The Ural Ranger is a sidecar outfit from the Irbit factory, one of the models aimed at riders who use their Ural away from good roads. It follows the layout of every Ural: an air-cooled two-cylinder boxer engine, a four-speed gearbox with reverse on the later machines, and a shaft drive to the rear wheel.
Ural Ranger at a glance
| Maker | IMZ-Ural, Irbit |
|---|---|
| Type | sidecar motorcycle |
| Layout | boxer twin, shaft drive, sidecar on the right |
| Gearbox | four-speed, with reverse on later machines |
| Final drive | shaft to the rear wheel |
| Use | rough roads and off-road touring |
| Range | one of the sidecar models of the export catalogue |
No Wikipedia page describes the Ranger itself; the page is based on the general description of Ural sidecar models and is deliberately short.
History of the Ural Ranger
A sidecar for rough roads
The Ranger belongs to the family of sidecar outfits that made the factory’s name: a heavy tubular frame, a sidecar on the right and a shaft-driven rear wheel. Urals of this kind were sold mainly for export, where the combination of three wheels, a reverse gear and simple mechanicals made them popular for travel away from main roads.
In the catalogue
The factory’s range has always included several sidecar models distinguished by equipment rather than by mechanical layout, from the touring Tourist to the militarised Gear Up. The Ranger sits among them as a model for rough country; the outfit is usually sold with the two-wheel-drive option that engages the sidecar wheel.
Design and features
- Sidecar outfit: three wheels, a sidecar and a shaft final drive.
- Simple mechanicals: an air-cooled boxer twin that can be repaired far from a workshop.
- Export model: part of the range sold mainly outside Russia.
- Rough-country use: the version of the Ural intended for tracks and gravel.
Ural Ranger versions
- Ural Ranger: the sidecar model described here.
The Ranger is one of the modern Ural sidecar models, alongside the Patrol and the Tourist. More machines are in the Ural collection.
Video: Side-car URAL Ranger
Video by gwendolinesprod on YouTube.
Sources
- IMZ-Ural, English Wikipedia: sidecar layout, engine, export markets
- Урал (мотоцикл), Russian Wikipedia: model range
