For other uses, see, "Ewan McGregor secures sponsorship deal for South American road trip", "Long Way Up is go! Charley Boorman bares all for our readers, Custom Eye Candy: An Electric Zero SR-X Concept, 10 Electric Skateboard Brands That Are Killing It, Start typing to see results or hit ESC to close, Fast Figures: Piaggio Groups 2022 Sales Were Best Results Ever, Industry Insider: EU Ignores Licensing Revamp Pleas, UK Is Next, Luck of the Irish: Insurance Costs Cause Country-Wide Racing Closures, Powersports Podcasts: Ricky Carmichael & Ryan Villopotos Title 24, Harley-Davidson Screamin Eagle Engine Sets New Record, Husqvarna Releases Up-Specd Norden 901 Expedition, Armor, Airbag, Base Layer, & Underwear Reviews, Click here to read more about his African tours. This one: Ewan McGregor (aka the young Obi-Wan in the Star Wars prequels and soon a new back-story Disney series) and his wingman, Brit TV personality Charley Boorman, have reportedly begun production of the third entry in their popular Long Way motorcycle road trip TV series, and are set to travel from the southern reaches of South America and ride the long way up to the United States. In the DVD extras, while preparing the bikes for cargo, Ewan McGregor refers to a possible future trip in South America, perhaps called Long Way Up. You can watch a snippet of my interview with Charley below, and you can read it in full in issue 59 ofAdventure Bike Rider magazine, out now and available to buy from our online store with free UK shipping. They rode the BMW R1200GS Adventure, the successor to the R1150GS Adventure bikes in Long Way Round.[2]. Will WebCharley Boorman, adventurer, motorbike enthusiast and no. We chatted to Jody Ocker who is currently traversing Africa with Charley! Can you put a screen on it? In 2016, Charley met with a serious accident when test riding with motorbike journalists in Portugal where he broke both his legs. I was just unlucky because if you break one leg you can continue to walk on the other one, but I broke both and I was in bed for five months. Hopefully just riding dirt bikes with mates. The team took four days to ride from John o' Groats back to London, via the McGregor family home in Crieff and the Silverstone racetrack, where they camped in the middle of the circuit. ", "I remember taking a 4x4 up the Sani Pass in South Africa, which goes up into Lesotho. I really thought, 'S***, he's going to kill us'. Charley had just returned from a Compass Expeditions I love it. The shock absorbers bore the brunt, with both McGregor's and von Planta's bikes suffering broken springs. I love them all. The problem is that riders are very individual and not part of the scene or a club. All Rights Reserved. I think this scene (The Bike Shed) has brought younger riders back into biking. And then we got to visit it., Sacred Valley of the Incas -- see Machu Picchu and so much more in Peru, When they arrived the UNESCO Heritage Site, recounts McGregor, it was shrouded in cloud. Disappointment set in, Wed come on a day where youre not going to see anything, McGregor says. Series 6, Episode 4. Im amazed when Charley Boorman walks to the door of his west London home. How long did it really take for you two to become comfortable with the EV element of the trip in real-time, as opposed to episode time? Update 2moro. And if the photos trickling out of the southern reaches are accurate, theyre not sparing the whip, either. I write about motorcycles, ebikes, cars, trucks and mobility tech. But after exploring in different directions for a time, the two reunited, and then the clouds parted to reveal Machu Picchu, says McGregor. The Mayor of London is not doing bikes any favours. lovely story.. and Charile is an awesome guy! Even though it was touch and goI thought Id lose a legbut that seemed ok but I kept thinking, you know what, I just want to get back on the motorbike. It's the longest trip ever attempted on an electric motorcycle, one that required Rivian to install a new string of fast-chargers along the planned routea rural charging network that will now serve the people of the region, as McGregor pointed out to me. Having ridden with Ewan McGregor all the way round the world, and on an extraordinary trip through Africa, he is now taking on Canada, South Africa and the USA. The two have been close friends since meeting on the set of the 1997 film, The Serpents Kiss which must be watched, if only for the wig work. They also decided to travel with medic Dai Jones, cameraman and security officer Jim Foster, and various "fixers"local guides and interpreters. And after a bike trip in south England, we have to visit Wales, Scotland, Yorkshire. Ewan McGregor rode home with an undiagnosed broken leg after a crash in London, while he and Boorman were planning their second odyssey, Long Way Down, and Boorman tells me horrific stories of the likes of comedian Ross Noble (another mate) tweeting pictures of injuries from wipeouts. The following year, Charley and Ewan did another motorcycle adventure trip, this time known as Long Way Down, where they travelled from Scotland to Cape Town, This time around, Ewan and Charley ride their upgraded BMW R1200GS Adventure bikes from John o'Groats, Scotland over 15,000-miles all the way to Cape Town, South Africa. And those beginning few weeks were super cold. So I thought Im British and I would be promoting my Britishness. How the Rivian pickups are involved is unclear, but they would certainly jibe nicely with the EV theme of the new