Long way down.... [Archive] - Expedition Portal

goodtimes

05-13-2007, 04:39 AM

They left this morning...err, sort of. They left Sat. morning on the east side of the pond....I guess that was last night on this side...

linky linky (http://www.xrv.org.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=17738)

mountainpete

05-13-2007, 05:23 AM

Woo hoo!

I love those GSA's!

kcowyo

05-13-2007, 02:37 PM

Bruce Behnfeldt

05-13-2007, 10:53 PM

I loved the Long Way RoundAnyone know if they will be blogging daily updates or do we have to wait for the DVD after the trip's completion?

it sounds like there will be updates on the their site starting next week...

long way down (http://www.longwaydown.com/)

Ursidae69

05-14-2007, 03:49 PM

Those guys are lucky.

Kermit

05-14-2007, 06:15 PM

Those guys are lucky.

Thinking the same thing....I want to be a movie star...just to afford such trips.

pwc

05-14-2007, 07:15 PM

I think it's more effort than luck. but that's just me.

Kermit

05-14-2007, 07:55 PM

I think it's more effort than luck. but that's just me.
Bingo!

I am sure a little jealous of such trips.

I do not know the man personally, but, it seems like Ewan has sure worked hard to get where is today.

I know I sure can't act, sing, and dance like him.

I do come up with a good line of BS every now and again.....hmmm...could I get paid for BSing?

david despain

05-14-2007, 08:11 PM

I do come up with a good line of BS every now and again.....hmmm...could I get paid for BSing?

Why not? Thousand of elected politicians do it every day!

Hltoppr

05-14-2007, 08:48 PM

Thinking the same thing....I want to be a movie star...just to afford such trips.

I really need to come through Tucson and drag you through Mexico....:roost:

Cheap, quick vacation is just an hour South.....

Can't wait to follow Charley & Ewan!

-H-

Kermit

05-14-2007, 09:14 PM

I really need to come through Tucson and drag you through Mexico....:roost:

Cheap, quick vacation is just an hour South.....

Can't wait to follow Charley & Ewan!

-H-

Thank You...going to Baja again in October. :D

I need to get one of those big bikes. I might have to go against all my morals and get a loan for one this fall....hmmm...;)

I do want to go through Copper Canyon one of these days.

p1michaud

05-15-2007, 08:48 PM

Sounds like it will be an interesting trip.

DesertRose

05-15-2007, 11:08 PM

I loved the Long Way Round. :jumping:

The DVD was fun and their book offered even more insight to what they were thinking and feeling as the trip progressed.

I'm looking forward to watching this adventure as well. Anyone know if they will be blogging daily updates or do we have to wait for the DVD after the trip's completion?

The Long Way Round grew on me - at first I thought they whined (The Long Whine Round?) way too much about how hard it was and how long it was taking (they sounded like girls! oops! I'm not supposed to say that :) )

But I was impressed with their sticking with it, even when they were clearly beyond their abilities. Also loved their humor, and their obvious heartfelt interest and devotion to the UNICEF kids (did you know Ewan and his wife went back to Mongolia and adopted one of the street kids?). Africa should see them focusing on an effort for UNICEF about the children orphans left by the AIDS pandemic.

Looks like they got smart with the bikes - much smaller? Which ones are they? Maybe Ewan won't dump his every day or so this time :-)
Clearly a lot less kit, too, so they learned!

Can't wait to follow it!

DesertRose

05-15-2007, 11:12 PM

OMG - I just noticed that the bikes are decorated in leopard (Charley) and zebra (Ewan) prints . . . I really think I need a bike like that. Really. It's for my work.

Bruce Behnfeldt

05-16-2007, 11:01 PM

Looks like they got smart with the bikes - much smaller? Which ones are they?

1200 GS Adventures. not any smaller but about 60lbs lighter...

articulate

05-16-2007, 11:08 PM

OMG - I just noticed that the bikes are decorated in leopard (Charley) and zebra (Ewan) prints . . . I really think I need a bike like that. Really. It's for my work.
Yeah! And with a rhino shnozz out front.
Would Jonathan approve?

