30 minutes every morning over the winter months as effectively as antidepressants for some people, according to research. Moreover, light therapy can increase energy, regulate sleep patterns, and improve overall feelings of wellbeing.
There are many light therapy lamps available online, and they can be purchased without a prescription or diagnosis of depression. That said, some medical insurances will cover the cost of a light therapy lamp if you do have a prescription, or you may be able to purchase one using an HSA or FSA.
Light therapy lamps operate like a standard lamp, though they are usually much smaller and tend to be shaped like a flat, illuminated panel. The best light therapy lamps have a brightness of 10,000 lux, as this is the luminosity determined to be most effective for regulating circadian rhythms and melatonin production, stimulating serotonin reuptake, and ultimately elevating mood. This luminosity is about on par with the lower end of the brightness of the sun on a clear day.
Winter doesn’t have to be a time where you’re tired, cranky, and stuck in the doldrums. If you have suffered from the winter blues in the past, consider trying out a light therapy lamp this year and give your body the light exposure you need to feel your best. Although most light therapy lamps are relatively similar, we have done the research and product testing for you and chosen the 11 best light therapy lamps, and reviewed them below.

Alaska Northern Lights Happy Sol Light Therapy Box 

Read more
Is Cameron Beaubier America’s Fastest Motorcycle Racer?
A motorcycle racer

You can trace so-called Superbike racing on motorcycles and courses comparable to those seen in MotoAmerica races today back to the early 1970s. Thus this decidedly high-speed sport is nearly two decades older than the man who is arguably its top competitor, Cameron Beaubier.

Credit: Brian J. Nelson (MotoAmerica) Image used with permission by copyright holder

Read more
We just got a hopeful update on the second season of ‘Black Doves’
The show follows a pair of spies on a revenge mission
Keira Knightley and Ben Whishaw in Black Doves

Keira Knightley and Ben Whishaw might be back for more spying in the near future. The two actors, who starred together in Netflix's Black Doves, seem likely to be back for a second season of the series. That makes sense, given that the show has been hovering in Netflix's Top 10 ever since it was first released.

In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, show creator Joe Barton, said that the show's staff is full steam ahead on a second season.

Read more