I can do that for you now....

1) Ask the BBC to plan and pay for all paperwork, visas and routes

2) Ask BMW and other sponsers to deliver bikes and prep it for you

3) Wake up every morning and be told where to be and at what time

4) Arrive at Cape down and have a party.

5) Go home on your pre-booked business class flight and watch the money roll in.


Similar "holidays" are available in the back of MCN :)

Joking aside, I kinda feel sorry for them. They seem to get fed up of being told what to do and where to go. I dont know why they dont just go it alone with just the one camera man on the bike. They would have 10x more respect and 1000x more fun going it alone at their own pace.

I do get the feeling that they probably wouldnt do it at all if they didnt have the backup.. I think thats what irritates the rest of us.

Did you know that if you buy both books you get the chance to spend the night with Charlie Boorman? in his tent....

The really sad bit is that I've got all three books - I was given CB's Race to Dakar book as a Xmas present last year. What does that get me? No, don't answer, I really don't want to know!

Somehow I seem to acquire these things without really intending to. I've also got three copies of Chris Scott's Sahara Overland and the original loose leaf Desert Biking, two copies of Jupiters Travels, Zen and the Art etc and numerous lesser known ones. Perhaps I ought to get out more.

Or set up a secondhand bookstore?

2 true quotes
 

:clap:(Quote)
I think they should be invited to the next HU meeting to give us all a talk on how to do a trip down Africa.

B

These are probably the 2 best posts on here, Well said chaps, to even get in touch to enquire if they would come to a HU meet it would most likely be a premium rate number to call. It would be great to have Boorman there, fill him up with baked beans and let him light his farts and hopefully blow his :censored:king head off:clap:

2 true quotes
 

:clap:(Quote)
I think they should be invited to the next HU meeting to give us all a talk on how to do a trip down Africa.

B

These are probably the 2 best posts on here, Well said chaps, to even get in touch to enquire if they would come to a HU meet it would most likely be a premium rate number to call.It would be great to have Boorman there, fill him up with baked beans and let him light his farts and hopefully blow his f:censored:king head off:clap:

Have I missed the point?
 

I ride a lot, both on and off road - and appreciate other people who actually get out there, do it and share their experiences, even if they do get a lot of support.

I enjoyed the Long Way Round and the Race to Dakar, if for no other reason that it showed me things I wouldn't otherwise of seen, like Mongolia, the Road of Bones and just how tough the Dakar really is.

I agree that both Ewan and Charley enjoyed an unprecedented level of support, that I for one would not have enjoyed, but their time was limited and they were making a 'main stream' television program.

So lets be straight; WE are not the intended audience for either Long Way Round or the Long Way Down, it is aimed at the more ordinary man in the street, who may just dreaming of doing what we take for granted.

While on one hand I understand some of the more damming comment being made in this thread - about how easy they had it; but on the other hand, you don’t have to watch program! You could always turn over and watch Eastenders, I know what I would rather watch.

well put, Smokin. I'd still like to take the piss out of them though, if you don't mind, It's a sport. I like sports !

One thing that is very different and better about LWD from LWR is that they are not BSing about the support vehicles. In LWR they say that they "only met at borders".. and anyone who knows anything about cameras and bikes knows that 70-80% of the shots where taken from a vehicle mounted platform..meaning that the two 4X4 where with them all the time. Also proven when the truck rolled and they "were 100s of miles away and only making 40 miles a day".. and yet in the next cut they were there as the medic was fixing them up.. :confused1:

LWD is "more" real... they admit the support is there 90% of the time, and are not trying to make it out that E and C are "going it alone". That was my biggest gripe.. The show is a tele show.. it is as real of an adventure as star-trek or dr who. Just based on bikes not space. I dont particularly like it.. I want to see some of the countries that they are riding though ... not CB's arse. but that is the formate they chose, so i watch if i have nothing else to do.

I in particular feel sad for them.. I dont know if they could/would do it on there own.. but they are riding though some amazing places at light speed. they are experiencing all the bad of traveling with out any of the good. They are just actors on this show, not travelers.. How would any of us feel about going though tunisia in 2 days.. FFS i spent 2 days in Duoga (the roman city up north) alone. and a day in eljem.. they spent what 15min in both.. (and they are what 5 hours ride apart).. so very very sad...

I am not sure who this show is aimed at not bike travelers, it is not a travel show ala Mike Palin. But whom ever it is aimed at it is hitting the mark. I have never been in touch with "normal society" doubt i ever will be. this is just an other example.

People say the the ride is squeezed between EM's movies, hence the speed they go though places. Well If i had the opportunity to travel slowly at a the cost of a multi million dollar movie.. i would pick travel slowly.. but this is me, i would rather live my life and remember that time we did anything.... over remember that movie i made that made XX dollars...

This it true too...

5) go home on pre-booked business class flight.....
 

Ah!
didn't realize they are going to fly back, I wonder if they will make a film of it and call it 'Short Way Up'..........

I think of this as aspirational tellie for the armchair adventurer, nothign more nothing less. It's not supposed to be educational nor a guide to the coutries they're travelling through it's the story of some blokes going off and having fun (mostly). Think of it like that and it's OK as long as you don't mind the blokes.

Mind you I did imagine this post the other day on the HUBB.

Hi, I've been watching Long Way Down on the Tv and it's got me into the idea of adventure motorbiking. So I did some searches with Google and found this place, looks like lots of good info and friendly people. Found this thread though, and now I'm wondering if my little trip would count as an adventure in the eyes of all the condescending, snooty-nosed tw*ts whining about Charlie and Ewan.

But like I said, I only imagined in in my most cynical of moments.

I'm suprised we haven't seen this post here....

"Hi, me and a mate have been lurking on here for a few years now and are currently on our second big trip. We're trying to find some solitude in Africa as an escape from the rat race. However, we're being followed by two really annoying blokes in 4x4's. Do you have any suggestions of how we can loose them and start living our dream ?"

Ah ! that will be me and Tedmagnum, we're only doing some research for the BBC.......

Im taking my little tank next time..

I hear that Africa is "One big country and full of AIDS".

:tank:

Go on, you know you want this....
 

Find R1150GS R1200GS EWAN MCGREGOR LONG WAY DOWN on eBay within, BMW, Motorcycles Scooters, Cars, Parts Vehicles (end time 10-Dec-07 10:24:55 GMT)


I saw this and thought of you guys- go on, make a GS'er happy this Christmas. Its only £2,500!