DesertRose

05-17-2007, 12:44 AM

Yeah! And with a rhino shnozz out front.
Would Jonathan approve?

Nope, but who's asking?!

[He's already teased me that I'm the only woman he knows who would look at a picture of Ewan McGregor and say, "Oh my god! A zebra-striped BMW! I want one!" Yesh!]

DesertRose

05-23-2007, 01:52 PM

The Long Way Down website is re-done, very nice (total java script, sometimes it wigged out on me, but it's great - wonderful bike and truck detail pages; note that Nissan stepped up as a sponsor and they've got Patrol turbo diesels!).

The BBC is also running their blog and it's great - I love the map feature, looks like a hybrid Google Earth thing, very neat.

Whatever you think of 2 "celebrities" doing this, it's a great adventure regardless, and their commitment to charities and people along the way is excellent.

Website: http://www.longwaydown.com/

Blog: http://www.bbc.co.uk/longwaydown/

Desertdude

05-23-2007, 02:36 PM

I am not sure they are bringing enough stuff on this... "The long Weighted Down"

kcowyo

05-23-2007, 03:20 PM

Thanks for the links Roseann. :REOutArchery02:

LaOutbackTrail

05-26-2007, 04:50 AM

I was a fan of Long Way Round. Read the book... one of the few pieces of literature that was more than about 100 soft pages(magazines) that I have read.
I am looking forward to seeing this come forward. My wife is a big fan of Ewans. She loves his voice and of course thinks he is hot. And she read parts of the book and thinks he's a lot like me....

I wish they would have reconsidered the bikes. There are several bikes that would have made that trip alot easier on them. I think the Honda Transalps or the KTMs would have been better choices. The beemers are just too heavy. Especially watching the LWR. I think they will be dealing with much more sand and slick mud on this trip. Sand and mud is no fun on a bike thats for sure. Especially when the bike is so loaded down.
But, I think they learned their lesson from their first trip. GET RID OF THE UN-NECESSARIES! They found how much better the bike handled whenever they shaved 50lbs out of the panniers.

They outfitted the Patrol right. They may as well just get a couple more of those to take and have just as much fun.... since the bikes will be belly up most of the time.

More about the bike choice. I'm sure BMW gave them the beemers again, but I think they should have chosen similarly outfitted the BMW F650GS Dakar. Probably half the weight. Just as comfortable. Better offroad. It just doesnt make sense to have such big bikes when they have the support vehicles there. They could easily have almost no weight on the bikes the entire trip.

We'll see how this goes.....:chowtime:

Will likely be a stocking stuffer this year!

goodtimes

05-26-2007, 05:19 AM

While I am not privy to their business arrangements with BMW...I can make a pretty good guess as to why they are on the 1200GSs instead of the 650s.

First and foremost, the 1200GS is their flagship adventure bike. This is where the sales (and thus, the money) are. At the local dealer (Iron Horse BMW), they sell 4 or 5 1200's for every 650. They sell so many 1200's that they keep a dozen of them in stock at any given time. The 650s only come in 2 or 3 times each year...and only 3 or 4 at a time.

Second, Charlie and Ewan using them gives BMW a massive amount of publicity. And why would they want to draw attention to a motorcycle that is out of production? (F650s are in their last year--they are being replaced with the G650 line up). While I agree that the trip would be easier on the F650s, it would not sell as well. With no drama, you have a boring trip (boring to watch). And remember, this is about money. They need to give BMW a return on their investment...without that, there would be no sponsers making the trip possible.

