When this Perth Australia family of three decided to take a road trip, they bought a Ural and planned an epic journey across Australia from East to West. The Velge family (Gwenael, Cielito, and their son Anatole) prepared their Ural cT then set out to log miles and memories. (Photos provided by the Velge family)
"I liked the rig, its ability to go off-road, its look, its history. I like that it is a little off-beat."
–Gwenael, on why he chose a Ural cT sidecar
"Here was a machine that, instead of taking me away, would allow us to go on adventures as a family, together."
Cielito was a little reluctant about Gwenael having a motorcycle, but with time and some basic ground rules of the sidecar, she eventually saw the benefits. Gwenael had originally considered riding across the country with a friend, but "if Cielito was up for it, I’d much rather do it as a family. In fact, I think it is the adventurous trip that made Cielito see the whole sidecar thing in another light."
Their trip will cover over 6000kms including 2500kms of dirt roads.
From mountaintops to botanical gardens, they're making the most of this trip. Anatole, the son, often falls asleep, "the sidecar is that comfortable." Part of their route includes the parts of the outback, "where there are no more towns, just blue skies."
The family stopped to help this BMW rider who suffered a flat tire from a bent rim.
The Velges credit Jon Taylor from Ural of Oz as an invaluable advisor and mentor. "I had no idea about sidecars and had never done any long trip on à motorcycle...Jon helped us make decisions about the necessary accessories and put them on for us."
They are carrying two 10L Jerry cans of fuel on the inner side of the sidecar and an extra 20L on the main rack for the most remote leg of the trip. They've also added the spare wheel and rack. Gwenael had Ural Australia add the fairing and hand guards to combat the cold temperatures.
The family relies on their duffel bags to carry the essentials and have mailed home several items to pare down the load. On the long stretches, Anatole draws pictures in the dust on the windshield or plays hand puppet games. For the rough roads, Gwenael tries to get the third wheel in the smoothest spot to make it comfortable for his passengers.
"The third wheel is a bonus in the bulldust, we have been flying on it!"
It is a genuine adventure!
"We meet many people on the road and our mode of transport certainly seems to inspire people to want to do the same. We would certainly encourage families to pack their stuff on a rig and get out there! It is amazing."
Follow along on their journey via their Instagram feed at @the.life.motonomadic. You can also read about other Ural riders and the adventures their sidecars take them on by clicking the link below: