18/04/2013 | By: 1 Comment
2011-ural-gear-up-sidecar-review-mcycle_com_camping-34Ural is reporting today an 11% sales growth for Q1 over the same period from the record year of 2012.

“It’s been a very long winter for the most part of the country, not surprisingly 75% of our sales during these months were models with on-demand 2WD, which is known for all-weather and snow capability,” says Madina Merzhoeva, Ural’s Vice President. “Sales were up every month of Q1, but March turned out to be a bit more challenging. We’ve set ourselves an aggressive 30% growth goal for 2013. It has been a slower start than expected, so we are turning up our marketing and sales efforts. We still intend to meet the goal.”

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28/11/2012 | By: Add a Comment

What’s orange and black and comes with an oar? Ural’s limited edition 2012 Yamal. Why is it the only motorcycle to ever come with a factory installed oar. It’s named after a boat, of course.

The NS  Yamal is a nuclear-powered Russian ice-breaker that’s sailed to the North Pole, the twelfth ship to do so. The ship gets its name from the Yamal Peninsula, an inhospitable region of northern Siberia known for reindeer husbandry. The peninsula consists of permafrost and is surrounded by frozen seas. In the local vernacular, Yamal translates to “end of the world.”

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15/11/2012 | By: 2 Comments

You’d be forgiven if you thought the motorcycle pictured here was a Husqvarna on steroids. No, despite the red and white colors and Husky’s recent reputation for showcasing surprising concept models at EICMA (such as the Mille 3 in 2010 and the Baja at this year’s show), the bike shown here is an all new model called the Brutus from a company called Over.

Designed by Alessandro Tartarini, formerly Lambretta designer and son of the founder of Italian motorcycle company Italjet, the Brutus is a pre-production concept that has been described as being a two-wheeled SUV. Over presented the Brutus at the 2012 EICMA Show, announcing plans for production in 2013.

With its thick Maxxis Bighorn tires, the Brutus is designed to tackle rough terrain including thick sand. And when the temperature drops, Over says the Brutus can be used in the snow. Yes, snow. In fact, the Brutus will be available with a snowmobile conversion kit including skis for the front end and track for the rear. Other accessories include a generator, winch set, tow bar and, if the Brutus doesn’t look oddball enough, a sidecar. Continue Reading »

07/06/2012 | By: Add a Comment

Dave Molyneux and passenger Patrick Farrance won the second Sidecar TT race to sweep the sidecar class in the 2012 Isle of Man TT. The duo won the first Sidecar TT race earlier in the week where they led every lap but this time Molyneux and Farrance had to mount a comeback on the final lap for the win.

The Tim Reeves and Dan Sayle led after the opening lap on an LCR Honda sidecar with a time of 20:16.09, averaging 111.692 mph. Molyneux and Farrance were just four seconds behind with the brother-team of Ben and Tom Birchall another five second behind. All three of these teams held the lead at various points on the opening lap.

The second lap saw Reeves and Sayle again in the lead with a lap time of 20:00.47 for an average speed of 113.146 mph. Molyneux and Farrance reduced the lead to under a second with a lap time under 20 minutes. Meanwhile the Birchall brothers fell behind and settled comfortably in third place with a lap remaining. Continue Reading »

04/06/2012 | By: Add a Comment

Dave Molyneux won his 15th career Isle of Man TT race with a victory in the first Sure Sidecar TT race of the 2012 festival. The win comes in Molyneux’s return to the Isle of Man TT after sitting out last year’s competition.

By far the most successful Sidecar racer in TT history Molyneux is third overall among riders in any class, behind Joey Dunlop (26) and John McGuinness (18). The win in the first of two Sidecar races at the 2012 TT was however the first for Molyneux’s passenger, Patrick Farrance.

Molyneux and Farrance never trailed in the three-lap race, riding a Kawasaki-powered sidecar rig. They led by almost 14.96 seconds after Lap 1 and 29.47 seconds after Lap 2. Molyneux eased up on the final lap to win with a time of 1:00:04.29, which equates to an average speed of 113.055 mph. Continue Reading »

11/01/2012 | By: 2 Comments
Ural, the funky motorcycle sidecar manufacturer from Russia, is boasting a 39% increase in unit sales for 2011. Considering the company’s total expected output for last year was approximately 1,100 models, you won’t notice an influx of sidehacks dominating your local roadways, but this is really good news for the small manufacturer of eclectic two-wheelers, especially in the midst of a deficient economy.

Ural recognized an article in the New York Times and a collaboration with bike builder James Hammarhead for some of the company’s increasing popularity. We like to think our positive review of the Ural Gear-Up model last year as cause for Ural’s booming market share. Some may consider our love of this machine to be irrational, but we’re in the company of Ural owners including Brad Pitt and Ewan McGregor, who both added Urals to their garages in 2011.
12/10/2011 | By: Add a Comment

Source: Huffington Post

10/06/2011 | By: Add a Comment

The Isle of Man TT usually provides a lot of drama, and this year’s event was no different. John McGuinness, second on the all-time TT wins list, added two more wins to his resume to win the Joey Dunlop Trophy while MotoCzysz once again fell just short of taking the bounty for being the first electric motorcycle team to record a 100 mph lap on the Mountain Course.

The 2011 Isle of Man TT also had its share of tragedy with three racing fatalities. Sidecar racer Bill Currie and passenger Kevin Morgan died in an accident during qualifying while Derek Brien was killed in a high-speed crash in the first Supersport race.

The event also featured a parade lap with five-time World Champion Mick Doohan, Ducati MotoGP racer Nicky Hayden, Tech 3 Yamaha MotoGP racer Cal Crutchlow,   2010 Isle of Man TT star Ian Hutchinson, and British Superbike racer Josh Brookes.

Full recap after the jump.

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01/06/2011 | By: Add a Comment

Sidecar racer Bill Currie, 67, and passenger Kevin Morgan, 59, have died following an accident at the 2011 Isle of Man TT races.

The accident occurred during the second qualifying session for the sidecar class near the Ballacrye Bend, between milestones 17 and 18 on the Mountain Course. The coroner is investigating the accident.

Currie was an experienced Isle of Man TT racer, first competing in the fabled event in 1969 where he finished third. Currie competed in last year’s TT, finishing eighth in the Sidecar class with a personal best average speed of 107.944 mph. Morgan was no stranger to the Isle of Man either, competing in his first TT race in 1984. This year’s event was the first time the two would have competed together as a pair.

“I have known both Bill and Kevin for many years and am deeply saddened by their untimely death,” says Jim Parker, managing director of Isle of Man TT organizer ACU Events. “They were a huge part of the sidecar paddock and will be sorely missed by everyone involved in the event.”

Currie was divorced with two kids. Morgan was single with two sons.

Official statement after the jump.

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14/07/2010 | By: 1 Comment
The former NHL Detroit Red Wing and Chicago Blackhawks tough guy, Bob Probert, passed away on Monday, July 5, 2010 after suffering chest pains while boating with his family.  Probert was arguably the all time greatest NHL fighter but also had great skills, leadership qualities and a big heart.

He was taken to his final destination on a Harley-Davidson sidecar before about 1,000 mourners.  Probert was 45 years old on his passing, he leaves behind his wife Dani, son Jack and two daughters, Brogan and Tierney.

A news clip and some Probert highlights after the jump.

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