As for why BMW instead of, say, KTM? Well, you remember that they wanted to use KTM's for the Long way 'Round...but KTM backed out of the deal. BMW stepped in, and now they are reaping the rewards. It makes sense for Charlie and Ewan to stay with BMW from a business stand point. It probably only took one phone call to get BMW on board with them...which removes one large piece of the project from their plate, freeing them up for the other aspects of the trip. Sure, there are probably better bikes out there (for this trip), but again, it is not all about the trip, it is also about generating revenue, both now and in the future. One aspect of that is maintaining relationships with the sponsers, and that involves being loyal to them *when you believe in their products*. Charlie and Ewan certainly appear to believe in BMW.

LaOutbackTrail

05-26-2007, 06:03 AM

And I thoroughly agree with you. And yeah, it would be boring if they didnt fall over all the time.:lurk:

But I know I would have learned something from the first trip. Tackle big terrain with little bike. But they gotta work hard for it I suppose....:costumed-smiley-007

While I am not privy to their business arrangements with BMW...I can make a pretty good guess as to why they are on the 1200GSs instead of the 650s.

First and foremost, the 1200GS is their flagship adventure bike. This is where the sales (and thus, the money) are. At the local dealer (Iron Horse BMW), they sell 4 or 5 1200's for every 650. They sell so many 1200's that they keep a dozen of them in stock at any given time. The 650s only come in 2 or 3 times each year...and only 3 or 4 at a time.

Second, Charlie and Ewan using them gives BMW a massive amount of publicity. And why would they want to draw attention to a motorcycle that is out of production? (F650s are in their last year--they are being replaced with the G650 line up). While I agree that the trip would be easier on the F650s, it would not sell as well. With no drama, you have a boring trip (boring to watch). And remember, this is about money. They need to give BMW a return on their investment...without that, there would be no sponsers making the trip possible.

As for why BMW instead of, say, KTM? Well, you remember that they wanted to use KTM's for the Long way 'Round...but KTM backed out of the deal. BMW stepped in, and now they are reaping the rewards. It makes sense for Charlie and Ewan to stay with BMW from a business stand point. It probably only took one phone call to get BMW on board with them...which removes one large piece of the project from their plate, freeing them up for the other aspects of the trip. Sure, there are probably better bikes out there (for this trip), but again, it is not all about the trip, it is also about generating revenue, both now and in the future. One aspect of that is maintaining relationships with the sponsers, and that involves being loyal to them *when you believe in their products*. Charlie and Ewan certainly appear to believe in BMW.

Hltoppr

05-29-2007, 09:36 PM

IIRC, the BMW Owners magazine quoted the BMW Moto CEO as saying they saw a 30% increase in GS sales after LWR came out.....That's good business!

-H-

DesertRose

05-29-2007, 09:47 PM

IIRC, the BMW Owners magazine quoted the BMW Moto CEO as saying they saw a 30% increase in GS sales after LWR came out.....That's good business!

-H-

:eek:

Wow!

I wonder what happened to that idiot consultant for KTM?

Probably now working at the McDonald's in Berlin . . .

The LWD should be even better for BMW, with much more intensive branding, a superb blog on none other than BBC . . . good stuff. All the mere cost of a couple of bikes . . .

goodtimes

05-30-2007, 03:19 AM

:eek:

All the mere cost of a couple of bikes . . .

I suspect it cost BMW much more than a couple of bikes. I remember hearing that the budget for LWR was around $4,000,000. I'm betting BMW ponied up a sizable chunk of cash in addition to the bikes.

Of course, I could be wrong....

Kermit

05-30-2007, 08:09 PM

See...what will happen...those people buying those BMW's will do some searching, end up on Adventure Rider...reading this and that. Then trade their Beemers for Katooms.

