Ural Motorcycles has unveiled its latest sidecar motorcycle, the Ural 500, designed to make the sidecar experience more approachable for a wider audience. Unlike the brand’s earlier models, which earned a loyal following among adventure motorcycling enthusiasts worldwide, this new release appears to be aimed at riders seeking a broader blend of usability and accessibility. According to information published on the company’s official website, the Ural 500 is intended to be lighter, easier to handle, and more affordable than traditional Ural builds, while still reflecting the brand’s distinctive design language—though how closely it aligns with that heritage remains open to interpretation.
The company describes the Ural 500 as “a modern and approachable sidecar motorcycle designed for a new generation of riders.” It states that the bike is conceived especially for individuals who may be new to motorcycling, those seeking practical daily transport, or riders who want to share the journey with a passenger, or two. Ural frames this launch as a response to rising prices and limited options in the motorcycle industry, positioning the Ural 500 as a sidecar option tailored to real-world use.
Ural is targeting a retail price below $15,000, and, as is often the case when bean counters control production, some cost-cutting measures have been implemented in the new bike. There is one significant detail that sets the Ural 500 apart from its predecessors: this new sidecar motorcycle is not offered with 2WD, a disadvantage for adventure riders. The new model will be assembled in China through a partnership with Yingang, a firm with which Ural already maintains manufacturing collaboration, and which adorns the sidecar with its name. Power comes from a 446 cubic-centimeter water-cooled twin engine supplied by Zonsen, according to Ural’s specifications, which is 203 cubic centimeters less than the Ural base model. The company emphasizes that although the Ural 500 will be built differently and handled differently from previous models, it will still embody the essence of Ural in terms of connectivity between rider and machine.
In terms of timeline, Ural expects to begin the certification process in the third quarter of 2025 and deliver the first units to markets in the first quarter of 2026. Additionally, Ural plans to initiate the U.S. certification process in the third quarter of 2025. The company has emphasized that it will apply its engineering oversight and quality control to the new model to ensure reliability, performance, and regulatory compliance across markets.
Ural frames the Ural 500 as part of its “rolling forward” strategy. While acknowledging that the new model will differ from traditional Ural motorcycles in some respects, the company maintains that the core values—community, shared experience, and character—remain central to its brand. The Ural announcement states, “It will ride differently. It will be built differently. But it will still be a Ural.” To encourage early engagement, Ural has opened a waitlist and invited prospective buyers and dealers to register.
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