Author Arv Voss took delivery of a Ural Gear-Up and talks about the experience.

I’ve always been fascinated by Urals, although I’ve never had the opportunity to ride one. When they first arrived in the U.S. in the early nineties, I loved the idea of a clone of a vintage BMW, sidecar included, for less than you might pay to add a sidecar to a Harley or BMW. If memory serves, the first Urals started around $7,000. Reliability problems were thrown in for free.

Today they’re more reliable, I’m told, but improving build quality hasn’t come cheap. Throw in a weak dollar and a new base model clocks in at just under $12,000, and the two-wheel drive Gear-Up is priced at $13,600.

I’m not sure I’m as eager to own one at those prices, but Voss’ article is a good read. Now if someone could get the Oregonian to understand how irritating inline ads are.