Sorry, I'm not laughing my arse off... really I'm not. Nope.

Thats one of the worst things iv ever seen !!

Honestly Ted, if you weren't about to fritter your money away on silly bike trips, you would realise what a great investment opportunity this could be. I mean, just think, now the LWD is on air, the value of a Ewan numberplate can only go up, right??

We won't get the LWD TV series here in Australia for a while. They are currently showing a re-run of LWR on one network. So I bought the LWD book. It has already been discounted at one big outlet from AU$35 to AU$25. I have covered two-thirds of the book and for the first third, both Charlie and Ewan continually complain about being rushed. Both are quite pi$$ed-off about not spending enough time in each country and having to stick to a schedule. This even causes a lot of tension in their larger group. Was this featured in the TV series?

Earlier they did the visit to Rachel House (in Scotland, for terminally ill kids), then a Kenya detour on Riders for Health. I am now up to where they are in Ethiopia/Eritrea and things have settled a bit. The focus at this point is UNICEF and land-mines killing and disfiguring people (especially children). These things seem to be a significant aspect of the whole trip. In fact, it was an earlier UNICEF visit to Africa, and MotoGP exposure to Riders for Health, that inspired the LWD trip. Not much has been said in this thread about these humanitarian aspects being part of it all.
Cheers

Hi,

For people like myself that are not in the UK and own a PC, and if you are able to follow some very easy steps, this is the way to download an episode of the Long Way Down.

1. Download and install Vuze by Azureus - High Definition Movies and Videos You might have to install Java as well.

2. Then fire up this search long way down torrent - Google Search=

3. Save whichever link you want to the desktop.

4. Double click on the newly Downloaded Torrent Link

5. Wait until it's down

6. Watch the Episode and Laugh


If you have problems with the above then I'm sorry but you shouldn't be riding a motorbike, as it's 1,000,000 times easier to do.

Lee :thumbup1:

Thanks for the info I've tried and failed [ it'll take days to download ] ,so I'll stick to bikes , it's a million times more fun than getting frustrated with bloody computers and dodgy wireless connections .
I can wait to watch the wandering actors on tv , I won't lose any sleep over it and by the time it arrives on tv the snow will be so deep and I'll have cabin fever so bad ,that I'll watch anything .

your reading seems to be in time with the UK tele release. I missed the 1st episode. So I can speak to the Rachel house, but yes both the Riders for health and Unicef bits are in the show. But unfortunately like most tele things it really does just come off as a Celb taking a few shots with the unfortunate wearing charity X's shirt and then they piss off to act like nobs at a camp ground. there is no mention of giving them actually giving them any help. So it does not really seem to play a part in the show just a side line, so this is probably why there is little to no mention of it in the threads. The unicef one in particular kinda annoyed me, they show up; CB rants about how landmines only kills kids, EM crys, and the next shot they already forgot about it .. and are complaining about something trivial.

Funniely the thing that is really starting to get me goat is the really shit camera work.. there shots are really bad. LWD the shots were really good, but for some reason the editing the "pretty" shots out to show CB lighting his farts.. (yes i am a bit too in to my photo/videography.)

I do feel sorry for the pair, but at the end of the day they chose this ride. they both have more money they most of us do. they did not have to make this in to a comercal venture.. they could just do the ride for them selves...

Did you know that EMcG was in Star Wars?
 

Thanks Xander - Thats my view of the proceedings and saves me typing!

I can see how the Guardian newspaper review of the book was written, now part 3 of 6 has been aired.
A case of another day, another T shirt?

Really warms my heart to see them handing signed glossy photos of themselves to the poor African kids.....

Is that what life on the road is about !! then I’d better cancel my trip…..
 

Having watched 3 episodes, all I’ve come away with is : what a miserable bunch of blokes, always complaining about something – and riding through Libya in the dark and a sand storm !!! I bet that was fun


Is that what life on the road is about !! then I’d better cancel my trip…..

Fair Play to em I say
 

Others have said it before but its harmless and Like most I,m just jealous I have neither the time or the money for such an extravagant trip, but Fair play to em it certainly makes for better than TV than all the other celebrity/reality crap.

Lets not forget they are doing it for Charity Mate ! that can only be a good thing and as for awareness of biking in general.

Ive read the book its OK but they do highlight other peoples adventures such as a couple of cyclists who have been on the road for 9 years.

Yes the spirit of adventure is lost some what compared to MONDO but thats only for those of us in the know.

Ask any non biker about Louis on the loose and they will look at you gone out but mention LWD or LWD and everyone has something to say. It beats talking about the latest footy results at work.

I havnt watched any of the TV show yet as I will watch it in one go at xmas but hopefully this time Claudio gets some more coverage as I belive he is the true star of the series.

As for doing everyones dream trips yes Aus and South America will probably be their next destinations but instead of moaning about it. Give ourselves a good kick up the arse and get out there and beat them to it. Record the stuff yourselves and Post it on the web look how popular that Matt guy got from going all over the globe and doing a funny jig.

I dont think we should get on to that F-ing Charlies case. No one can surley say that the Dakar is easy, the guy gave it his best shot and fell hard now he says he will give it another go.

Anyhows me soap box has collapsed so c ya.:eek3:

It's a full-fat commercial production, I don't know what the exact arrangement is, but the profits don't go to Unicef or Riders. Not that there's anything wrong with that particularly.

I think I heard C say in an interview that he was doing it to educate people about Africa and challenge stereotypes. The irony being that ---sorry causes with celebrity saviours--- is probably the biggest single stereotype of what Africa is about. You half expect the camera to cut to Madonna buying a baby.

Ethiopians are very touchy about the way their country has been presented as a charity basket case over the years. Better for them would have been something showcasing their mind-blowing tourist attractions rather than poverty, landmines etc.

Sad fact is that with the crying actor/crippled child effect - whatever LWD ltd. rakes in with extra sales and the Western charities gain in donations, the country itself loses in tourist & business dollars a hundred times over.

Finally watched an epsiode last night and thought it was enjoyable telly, better than the last series, but I'm still with the Guardian review!

The Guardian review wasn't as good as The Times one I suspect?

Two’s a crowd - Times Online

(The comment from Susan in London at the bottom is Susan the founder of this site by the way...)