Yeah...that is what will happen... ;)

Hey, if it gets people into motorcyling and off the couch. I don't care what brand of bike you ride. :)

...isn't there a bunch of people doing tours on scooters?

kcowyo

08-06-2007, 05:24 AM

They finished up today by reaching Cape Town, South Africa. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/longwaydown/journal/entry69.shtml) :roost:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/longwaydown/images/entries/photos/entry68_arrival.jpg

Can't wait to see this DVD! :lurk:

Spikepretorius

08-06-2007, 11:33 AM

I'm very dissapointed in the available info regarding this trip. Down here, we were all exitedly trying to follow the trip with what little info was made available, and now near the end we were eagerly waiting their arrival in the Cape. The arrival photos were taken less than a mile from my home but there was no info telling us when they were arriving. We "heard" they were arriving "any time in the next 4 days". I read this on the Saturday. On the Sunday I picked up the paper to be greeted by the photos from the day before.

Public Relations a bit lacking unfortunately.

Anyway I hope they had a good time.

Christian P.

08-06-2007, 04:21 PM

Desertdude

10-28-2007, 01:42 PM

BBC airs "long way down" tonight (10.28.07) 9pm

http://www.longwaydown.com/

...and the charity party Nov 8th 2007

http://www.longwaydown.com/party/

:::

kcowyo

10-28-2007, 04:17 PM

This time I'm gonna wait before ordering the DVD series, to see if they offer a longer version.

I ordered the DVD of the Long Way Round from Amazon and loved it. Then Chuck let me borrow his DVD he ordered off Amazon in Canada. Two more episodes, lots of additional footage and the DVD liner included a map and mileage totals per day. Even better.

So I'm hoping the will do something similar this time. Ewan and Charley have great chemistry and make for good viewing.

:roost:

Christian P.

10-28-2007, 04:52 PM

BBC airs "long way down" tonight (10.28.07) 9pm

http://www.longwaydown.com/

:::

which channel? I don't see it on Tivo on BBC of America..

:(

Desertdude

10-28-2007, 05:55 PM

BBC 2

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctwo/

ckkone

10-31-2007, 02:21 PM

DVD is coming out on 12.3.07!

PAL format, which is no big deal if you have a cheap big lots DVD player.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Long-Way-Down-Complete-BBC/dp/B000UX5GFQ

Hltoppr

10-31-2007, 03:23 PM

I'll be ordering mine!!!

-H-

mountainpete

10-31-2007, 04:20 PM

Time to add BBC 2 back on the TV package!

Woo hoo!

MoGas

10-31-2007, 08:45 PM

Time to add BBC 2 back on the TV package!

Woo hoo!

Is BBC2 available on Direct TV?

mountainpete

10-31-2007, 08:54 PM

Is BBC2 available on Direct TV?

Sorry - no idea. I'm on an IP based digital up here in Canada...

MoGas

10-31-2007, 09:09 PM

Sorry - no idea. I'm on an IP based digital up here in Canada...

Damn Canadians.... You guys get everything cool.....Pot, Trailer Park Boys, snow, Canadian geese, Tim Horton's, Canadian Tire, Don Cherry.

I do get HNIC on my DTV with the NHL package, so I get Don once a week.

Do you call them Canadian Geese or just Geese? (or dinner)

:)
Dave

Funrover

11-01-2007, 01:45 AM

Drool!!!! I love the BMW's!! Someday!!!!

Lost Canadian

11-01-2007, 07:22 PM

First episode was great. That is all......:shakin:

Actually this time there looks like there is going to be more personal drama between the team and Ewan. We'll see how that played out. The first show was very much like the first LWR show, it's all about planning, training, and getting underway.

Lost Canadian

11-06-2007, 09:04 PM

Episode two was OK, but the trip is very rushed thus far and not yet as fun as LWR was. More of a production really and less of a trip. It's early though, and they just got to Africa so hopefully it gets better. The Americans ran into problems getting Libyan visas, no real surprise though. Unfortunate for them as there were a ton of Gaddafi photographs and signs they missed out on:rolleyes: .....the 2000+ year old ruins were nice as well.

mountainpete

11-11-2007, 02:46 AM

Moving this over to completed expeditions :arabia:

flux

11-25-2007, 12:40 AM

Looks like we here in the States have to wait til July of 2008 to see it on Fox Reality according to the official site. Bummer.