show. When he came to rest, as he casually puts it, my leg was all flippy-floppy, bending in the wrong places and If I'm at work or I'm sitting there between takes, or I am sitting in my trailer or whatever, I find myself daydreaming about a ribbon of road coming at me from somewhere. British adventurer Charley Boorman treks across Canada and discovers what makes the country amazing. Also, Triumph is owned by a family, theyre very generous and very kind and we have a great relationship. By all reports, the Triumph ambassador has had surgeryin hospital and isdoing OK. John Boorman often cast his children in his films as well as Telsche, who became a writer, and Katrine, now an actor and producer, Charley has a twin sister, Daisy, and three stepsiblings from his fathers second marriage. ADVPulse also reported that a pair of Mercedes Sprinter vans may be providing support; both previous Long Way series had prodigious support for McGregor and Boorman, so they werent exactly roughing it. Charley and I talk a lot about it, about how you hear people who should really know better dismissing electric-powered vehicles. Dealing with things such as insane cold meant moving bikes indoors overnight and wearing all the clothes. Its also a handy guide to the world of motorcycling, where everyone knows everyone, and they all obsess about cylinders and paint jobs and regard broken bones as part of the ride. Send him yor best. On 6 August 2018, Boorman tweeted a tease that the Long Way Up, a trip from Tierra del Fuego to Alaska, would happen "if all goes well". If Ewan hadnt been involved, it wouldnt have had a chance to be successful, says Boorman, frankly. I broke both legs, which is why I ended up lying in bed for three months. WebDoubleTree by Hilton Cape Town, Upper Eastside Hotel will once again host Charley Boorman for this years Motorcycle Adventure that begins and ends in Cape Town, South Africa. Im slightly deaf in one ear from riding and have a bit of tinnitus. . The journey ended at Cape Agulhas, the southernmost point of the continent, from where they were accompanied to Cape Town by a phalanx of bikers, similar to their arrival in New York on the Long Way Round. I just think it was about time, you know. GET THE LATEST ADVENTURE BIKE NEWS IN YOUR INBOX. A year ago, the 50-year-old who started out as a child actor in his father Johns films and gained a second bite at stardom on television as Ewan McGregors motorcycling partner in the Long Way adventure travel series suffered a horrific bike crash. People should at least wear a helmet, gloves and ankle riding boots. I think absolutely its definitely the right thing to do if youre living in London. Every time we found somewhere to plug that bike in was like a little mini-triumph, said McGregor. Theyll have to make it all the way up first. Ever wonder what it's like to be riding with Charley Boorman? :) Really, its a -big- shock and so, just to drop a comment; & once again, all the best!! Nite!. What we hadn't realized is how much the weather actually affects these electric vehicles. I consent to allow Adventure Bike Rider to collect my contact information (required), Charley Boorman confirms the Long Way Up will take place within months. Fill in your details below to join the weekly Adventure Bike Rider Bulletin and get the latest adventure motorcycling news delivered right to your inbox. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. EW: Well, that's never happened before. Ive pretty much broken everything but you cant fix your head. Im lucky enough to have a few. But now, some 18 months later, Charley is back in the saddle, pursuing adventure with more enthusiasm than ever before. Charley will be leading a pack of Adventure However, Alice struggles running the vet clinic in his absence, and a traumatic, close encounter with a WebLong Way Round: Created by David Alexanian, Charley Boorman, Russ Malkin, Ewan McGregor. You might think the gods are trying to tell the Boormans something about hazardous pursuits, but when we meet, Charleys leg is nearly healed (he invites me to feel a screw that has worked loose beneath the skin) and hes planning to resume his bike safaris in Africa in August, go on a speaking tour to promote the book, then try to put the Darien Gap TV project back together. I've crashed a lot in the past. Each bike weighed about 505 pounds. The truth is you just have to have a go. Up In The Air! I usually go back the way we came with them so they can experience it as well. Technology, performance and design delivered to your inbox. Boorman, who hit the road with Ewan McGregor in the Long Way Down and the Long Way Round, was left in a wheelchair after a horrific crash in Portugal in February last year. And we had to do all of our training on a trip because our bikes were prototypes and they were delivered at the very last minute. In the case of Mr McGregor and Mr Boorman, it was a freak accident during a European trip that acted as the trigger for a long-overdue reunion. I don't want to give anything away, but one of the funniest moments of the trip as a viewer was that time in Ecuador when you basically couldn't leave a restaurant because of how many people wanted to see you. WebCharley Boorman, adventurer, motorbike enthusiast and no. Out in the country you would need a hybrid or something to get more range. Was smiling and joking before he seen the needle!, And: Awaiting return from surgery. I just recently completed a 5000 km ride through South Africa, Namibia, and