A few weeks ago, I was up in Seattle and the surrounding area while visiting Ural's worldwide HQ. While I was there, we had a lot of good conversations about the upcoming Neo 500 platform, the prototype of which I was there to ride. You may have also read about where I took it already; if not, here's a link.
The experience was already unique enough because it isn't every day you get to ride the only prototype of a new machine that's in the country. But then, the fine folks at Ural dropped a bit of a surprise on me. And I'll admit, it was one I didn't see coming. Maybe I should have, but I didn't.
You see, the Ural Neo 500 isn't just an entirely new platform for the world's most well-known sidecar motorcycle company. It's also a major fork in Ural's road. But the thing about long-lived motorcycle companies that's the same, no matter what kinds of bikes they make, is simple: You need to change with the times, or you may not be a going motorcycle company for much longer.
I've hedged enough in saying this, so I'll just come out and say it: Ural told me that it's planning to pause production entirely on the Gear Up line.
It will continue to offer parts and support for Gear Ups, and it's stopped short of saying that it's ceasing production on what it calls its 'legacy' line of motorcycles. It's looking into ways to make the production of Gear Ups more tenable down the line at some future date, perhaps.
But with the Neo 500 platform (and it is intended to be a platform that can be developed into future models, not just a single machine), Ural is taking one gigantic bet on the future of sidecar motorcycles. Will it pay off? That will depend on how well the Neo 500 is received once it's in production.
When will it be in production? If all goes according to plan, it should be available sometime near the beginning of 2026. You can read my thoughts after spending some quality time with the Neo 500 Prototype for a taste of what's to come, but keep in mind that the production machine will likely have differences from what I recently rode.