Two’s a crowd
It’s just Ewan McGregor and chum alone in Africa – apart from support vans, a TV crew and medic

I just want to goooooo,” Ewan McGregor moans, sitting astride his bike, in the first episode of Long Way Down. He is eager to start his journey: Africa, from top to bottom, by motorcycle, starting in Tunisia.

Alas, however, the caption that has just melted from the screen – “Five Months Before Departure Day” – suggests that McGregor will not be gooooooing any time soon. Indeed, McGregor is sitting in a cavernous garage-cum-office in West London, where two beautiful PAs are doing 12-hour shifts trying to sort out visas, inoculations, routes, filming permits and the special, customised leather bike jackets from Italy. No one just goooooes, these days.

Gone are the days when Shackleton just put on an extra jumper, packed a fruit-cake, and sat on his tobacco to defrost it whenever necessary.

Of course, even in this era of extreme bureaucracy and psychometric passport blether, there are ways in which one can make it easier for oneself. Deciding not, after all, to have commissioned two SUVs covered in “Long Way Down” lettering, “Long Way Down” fleeces, or the special, turquoise-coloured Belstaff leather jumpsuit might have sped things up a trifle. Indeed, given that McGregor has done this kind of thing before – in 2004, he did London to New York, via Russia – he should know exactly how much money, effort and artifice it takes for a wealthy celebrity with a penchant for adrenalin sports to “just gooooo”.

All of the first episode is taken up with trying to arrange the trip. As the hour rolls on, it’s hard not to feel increasingly bemused about what your response, as a viewer, is supposed to be to the whole thing. Are we meant to admire McGregor’s derring-do? He’s got GPS, a 24-hour doctor and two branded vans full of spare tyres. Feel all warm and fuzzy about the charity aspect? Well, McGregor went three-quarters of the way around the world on his last trip, and raised £100,000 – an absolutely piffling amount, really, compared with how much the trip would have cost. There’s no getting around it – this isn’t, really, either an adventure or a charity endeavour. It’s just the most famous holiday of 2007.

On top of all of this, there is the considerable consideration of the actor’s long-term motorcycle buddie, and companion on this trip, Charley Boorman.

To be both blunt but also, I feel, totally fair, Boorman comes across as a copper-bottomed, ocean-going, 24-carat *****. The unsuccessful actor son of director John Deliverance Boorman, Charley is the kind of spoilt, charmless boor whose self-satisfied bull-honking floats down from first class on transatlantic flights, and actually makes you glad to be poor. In the first episode alone, Boorman departs on his epic journey despite his wife being in hospital with pneumonia and a collapsed lung; is questioned by four policemen at Gatwick after telling an air stewardess that he has a bomb; and cuts up rough when McGregor’s wife – who is, let us not forget, left at home with the kids for three months while her husband burns rubber in the Dark Continent – says she wants to join the trip for just ten days.

“I want to protect the experience, and keep it real,” Boorman says, sulkily, standing next to his branded SUV, being filmed by a TV crew.

In the second episode, his major contribution is lying in a field in France, lighting his own farts.

It’s left to the oddly innocent McGregor to try to lend the expedition any sense of purpose or joy. That he does is all credit to his sap-rising exuberance, still-startling handsomeness and renegade-prince charisma. But Boorman – ugh, Boorman. You can only hope he gets raped by a lion. In a bad way.

Startling synchronicity!
 

Boorman, Boorman - was a man ever so well named?

Charlie, Charlie, was a man ever so well named?

However I must thank CB for that priceless comment which I will use for everything; "I want to protect the experience, and keep it real." You couldn't make it up!



Overall, however, even if for dodgy and dubious reasons, (e.g. I detest empty "celebrity") the profile of overland biking has certainly been raised. But the downside of that is I did have one colleague ask me "When you rode to Turkey, how did you cope without a doctor on your trip?".

Good roads HUBBERS! Dont forget your convoy! TeeHee!

A curse upon both their houses.
 

There I was all happy to be watching them biking about through Africa, I even signed up to the nesletter on their website (they had a charidee party and raised £300,000 the other night btw).

BUT... what do I see on the latest newsletter? a buy a mile sponsorship idea, you get to buy one of their miles travelled and it goes to charidee. But that was my idea !!!

Now I'll just look like I'm copying E & C.

Alex

Be proud to be French -even 50%. The French didnt make illegal war on Iraq. Vive la France!!!

But I'm not, I only live here.

The whole thing just gets worse; entertaining laughable Sunday night television (followed by the 'Life of a Motorway' BBC must be getting desperate!)

So much for the 'crew' & 'support vehicles' only being with them on occasion, they've followed all the way tonight ...

It would be applaudable if they did it on their own with 2 bikes & Claudio (who I have a lot of respect for - I hope that David the American meets a lion shortly and is chased off the whole project!)

Kira

OK just finished watching this weeks episode, 'WTF IT WASN'T TOO BAD'.

I actually penciled in one or two places to visit and learned a little more about what to expect of the road conditions, that's a first while watching this series INFORMATION from the WrongWayBoyz.

Ewan crashing all the time rocked, what do you expect when you take 1/2 a ton of beast into the wild, next time take a 650 then you might be able to pick it up yourself (remember his only carrying a pair of spare pants in those panniers, we saw him pack didn't we). And I didn't see him use the droking force to pick up the bike or traverse the MUD, some flippin Jedi even that snot ball Yoda could lift an Xwing out of the mud.

And for gods sake stop whinging like a little girl about EVERYTHING, it's an adventure learn to go with the flow it takes 100% less effort if you chill.

On a personal note I've found a nice big sh*t eating grin has started to creep across my face in situations where I'd normally be stamping around and waving my little arms about getting all stressed out and red in the face.

Is this the famed Zen Motorcycling I've read so much about? And if I've found it why haven't you two?

This week, episode 4, I fully sympathised with EM. So he fell off - who doesnt? But he has to put up with tossers in restaurants telling him he falls off too much. I really liked him on this episode - and he diplomatically but loyally admitted that Charlie was difficult. To his credit, CB agreed.

I would have fallen off more than him on those powder dust roads so I'm in full sympathy.

Yes lets hope he his sha**ed by a gorilla - Dave is really irritating.

Too right, a lardy GS on that kind of stuff is no fun. But at least we got a glimpse of Claudio this week.

Mechandising
 

I've noticed they've been wearing special T-shirts this time round, so I thought I'd suggest a couple more, that certain HUBB-ers might like.

