Ural, the legendary Russian manufacturer of sidecar motorcycles, celebrates its 70th anniversary with two special edition models.
Seattle, Wash. and Irbit, Siberia (PRWEB) November 13, 2011
Ural, the legendary Russian manufacturer of sidecar motorcycles, celebrates its 70th anniversary with two special edition models
It was a brutally cold November in 1941. The Nazis were on the outskirts of Moscow, preparing for an all-out assault on the Soviet capital. At the same moment, in a small town of Irbit, located on the eastern slopes of the Ural Mountains, 2,000km away from Moscow, a freight train arrived with machinery, materials, drawing boards and people with a seemingly impossible task of building a factory in the middle of a Siberian winter and produce Ural combat sidecar motorcycles for the Red Army.
The motorcycle that was to be built at the Irbit factory was called the M72, essentially a copy of a BMW R71, the best sidecar motorcycle of the time: a rugged, all terrain model capable of carrying three people and heavy loads, ideal for mobile troops. The Nazis were to be beaten with their own weapon.
The first motorcycles built by the Irbit factory were sent to the front lines in February of 1942 and were used by the troops in the Battle of Stalingrad. During the war, nearly 10,000 M72s served in reconnaissance and dispatch detachments, and were also used to evacuate the wounded from battlefields.
After the war the factory continued producing motorcycles with sidecars and built more than 3 million outfits. People who laid the foundation of the factory would never have imagined that 70 years later this factory would remain the only sidecar motorcycle manufacturer in the world and Ural would become a cult brand for motorcycle enthusiasts worldwide.
This season Ural introduces the M70 edition sidecar and solo motorcycle models available in North America that pay homage to those who built the first M72’s 70 years ago.
The new limited edition M70 bears resemblance to its veteran predecessor but is completely modern in its design. The motorcycle is painted in olive drab, the sidecar has a machine gun mount and its tonneau cover is made of canvas similar to the one used on the M72. Just like the M72 it also includes a spare wheel and utility shovel. The teardrop gas tank is decorated with a replica of the original factory badge. The motorcycle features a tractor style seat and luggage rack on the rear fender. Each anniversary M70 comes with a special commemorative plaque.
While the M70 keeps the aesthetics of the original M72, it is designed for to excel for a lifetime with modern adventurers on paved roads and gravel byways. The 749cc M70 comes equipped with 18-inch aluminum rims, 40mm Marzochhi telescopic forks, Sachs shocks, Brembo front disc brakes, and other modern features. A longer wheelbase and lower sitting sidecar make this model the fastest and best handling Ural.
The total Anniversary Edition production run is 30 sidecar and 10 solo motorcycles.
MSRP is $14,200 for the sidecar model and $9,150 for the M70 Solo.
About Ural
Ural is the world’s only OEM manufacturer of sidecar motorcycles. The company’s top sellers are on- and off-road capable 2wd sidecar motorcycles, including the legendary Gear Up model. Urals are priced from MSRP $9,999 to $14,200. For more information on Ural’s global adventures, dealers and specs visit imz-ural.com and http://www.facebook.com/UralMotorcycles.
source: PRWEB