Zambia with Charley Boorman. And they just did. It really is close now. The godforsaken charging. He also has a penchant for all things F1, occasionally catching up on WRC. It just seemed to be a better fit with what I was doing with The Bike Shed. The TV journeyman and professional biker tells Hannah Stephenson about some of his most hair-raising moments, Horror crash: Charley is back on his bike after a horror smash last year. I just love it as a way of life. I realized we share something that I dont share with anyone else. Didn't think you were that famous? The video series was a hit both with riders and non-riders (celebrity helps) and it resulted in a well-received 2008 sequel, Long Way Down, which saw the pair ride from their homes in England to Cape Town on the southern tip of Africa. Dunno, I havent told em, he says cheerfully. They put in these charges all the way down our route with our partners at Enel. South America. In June 2015, McGregor indicated that the long-discussed South American trip was still at the planning stage, but he expected that an excursion through Baja California Peninsula would take place first. Von Planta says he was riding too closely and fell while avoiding a collision; he was shaken but uninjured. Billy writes on his Twitter account: CB had accident today in Portugal @ Global launch of Triumph Explorer.In hospital but OK. Enter your email address below we'll keep you up to date with everything that's happening in the world of adventure motorcycling. Poring over a map of the world at home one quiet Saturday afternoon, Ewan McGregor - actor and self-confessed bike nut - noticed that it was possible to ride all the way round the world, with just one short hop across the Bering Strait from Russia to Alaska. The television series began broadcast on BBC Two on 28 October 2007,[3] with clips also shown online. Its really touching me, and what I was looking for in terms of feeling closer to the world, the Earth, appreciating the beauty of it as we ride along.. The two friends will travel through such places as Siberia, As with their previous trip, and Boorman's Race to Dakar, Russ Malkin's company Big Earth produced the series. I ride full time now because of LWD and LWR. I consent to allow Adventure Bike Rider to collect my contact information (required), I would like to receive competitions, exclusive offers and other promotional emails from Adventure Bike Rider, I understand that I can unsubscribe at any time. The trip, well-planned as it was, does not get off to an easy start, owing to unseasonably cold weather (it was the worst winter in since 1994 this time last year), as well as the trial of using vehicles that had yet to be tested in such conditions. I love the fact that they ride bikes. That was the case for Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman, who ended their last biking adventure 13 years ago at the end of the Long Way Downtelevision series. The first trip in the series was shot in the year 2004, when they set out on a 19,000-mile journey from London to New York City on BMW R1150GS Adventure bikes. Details area bit vague at the momentandthere is no word on whether he was riding or driving. So I pulled my pants down and swung my legs around, missed the toilet and ended up wedged between the toilet and the wall. He was appointed as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2013 for his outstanding contributions to the world of dramatics and his charity work. I just find myself thinking about it a lot. (The places these two bunk overnight, at least in the first three episodes, are hardly five-star. 2022Recurrent Ventures. Long Way Down is a television series and book documenting a motorcycle journey undertaken in 2007 by Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman, from John o' Groats in Scotland through eighteen countries in Europe and Africa to Cape Town in South Africa. Maybe when Im too old to do the adventures and TV shows Ill have these tours to keep me occupied. After being released without charge, he took a later flight to Inverness, and the journey began as scheduled. Did you encounter any technical issues? I would hate to sit there at 90 and think I wished Id done more. In the opener, he sees icebergs; tries screeching; visits the graves of Titanic victims; and encounters a tidal bore. It's such fun to ride and they are so fast. A division of A07 Online Media, LLC. It was sort of like a dream come true., Boorman recalls riding by a solar farm in Costa Rica and knocking on the fence to ask to check it out. Electric bikes are brilliant. So we had to sort of do all of our testing and learning on how to manage that battery system while we were doing the trip in sub-zero temperatures. But once they start to put real mileage between themselves and Ushuaia, a relatively predictable rhythm sets in that propels the journey forward with fewer headaches and anxieties. Couldnt think dont do it. With the right planning, of course. Riding electric, it's just a mindset and you know from driving an electric car in LA, then you know what it is. Upon arrival in Tunisia, the team bribed the local authorities with a few bottles of vodka to aid their passage into the country. Published: Monday, 8th May 2017 at 10:40 am, Long Way Round's Charley Boorman: Even if I lost my leg, I would never give up motorcycling. Also, insurance is very expensive and bike theft is a big issue. Hobart to Strachan is probably one of the best roads like that in the world. Well, that's