I watched yesterdays Long Way Down and enjoyed it (fortunately we have BBC on the cable in the Netherlands)
Some HUBB posters take it much to seriously. It is just a TV show and I rather see a few bikes and 4x4's riding in Africa then some fools fighting in a "big brother house" or singing in "Idols".

Yes it makes me think that the new GS 800 might be the better bike here. Easier to pick up for a start.My @ would certainly be down a lot - I HATE MUD and Ive never experienced dust like that. It was horrible.

long way.. oups on my ass again.. charley come here and help me lift my bike up..
 

I watched Wrong (was it long?) Way Round series in 2004 and also watched the first 3 parts of Wrong Way Down..

*Good things.. In a way they are helping poor kids (Unicef and so on). I dont mean money. If you are making a poor kid in nowhere land smile by letting him sit on your bike and play with lights and so on thats good.
*They showed people "Riders for Health" in Kenya.
*I laugh so much.. Its entertaining.. They are the best moving circus I've seen..
*I like the soundtrack.

But there is than the REALITY..
If you are a REAL motorbike traveller;

*You dont have a huge office space to plan your trip, put your bike etc.
*You dont have secretaries to do your paperwork.
*You dont have "fixers" in every country you'll pass to deal with any problem you'll face.
*You dont take a "Survival Course" or a "Hostile Enviroment Training" course prior to your trip..
*You are not OBESE if you are a REAL motorbike rider. REALITY..
*You dont go on the trip with a bike that you fall every 50 mt. of off-road and you cant even pick it up yourself. You choose the bike that fits YOU and the ROAD.. NOT the one that BMW gave you for free..
*You DO NOT HAVE 2 "support vehicles" (free thanks to BMW) full of spare parts, other needed equipment and 100 litres of extra fuel.
*You ARE NOT GIVEN A FREE BIKE.. SAD SAD SAD SAD.. BUT TRUE..
*You dont have a private doctor to travel with you..
*You dont a security guy to travel with you.
*You will NOT have "police escort" through any country.
*You dont have top of the line repair tools or place to carry them all (did i mention 2 SUPPORT VEHICLES)
*You cant be sure that help will come whenever you are stuck in some far away deserted area because you are not Mr. KENOBI from the JEDI council..

There are like 50 more that i can write but i think you got what i mean..
Just a quick flashback.. Some scenes from Wrong Way Round and Down:

*L.W.R.(2004) Episode 1 - KTM sends a consultant to Fat Boy and OBI WAN (thats what i call them)They dont even write the guy's name, they write "KTM consultant" on the screen(could that be because KTM DID NOT give them free bikes..). Have some respect! The guy is there to tell you about what you are going to do and he has done it before(gone through Siberia)The guy says "So you have 14 days to cross this place" showing on the map, and they say yeah. He goes "what do you think if i tell you it take 6 weeks". Just look at their faces.. What happened at the end? THEY COULDNT MAKE IT.. They were stuck in Siberia and Support Team came down with these huge trucks and carried them accross rivers and all bad roads.. Still at the end when they get to NY they said "We made it!"..
NO.. I REALLY DONT THINK SO..:thumbdown:
*L.W.R.(2004) Episode 4 - Claudio-the cameraman's (or Inspector Clouseau as I call him because he never has any idea about what he is doing and always in trouble and always sorry..) bike breaks down(Again..). Its not smth. big really. Gearbox problem. They have every single repair tool that is needed. What they dont have is ANY IDEA on how to repair a simple 200 smth. cc bike. What happened? Some Mongolian guys (locals) came with a smiling face and REPAIRED their bike for them. PLS shoot me!
*L.W.R.(2004) Episode 6 - Almost all episode you watch Fat Boy and OBI WAN going through Siberia in a Jeep or on a huge truck but NOT on a motorbike..
*L.W.R.(2004) Episode 7 - OBI WAN says "I hope that this will INSPIRE people.. What we have done.." INSPIRE?? INSPIRE?? :censored::censored::censored::censored::censored: :censored::censored::censored::censored::censored: :censored::censored::censored::censored::censored: :censored::censored::censored:... If you know what I mean..

With Wrong Way DOWN what we see is that they didn't change a bit..

*L.W.D.(2007) Episode 2 - They arrive Tunisia at night and they decide its too dark to camp so they stay in a hotel. Where? At the Sheraton Tunis of course.. Now thats what i call ADVENTURE !

Well the bottom line is I guess whatever you do with your life you are either REAL or NOT.

With respect to those fellow friends out there now in nomans land and riding around the world..

the real world
 

The more i get to see of this series, the more i come to realize that money and fame is more of an obstruction to do what they do (or what they would like to do but aren't really doing) than that it provides the means. You can't buy adventure, not for all the money in the world. I even think that the more money the less adventure!
I am really glad that for me its not an option to go at it as they do. Because they have the means, they probably don't even realize what they are really doing..... making asses of them selves. For them its perfectly normal how they are doing this trip. The lack of comprehension is not something to envy... poor sods.

cheers
Noel

Nice design - wouldn't mind one of those to wear to the NEC next week. Might raise a few eyebrows as you stroll around the BMW stand as Charlie's in the corner signing his latest masterpiece.:biggrin3::biggrin3:

It's called The Long Way Down, Dammit.

Now stop teasing us or we won't make any more of these nice Adventure Type movies, and without us you know your little ugly lives wouldn't be worth living as you never leave the safety of your sofas, unless it's a trip to the fridge.

There's me and my mate FATBOY taking all sorts of risks and putting our dear lives in danger and you just mock us, oh the shame of it all.

I've criticised the circus element of the trip. But hey, good for them if they can make millions out of doing this stuff. Maybe when they've done long way up the americas they can settle back a bit and do a trip together without the circus.

I've found that it's usually the opposite direction people take - a drug once taken, simpler (and real) is no longer of interest - a one way street.

the long way down......
 

currently only seen the first two... have to download it on internet as cant get BBC2 in Spain! all I can say is this........... Does that pillock Boorman bust his frame/suspension/engine cases wheelieing a laden GS? does he crash? oh I hope so! he is the most irritating pillock in the world. McGregor I could cope with, but if I had to RTW with Boorman I would probably spray WD40 on his brake disks on some steep alpine pass!:stormy:

I noticed when at 8k miles into the trip they had to fit a second new rear shock to Claudios bike, (one each for teh others) there seemed to be a lattice work of welding to teh subframe. Is this standard, or have they beefed up the bikes after the first series ?

