I'm pretty sure BMW are the only people that can make a machine even close to the perfect machine for the job. It needed a Rotax motor though. No other designers are smart enough to supply an early warning system for the cooling system. I mean, come on Kick The Motherf*****

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Tacos Tyring Travels.com

Despite recent evidence to the contrary, the guy is an actor. When you do a product placement on a TV show it's up to you if you then get overheard saying that actually it's a pile of *** and you always use another brand. However, if you stick to the role or at least keep your mouth shut, the next product company (he's in a shower gel advert now, the bikes are kept blurry but look like Ducatis!) will sign you up a lot quicker.

Andy

Isn't this how every single person on here started out ?


I hate to be the bearer of bad news to people, but Star Wars is just made up too.........

Back to the OP, isn't someone showing you how it can be done (whether you agree with the methods or not) as good a resource as any? After all, there are lots of ways to do something (more than one way to skin a cat, as me old grandad used to say) but seeing how you don't want to do it is much more finite.

The fact remains - Ewan & Charlie did ride around the world (mostly), and they did ride from JOG to Cape Town. And just like anyone else, they used the resources available to them.

Lois did it (to Cape Town) on a XT 250 with sod all else, we all have different resources, it's how we use them that counts.

I think there is a vast amount here to do with expectations.

Back when I was a BMW riding Touratech advert the internet was too new to be any use. We had Chris Scotts book (rightly known as the overland bible), the TT catalogue (if you could get the lazy ***s to post you one), Ted Simon (a story not a manual) and the odd blurry copy of Mondo Enduro on VHS. No suprise then that we all picked a bike out of the AMHB and avoided Triumphs and home made leather panniers.

Now we have HUBB, ADVrider, peoples own websites etc. with a mass of serious and usable detail from more than one point of view. TV simply can't compete. Watch a History channel documentary about a battle, you can write the detail they put out on one page of the book on the same subject Amazon can now let you download in less time that it takes to watch the telly. You can't watch Top Gear and expect the detail of the Haynes book.

TV is an entertainment media and that's what LWD seems to be.

Andy

Amen!

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Thomas

"Hey, ...I'm just ridin' shotgun"

As someone who has little desire to go the whole hog and ride on a global trip, I do enjoy reading horizons and live vicariously through others' adventures. Yet, even on the hallowed threads of horizons, I find it interesting at times to read into what I think the person who started this thread sees in "Long Way Down."

People are trying to 'one-up' each other in some way. Ewen is trying to show how adventurous he can be via the film, and some here, are the same. It's egos, people!

Examples are those who are trying to show off where they intend to go via the advisories section with posts such as "Should I ride into North Korea to meet Kim Jong-il" or "How dangerous is central Bagdad?" (disclaimer: some titles of posts were never actually on horizons )

Like the original poster wrote regarding his disgust with LWD--we get it, you are oh so adventurous with your intentions to ride at, and laugh into, the face of danger!

Examples of people here trying to out-eccentric others via the "Which Bike" area: "Should I attempt to tour S. America riding a 33cc stand-up scooter?" or "what about touring the US on motorized roller skates?" (disclaimer--neither of these posts were ever seen on HU)

The point is, ride for the adventure, not the glory, or to complain about how others ride for glory. LWD is entertaining, no matter if they had a convoy of Mack trucks following them, or private jet as backup.

Like I said, I have not once complained about how others ride, or their reasons. What brought me to HU was reading Greg Frazier's various riding postings from different parts of the world. Reading them was like a good book that I couldn't put down. Should I complain that he makes money writing about his trips?

My future plans, irregardless of what anyone thinks (or if anyone has filmed it already while being followed by a luxury coach and an 18-wheeled Perterbuilt, or ridden it already on a Honda Z50 Monkey bike ), is to ride down to Costa Rica on a Qingqi 200 enduro and back. Why? I have been interested to see real Mexican culture (not the border culture that I see daily), and I have intrigued by the jungles found south of me from southern Mexico, into Honduras, and then into Costa Rica, and I have heard good things about Costa Rica. The Qingqi because it is reliable and cheap. A motorcycle in general for the trip vs. a 4 wheeler--I personally find it intriguing due to getting to places that a car/truck cannot get to.

Beyond that--maybe I'll watch Ewen and Charley, and re-read some of Greg Frazier's trip reports to see where I would like to go next....

Long Way Round, not a resource at all

I'm fairly sure it never claimed to be a 'how to' guide to round the world travel.

It's just entertainment so please view it as such. If it had all gone smoothly and they were competent then it wouldn't have been very entertaining - would it.

They were, however, a bit surprised at how popular it was but managed to cash in on the Long Way Down which is entertainment but with a strong marketing message.

Hi every one,

Didn't read all your contributions. Never really liked the few shows of them, I watched on TV. Despite all off that, they created a lot of motorbike riding interest worldwide. Also lifted the image of the game, we are not all crooks and drug dealers. Many people decided, that's the real thing for me, got to have a go, it's so easy doing armchair adventures. Bought my latest bike of on of them.
Reality is setting in and sorting them all out. Anyway, good for the bike industry, the ones who stick to motorbike riding, got the motivation in their heads. There is a generation after us. We may meet them somewhere on day on the road.
Sure they will become as enthusiastic as we all are.

Cheers

Helgo

I don't think any of us can criticise E&C because they had access to better resources.

We are all very privileged to do what we do, whether it be with multiple endorsements and a back-up team, or an understanding employer and an EU passport. Adventure motorcycling is just a holiday. Try explaining the difference between us and E&C to someone working for pennies every day of the year.

Ewan McGregor is an A-list celebrity, if he had tried going round the world without security and support that would be fake.

Race to Dakar, which stars Charley Boorman, is pretty good!

You have (had) to be nails to even attempt that rally!

haters have found this one I hope:

YouTube - EWAN AND THINGY (Ep 6 of 9) LOVE AND HATE IT

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bugsonmyboard.org
two wheeled wave hunting dispatches

The fact that the above even exists, the fact that this and other posts on the topic will go on and on and on, surely is a testament to the impact the two have had. Good or bad, 'love it or hate it', entertainment or not, you can't deny that.

I personally really enjoyed them (Round, Down, Dakar), and found them entertaining. I did find the original post (and the above video) very funny, however!

For informative I come here . . . .

I wish they would hurry up and do Long Way Up,
at least then the Kid's could get me that for Christmas instead of more socks

Like many I watched the series on telly and squirmed when Charlie threw his toys out of the pram and wailed we have nothing when surrounded by staff, donated tools and riding gear.
However Touring Ted lent me the book of the series and it made a lot of sense. I understood why they did what they did and the pressures on them, contracts to be somewhere else in the world at a certain time and things like personal insurance etc. For those who hated the series have a read of the book (you dont have to buy it check yout local library) it may just change your perception of the pair.
I still think Charlie is a tool BTW but if I had the opportunity to do what they did in the manner they did it I would.

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www.frothandflames.com
2012 Kawasaki W800
1997 NX 650 Dominator