Ural motorcycles are known for being damn-near indestructible. They are, for lack of a better comparison, the AK-47 of motorcycles. Throw them in the mud, jam the wrong cartridge into the chamber, beat it with a rock, and they still work — they even ask for more. Yet, like the rifle, the motorcycle hasn’t exactly been changed with the times. However, a new Ural features an option that brings it somewhat into the 21st century: a drone.
Dubbed the Ural Air, the motorcycle and sidecar are left untouched apart from a newly designed nose for the sidecar that includes a cubbyhole type compartment that houses a DJI Spark drone. The idea is that as the Ural is designed for off-road adventures and the DJI drone will assist riders in seeing, “What’s over the ridge? What’s just beyond the campsite? What obstacles lie ahead after a big storm?” Essentially, when the rider and passenger are unsure of what’s ahead, open the cubby, turn on the drone, and send it skyward.
The base of the Ural Air is the company’s 749cc motorcycle that you can get with either rear-wheel drive, like any other normal
And, because the Ural Air is quite heavy due to the sidecar and two-wheel drive system, Ural has made a reverse gear standard, ensuring the rider’s ability to more easily maneuver the big bike.
The company states that the Ural Air will come in a single color, “Slate Grey Metallic,” with a two-wheel drive drivetrain, sidecar-mounted spare tire, and a trunk. As you’ll be sending up the drone in changing conditions, the Ural Air will come with a wind-sock mounted to a selfie stick, because why not!
Only 40 Ural Airs will be built for worldwide distribution, so if this is the sort of motorcycle you’ve been waiting for, Ural highly suggests registering your interest with a dealer now.
We know we want one.