Yes; not only the bikes but the backup vehicles as well.

On page 27 of the book they say: Elsewhere I seem to recall reading about the strengthened frame but can't find those references.

Quoted from John down under
On page 27 of the book they say: Quote:
We'd fitted sump guards and light guards; metal protection plates over the engine casing. We'd also switched the original BMW suspension for what was considered the more robust Ohlins. We changed the weightier exhausts for Akrapovic cans, which were not only lighter but added around four or five horsepower.

They didnt look all that robust to me! how come Ewan Knackered his then Claudio his shock within an hour or so of each other??? Im no expert on shockers (see my other posts..lol) but that really isnt a good advert for Ohlins.

That was Claudios >second< shock for teh trip, they seem to be doing 4k miles to the shock.
I appreciate they getting heavy use, but.. isn't that their target market ??

I'm amazed that this thread is quiet!
where do I start about Ewan Boormans Flying Circus???

How about them leaving camp with the fire still lit? let's just hope Claudio was a bit clued up.

They (the 3 stooges) had arranged to go off for a day without the convoy, and were feeling all alone in the woods... awww poor things.

Give me strength.

Discuss.

Not SO quiet, Joe -4600 hits on this thread! Thats a lot.......

Come on - tell us more of what you think!

Would YOU sleep with Charlie?

I certainly wouldn't lend him a bike!

Do you think he would be cackhanded wheelying it if he had bought it, and if he was reliant on it as his only mode of transport?

We all like to "play" a little, now and again, but they are taking the "*ss,
such a shame, because the idea of a couple of blokes on bikes, through africa, even with the unicef/Rwandan president/back up vehicle, commercial sidetracks, could have been handled so much more realistically.

Ewan made the comment that in the bad conditions and when the roads were blocked, the bikes were a far superior form of transport, so why were they laden down with the support convoy??? Weren't they supposed to be on there own and meeting them at the borders only?

oops, almost fell off me soapbox

No matter what else they do or have done.. even pretending to leave a camp site with a fire still burning..is a beheading offense in my book!!!

Have those idiots not turned on a tele in the last few years and seen what an out of control fire can do to a place.. yes I am an Aussie and have seen first hand what a bush fire can do.. it is a delicate subject to me.. but it is bad enough that there is a million wannabes riding GS now.. now they think it is okay to leave a fire burning..

I say light them both on fire.. and see how they like it when i ride off.. I doubt there is many people in several parts of the world that would **ss on them to put it now..

BBC NEWS | Europe | European fires near record levels

a list of the recent fire event Global Wildfires..

:stormy::stormy::stormy::stormy::stormy::stormy:

Sorry ... But it really really pissed me off...
Make me wonder how much rubbish they leave behind as well

What even happened to take only photos and leave only tracks..

Sorry rampant greeny attack...

Never fear, the pithy comments are alive and well here:
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...ape-town-31177

[QUOTE=Xander;160837]

but it is bad enough that there is a million wannabes riding GS now.. now they think it is okay to leave a fire burning..

[QUOTE]

I'd credit other riders with a bit more sense than that. They f&*cked up, don't assume that every other GS rider would follow suit.

[quote=Steve Pickford;160840]Dont worry i am not painting GS riders with the same brush only the ones that bought a GS cus these two have em.. Note i do not consider them riders.. just wannabes.. They buy all the kit and ride on sunny days to the pub 6 miles away..and talk alot about how much riding they do..

I dont assume that just because you ride a GS you are a nob..I have no fear or doubt that the people on this site as a general rule would not do this.. (in fact the 800gs is a bike i would have happily.. needs a fair bit of work to make it a world eater.. but then name a bike that does not...)

I simply meant that there is an increase number of idiots riding GS because of this show...dual sports are the new 4X4s.. they are status symbols for the rich. it was dressed Harleys now its GSs..If there was other bike choices.. it would not just be the GS but lets face it there really isnt anything like the GS. (non of the new ones KTM, Tenere, Trans, ect come close to it)..

I was at the NEC brimingham show this weekend and the number of times i was asked (I ride an AT.. ) why i don't ride a GS like the LWD boys is ridiculous! I was told that i can not be serious about adventure riding because of this SEVERAL TIMES!!!. (these people do not know me or what i have or have not done).I grin and left them to their delusions. No one here would even think that.(all ribbing and friendly banter aside).. at worst it would be a debate about the pros and cons of each type of bike (with a fair bit of banter involved. of course..) .

There was a time when . Two adventure bikes pull up anywhere and it is likely that they were both (at least) into touring (how far afield is irreverent) and you had a instant connection.. it is not that way now..On the way back from the show i saw a gs on the side of the road.. I pulled up to see if he was okay. told me that he was already "calling the police and they would be here any second so don't try anything..".... :confused1::confused1::confused1::confused1:


Too many poeple look up to these idiots, and emulate them. It is the way of the celebrity worship.. sad but true...

I used the Force to douse the fire, don't you know that the old Jedi mind tricks are the best.

Here's another 'You will NOT rant at me and my Fat little buddy'

And lastly 'You WILL buy our books and DVD's'

Beheading offence!
 

"Off with his head!!.......and I DON'T mean the one on his shoulders!" Queenie, Blackadder series..

:rofl:

Martyn

Hey Xander,

I'd call the Police to if you look anything like your avitar, imagine pulling up on a great big hulking AT and look like that picture. LAMO

lets tell em the truth
 

Why don't you all just send a copy of all this grieve to the official web site. Just make sure they will never dare to show them selves on these bikes again because they would know that any other (real) biker is laughing at them! They made sure ya can't participate in the forum because you need to be member so any wrong words and they probably kick you out but this is the website mail address! Tell em!!!

mail@longwaydown.com

Cheers,
Noel

Am I the only heretic on the HUBB?
 

Sorry guys, but I'm enjoying the program. Probably because I realise that's all it is - a travel program. Sure, there will be a few numpties who think that the only way to survive motorbiking in Africa is to have a couple of back-up vehicles full of spares, but most of us on this site are smarter than that.

To all you soap-boxers out there - don't worry, there is only one more episode to go. If it's that bad just use the off button. That's what it's there for.

baswacky.

Travel programs are by design are Informative, WrongWayDown isn't.

Episode 4 was quite good I actually wrote down a few places to visit that were not on my route so that one gets a thumbs up. This weeks was a total f*ck up, didn't they all do an offroad course cars included, and they couldn't get over that mud in an orderly proficient manner.

Loved they way they spent my tax payers money on those nice suits, and lovely shoes this week.

Only looking forward to the next one as Ewan's misses is going to be along for the ride and hopefully the sparks will fly, can't wait to see Fat Boys face when Ewan's getting SOME and his all alone on his tent or maybe trying to get a sneeky peek.

LMAO

Lwd
 

I'm disappointed that you are such a load of bigots!!

Do you take the piss out of ANYONE that doesn't do it YOUR way???

John

It isn't a Travel program, it's a 'boys jolly' with an American that whips them to go faster & save time (maybe that's why the fire wasn't put out? David told them they wouldn't have time??)

As far as I can see they've spent 4 days in Kenya, 3 in Rwanda & maybe 2 in Tanzania

I hope to god that none of the tourist boards have paid them any money - I would prefer it if the LWD crew had paid the respective tourists boards.

They went to Lewa for gods sakes, it needs publicity & the place got a 2 second snip (some guy talking and his name & Lewa coming up on the screen)

This is more like an Annika's challenge except those two idiots don't have blond hair! In Japan honeymooners usually book to go to Europe for their trip, London, Paris & Rome in 6 days, we used to joke & call it a 'packing trip' as they must spend half their time packing and not seeing anything!!!

Kira

Imagine ??
 

If they do WrongWayUp, we could actually contact the Columbian Rebels and give then their route and what dates they will be where. Just to make sure that they got kidnapped, raped and beaten, Imagine the headlines in all the daily’s




Sorry that's the smallest font I could get to work here. :thumbup1:

I don't really care if they stay in a 5 star hotel every night and have someone to ride their bikes when the camera's are off, if they have made just 1 person think that maybe they could do something to help some of the projects in Africa then it's been worthwhile. (ok maybe more than one would be nice.)

Until last weekend I would have probably never thought of spending time in Rwanda or helping to support some projects there.

It's also good to have bikes on TV being shown in a relatively positive manner to counter balance the Clarkson anti biker crap that is spouted in top gear. I am old enough to remember "NO Bikers" signs on pub and restaurant doors. The attitude to motorcyclists in the UK is still 20 years behind that of the rest of europe hopefully programs like this will help to move it on a few years.

Now wheres that GS catalogue :-)

Like has been said there are positives and negatives to adventure travel by bike on telly... it would be quite watchable were it not for Charlie Boorman.. Lets all hope he crashes out on a wheelie... oh forgot his doctor is right behind...

I'd like to see the next ride with just Ewan and Eve. I thought she was brilliant. She's only just passed her test, then rides in quite difficult conditions while being filmed. Falls off several times, but just gets back on and carries on with the ride.

I don't think they edited out the tears and tantrums do you? LMAO

Thought the last one was going well until the end, what a fraggin let down, I think it will be Ewan and Eves next show did you hear the list of WrongWays she was commming out with? So it shows they are thinking about it.

Charlie is a complete looser and I think that this should be his last WrongWay, do you think if we took a vote on it the BBC would listen?

Also I would like to ask who the hell paid for ALL of their families to go meet them in South Africa and I don't mean Ewans Lovely Mum because Do you think she takes in COUCH SURFERS seeing as HER SON is now an ADVENTURE RIDER?

Hi Ewans Mum I've come to stay for the weekend.... LMAO

I love reading all the comments on this topic, It makes me feel good to be a skint dreamer. :mchappy: I was going to ride around NZ on a GO-PED back in 97 but I hadnt worked out the joys of traveling light back then and there was no room for my Snowboard so I had to hitch, I got some funny looks in Hawai as well.:cool4:

Are we happy now?
 

Now the series has finished and we have all had fun taking the piss over the last 6 weeks, are we happy that instead of Long way Down we now have anti biking Jeremy Clarkson and his 'Top gear' programme? :helpsmilie:

And as early as January 2006 they were already planning 'Long way Down' and also 'Long way Up'

Is there any chance we could have an amnesty on Boorman bashing? It depresses me that members of a community that for the most part prides itself on being fairly open and tolerant will happily slag someone off, mainly because they are jealous.

I could go on a rant about people that have no experience and are just starting their first bike trip and have never been in a desert on two wheels, let alone tried the Dakar mouthing off, but as my dear old mum said 'if you can't say anything nice don't say anything at all'.

Pro looking website though Judd - I look forward to seeing how your trip pans out, especially as you must be much better on a bike than the much maligned mr B!!

Quite agree!
I am now heartily sick of the whole McG family show, and at least Boorman had the balls to do the bungy jump (and had a go at the PD race last January - can't see McG doing that) while the big film star couldn't face the idea of falling off the bridge.

Is there any chance we could have an amnesty on Boorman bashing? It depresses me that members of a community that for the most part prides itself on being fairly open and tolerant will happily slag someone off, mainly because they are jealous.
I'm not jealous of Charlie I just hate the wheelie pulling fart lighting twat, I hate the way people are going to look at him and paint us all like that and I’m not jealous of his travels because I’m going where I want to go. Can you believe HE caused an accident from showing off Charlie NO NEVER... So your wrong on point 1



I could go on a rant about people that have no experience and are just starting their first bike trip and have never been in a desert on two wheels, let alone tried the Dakar mouthing off, but as my dear old mum said 'if you can't say anything nice don't say anything at all'. I've been in Deserts more times than I can think of, and in the Jungle and up Mountains and down in Caves Tunnels Mines, and on rivers because I'm a 38 year old ex Squaddie with lots of travelling and life experience under my belt sonny, is mummy still wiping your civilian a*se?

I can't wait to get into that desert and crash coz I'm balls nasty hard, grrrr I will lift my own bike up and get back on and ride some more until I fall off again like EVE Falling off and getting up and Falling off and getting up funny as hell but determined as hell.

[FONT='Verdana','sans-serif']Experience[/FONT] is telling me take it easy don't set targets be flexible, when you see Chaz do any of that? Rush Rush Rush Moan Moan Moan I don’t do any of that, I admit I got depressed the other week but I guess that’s just road blues I’m over it and happy again.

And this is my Second bike trip did SE/Asia last time where I crashed and burned. So your wrong on Point 2




Pro looking website though Judd - I look forward to seeing how your trip pans out, especially as you must be much better on a bike than the much maligned mr B!! I’m Laughing at YOU because being a new rider, my riding’s improving vastly by the day (when was the last time you saw a marked improvement in yours?), I’ve covered over 12,000 miles thus far on the trip and I'm only just beginning (Approx. 1,000 off road 2,000 in rain 1,500 on mountain twisty’s) and to date loved every single one of them.

It isn't about being better then Charlie it's about getting the job done my way end of story, as long as I can do the job to my best and can look myself in the mirror and say ‘I did it my own way’, then I will be happy. If I crash out in flames and can look myself in the mirror and say ’f*ck it I did my best’ I'd be happy just like last time.

If I had a fleet of other people with me and won or lost I'd have to say ‘I've done f*ck all by myself’, that's the difference self actualisation I think is the term, thought you’d have known that after your solo trip but I guess different people take away different things from their life experiences.

Looking at your profile I see you’re in Africa in 2008, Hopefully we will cross paths as I’m over there from the end of this year for about 8 months. But don’t even think to school me on my riding until you are standing where I am and have rode the same dirt as that’s really f*cking bad manners sonny.
Just for the RECORD I have NEVER said anything bad about Charlie’s ability while riding the bike, in fact I look at his technique all the time as compared to Ewan his faster smoother and a lot more proficient and is good to watch. It’s the man behind the bike that I can’t stand, do you see the difference
so I make that 3 for 3 and your out. :clap:

I don't have a Yamaha, and would get fed up of reading about them, so I don't click on Yamaha topics.

:rofl: your the guy BMW are looking for to sit in their focus groups, I think I want to have your babies.

Well done Eve. Zero to hero in my opinion. Deep sand is difficult. I bet that was the first time she'd ever had the front wash out. After 7 days of that she'd be getting the hang of it. Lets hope she keeps riding when she and Ewan get home. We need to encourage more "girls" to do adventure riding I'm fed up of only meeting hairy bikers on my travels.:rofl:

No matter what everyone else thinks about it but I am looking forward to their next "Long Way Wherever" series. I enjoyed watching the Long Way Down.
A adventure trip with Ewan and Eve would be a good idea too. I thing she is doing great for a first time rider.

Interesting thought
 

Although it is not how I would travel, I enjoyed long way down. If someone offered to pay me to do such a trip I too would act by their script (which is what McGragor & Boorman are doing after all - they are making a TV programme).

While watching the last episode Mrs MarkE had an interesting suggestion though; why not encourage Mrs Boorman to take her test (if necessary) and let the ladies do the next trip? They would definately bring a different perspective to the journey.

I like Mrs MarkE her idea. Why not send the BBC an e-mail with that suggestion ?
And maybe Mrs MarkE wants to join the ladies team ;-)

Thankyou. Very well said.

I don't understand the Charley Boorman bashing at all. He seems genuinely personable, and is obviously balancing family life with trips away. More power to him.
It seems to be mainly Brits who have taken a huge dislike, maybe undercurrents of the (supposedly disappearing) class system rearing its head in the form of jealousy?

Jealousy oh yes I'm so in awe of his life.

Class system LMAO only a foreigner could say that, that monkey's arse Boreman is as common as dog poo, do you really think his posh?

Your personable type is someone who causes motorcycle accidents after being told time and time again about safety, lights farts, is i’ll mannered, leaves fires burning and is generally argumentative and pig ignorant. If that's the mentality of that people that you hang out with then what’s that say about you?

Ride Safe, Be Polite, Be Friendly, Take Interest in the Country and its people that you are visiting with, and most of all don't make your fellow countrymen look like prats hooligans or idiots. You see that’s why the majority of us don’t like him much, to be painted with the same brush as Charlie really hurts. My favourite Charley is a tossup between the constant belching, arse scratching, yawning to camera or the ever present family friendly dialogue.

Come on tell me is he your ideal man?

Would your mum be pleased if you brought him home?

Charming Sophisticated with the Manners and Comportment of a Royal, one of life’s truly great catches that Man named Charlie Boreman.

But on the otherhand he does have really great hair.

He may not be the perfect son-in-law but the TV-program Long Way Down was nice to watch anyway.
For the next series, a trip with Ewan and Eve, or maybe, as Mrs MarkE suggested, a ladies only trip would be a nice idea too.

(edited December 10)
Today I have been watching the "Race to Dakar" DVD and I must admid that I have more respect for Charlie now. Actualy, on a long trip, he would be someone I would like to have with me.

No-one would watch it if those women did it. No-one has heard of them. Thats why the concept of "celebrity " is so crap. Its not the journey, it's those shallow nobodies called "celebrities". which causes interest. Look at the many bikers who have travelled Africa...no-one's clamouring to make a film.

Also, Eve isnt up to the task. No blame there. She seems to be there just to meet her husband, which is fine, but she seems to have little interest in m/cycle travel. She seemed to be a bit of a nuisance and a party pooper.......

Well I liked it, not as much as I liked Long Way Round, but that's because it seemed a bit rushed - and that's not really their fault, it's whichever commisioning editor asked for 6 one-hour programmes, no doubt there's hours of extra footage which could have been used.

As for the fire, come on guys it's TV, they didn't leave the fire burning, they (or more likely Claudio/Russ/David/Jimmy) decided it'd be a nice shot of them riding with the camera angle looking through the smoke and flames, so they shot it like that, probably even did a number of takes, and no doubt all stamped on all the embers at the end - get real, it's TV.

And the support crew? No doubt half of that was a condition of the insurance brokers who were a condition of the production getting any comminsioning money etc. The rest? Well can you really fit all that tape stock, and various TV quality video cameras, and editing facilities etc on the back of a bike? Methinks not. Then Claudio's bike breaks and has to be trailered, so of course we're going to see the support vehicles closer in, because they become then only camera vehicles. And so it goes on.

Whatsmore, I don't doubt for a second that either of them love bikes, love riding, and take every opportunity to get away from it all for a day or week whatever, with no-one but themselves.

long way from reality
 

I agre whith most of you and I was a bit sickend by all the free stuff they had, its not like they could not aford anything. I only saw bits of the program. Most of us have to work long houres 7 days a week just to afford to go off for a month or two on the bikes and start saving again as soon as we come back for the next one. I would love if I was given a few Snap On tools and would carefuly look after them for the rest of my life(I realy dont think they apreceated what they where given). I could go on like this for some time but its been said allready so I won't. I just want to reminde pepole what they set out to do, and that was to make a program to put on tv that was going to entertain the most pepole. Most pepole dont ride bikes, dont travel unles its to a resort in spain or somwhere like that and most dont know the first thing about bike's. So although I hated the program myself (I admit its more to do whith jelasy than anything else), its probably done the world of bikeing more good than harm when it comes to the majority of the public that dont ride. Do as I, swhich it off when it became to much. One more thing, that american was a d### ####.

i disagree im afraid....
 

What it has done is reinforced into the publics minds that bikers are Fart-Lighting, foul-Mouthed, wheelie Crazy idiots!! an Image we have been trying to get away from!!!!!!!!

Martyn

+1 :thumbup1:

I totally agree with all you say - couldn't have put it better meself.

The cheque, as always is in the post, mate.

Old farts
 

Sorry mate but, It sounds like you are a car driver with a bike.

Nothing at all wrong with going camping with your mates and pulling a few wheelies on route. Sitting round a camp fire talking bollocks, farting, belching and swearing, are all natural bi-products of beer drinking.

Charley is the one that's got it right. Ewan is just too touchy/feely/girly/anal for me.

John

[quote=Redboots;162789)

Nothing at all wrong with going camping with your mates and pulling a few wheelies on route. Sitting round a camp fire talking bollocks, farting, belching and swearing, are all natural bi-products of beer drinking.

John[/quote]




I don't drink so what can my excuse be for this kind of behaviour ?

:helpsmilie:

your dead wrong, actually!
 

sorry Redboots, been a Biker all my life, hate cars, I DONT OWN ONE, only passed car test cos its handy, ride 365, even when I was in the UK ( winter on a Wildstar was fun in the ice!)
I love pulling wheelies, ( I own an XT600 for goodness sake....) have lit the odd fart myself BUT I dont pull wheelies on main roads, in front of kids, pedestrians, crowds... places where if I SCREW UP and fall off SOMEONE ELSE gets hurt.
The point I was making was that this guy posted this..... and I disagreed with him,

Originally Posted by rhunjones http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...s/viewpost.gif
its probably done the world of bikeing more good than harm when it comes to the majority of the public that dont ride.



Idid not say it wasnt OK to pull wheelies, light farts, belch, swear, etc if you wanna do that its up to you. all I was saying is that to the general public the non bike riding plebs, it makes ALL bikers look like Mr C. Boorman, because the general public being lemmings, believe everything they see on the damn TV! and therefore tar us ALL WITH THE SAME BRUSH!!!!!!!

Cannabis or being a vegetarian?

Just a wild stab in the dark you understand...:biggrin:

John

OK:smile3:

This whole thing of turning them into bad guys has just got my goat.
I should think there are far more dangerous things in Africa than one guy pulling wheelies.

Do you remember when Barry Sheene was champion? Same thing used to happen. All the anti-Sheene, (and anti-Stephanie), used to really piss me off. Jealousy??

As far as tar and brushes goes, its always been like that and no amount of PC will change it so I never subscribed to it. Now if "they" made ALL drivers take a motorcycle test before being allowed in a car/truck/bus, that might change things... but I digress....

John

Good point John. Thanks for the "wakeup call". I've been an office slave for to long I'm afraid. It's time for a bike trip to get back to reality. :-)

What is it with all this Charley and Ewan bashing? At the risk of repeating myself (I posted on the OTHER Charley and Ewan thread) has everybody missed the point?

I watched the last 3 episodes back to back last night because I thought I'd been watching some other series. So much criticism from so many - why did you take the time & effort to watch the series (and in some cases take the time to download it) in the first place? Are you not rational enough to realise this is a show, featuring showmen, produced by a production company for the masses? Do you believe everything the papers and politicians tell you as well? Where is this programme advertised as a show exclusively for adventure motorcyclists and who are we to define what makes an adventure motorcyclist?

I find it interesting that the general theme that runs through this thread is about Charley's antics. Almost 200 posts and only half a dozen vague references to the charity work they did.

Not one mention of:

• the terminally ill children and their families at the Hospice in Scotland;
• the mass murder of 5,000 people in one day at the church in Rwanda - killed by machete's, hammers, guns and burnt alive - all the skulls (one with a spear still embedded and others smashed in) and bloodied clothes of those victims still there - a stark contrast to the Church of Bones;
• the children kidnapped from their families at an early age, some as young as 3, and forced to fight against and beat to death their fellow villagers if they didn't conform - children killing children;
• the boys who are circumcised without anaesthetic and being forbidden to display any sort of emotion or pain for fear of bringing shame upon their family;
• the mass murder at the school of all those tiny innocent children and the horrific wounds from bullets and machetes of the surviving children;
• the orphans who have lost their parents to HIV and Aids;
• the medics they had with them who tended the woman who had given birth the day before, or the guy with severe diarrhoea who had collapsed.

Was Charley's fart-lighting and wheelie-pulling that much more memorable!!!!!!!!!!!! There's more whinging on this thread than the entire series of LWR, RTD or LWD.

Personally I was disappointed with the first episode and yes, at the end of the series, Charley was the apparent cause of Claudio's accident. We all make mistakes. I'm not sure about Eve joining them. My riding partner is my husband so I can understand Ewan and Eve wanting to be together, but at the same time, Charley must have been gutted. It added a different dimension to the episode.

The series for me wasn't just about how they got from A to B or how they did it, it was also about the work they do with the charities and seeing the countries they visited along the way. They are famous, they are showman and they are utilising their status to bring awareness to the rest of the world the plight of some of these nations. Who knew Rwanda had a tourist industry - I didn't.

You may not like Charley and Ewan, for whatever reason, and sadly perhaps much of that is based upon how they come across thanks to the media and not because they are known on a personal level. Have some humanity and please, before your next criticism of them, or your insults at the people who don't agree with your views, can you put your hand on your heart and say that you have raised over £500k (and still rising) for charity for 3 months work? I would think that UNICEF, as well as the Children’s Hospice Association of Scotland and Riders For Health are pretty appreciative of what they've done both in terms of money raised and the heightened awareness to their causes. Who cares how they did it - they did it.

And if the Long Way Down is in the shops on DVD I'll buy it !