easy, that's a no brainer. Argentinian news outlets report McGregor arrived in the country (apparently to considerable fanfare) in late August. I put the question to Charley during the making of the latest issue ofAdventure Bike Ridermagazine (issue 59). In hospital but OK. This form collects your contact information. Long Way Back is an account of Boormans recovery, and also the story of his life, touching on his dyslexia (he takes great pride in having a literary agent), the death of his older sister Telsche from ovarian cancer at the age of 38 in 1997, and his own loss of a testicle to cancer in 2010. It was hours and hours and hours later that I actually woke up, but again, I wanted to get back on the motorbike. Or if you live in Europe, pop over to Morocco for some of the best off-road riding. Web Charley Boorman Africa Touring Hear it from Charley During August to October Im leading a whole bunch of bikers on an incredible trip from Cape Town to Victoria Falls and (Charley crashed on a Triumph launch in Spain a couple of years ago.). Moped narrowly avoids 70mph train at level crossing, Tom Sizemore: The Hollywood hardman who fell from grace, Calm weekend will turn to freezing as snow and ice warnings issued, Hong Kong activists convicted over failure to comply with security law, Actor Tom Sizemore dies after career tarnished by scandals. The Facebook posts appear to show the bikes are clearly being ridden off pavement, and it doesnt look like theres knobbies mounted on the rims (yet). CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. Motorcycle adventurer Charley Boorman has bared all for Motorbike Writer readers, including his backside! My agent said why dont you use your recovery time to start writing a book about your life, your bikes and your crash, starting where youre sitting on the tarmac thinking what has just happened?. The two pals are back for their third globe-spanning motorcycle adventureand we sat down with them to talk about it. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. He grew up on an estate in the Wicklow mountains his dad had bought on a whim, and also on film sets, making his debut in his fathers brutal 1972 thriller Deliverance, aged six. On a daily basis, just plugging the bike in at the end of the day was a highlight in itself. Can you put an off-road suspension on it? Because of congestion and over-population, scooters and motorbikes should be a big part of the solution but we just need to get people to be more aware and positive towards bikes. I remember having the door open and contemplating whether I'd have to jump. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. appreciated. People look at it as one country, but its actually so diverse and so big. I'd had a lot of surgeryboth my legs were smashed up, my right hand had broken bones. They just got back in the car and drove off. Weve joined selected affiliate programs which will allow us to place advertisements for select motorcycle and motorcycle-related product retailers on the site. You seemed genuinely surprised that everyone knew who you were. Let me just say that this trip exceeded every one of my expectations. We looked to the back of their car and there was this young guy smiling at us with a gun in his hand and he was pointing it at us. The team anticipated problems at the various borders crossings, particularly in Africa. Its what we've left that behind for other people to use, which is cool. Theyre already talking about making it harder. Half of the road stays in the shade. JAG: Why the long pause between the trips and the shows? Husqvarna announces Norden 901 Expedition for 2023, New Tnr 700 versions for 2023 announced by Yamaha, Ride this incredible route through the Lake District, Discover the best motorcycle routes in Northern Spain, See Charleys Long Way Round BMW R 1150 GSA on your next ride-out, The first trailer for Long Way Up is here, Long Way Up: Ewan reveals the challenges of riding an electric bike, Watch: Riding on the frontlines in war-torn Iraq, Charley Boorman tweet sparks new TV series excitement. . Youre sort of ready for it to end. Sponsors, including Triumph, kept him afloat, but as well as pain and frustration, he faced crashing boredom. So, why has it taken more than a decade for the pair to reunite for a motorcycle adventure? Boorman Jr is great fun and wonderfully unstarry, whether remembering Lee Marvin (a fun, really talented guy, and quite mad) or recalling the years he spent as a painter and decorator to make ends meet. The riding I like most is a mountainous bit of tarmac through the forest. I broke both my legs, broke and dislocated my right ankle and smashed my left tibia and fibula. (One quick note: this interview has been edited for clarity, and it's also a lot better when you read McGregors copy in his Scottish burr.). It is a follow-up to the Long Way Round of 2004, when the pair rode east from London to New York via Eurasia and North America. The second installment in the series, 'Long Way Down' was shot in the year 2007. So far, theres no word on when the new series will be released. I live in Los Angeles and I drive an EV with what seems like 90 percent of the people in here and range is something I think about all the time. You can unsubscribe at any time. You dont have to do a six-month motorcycle adventure, just a day can be an adventure. according to a post on popular off-road riding site ADVPulse. And so we found each other again and decided to do this trip.. WebHome / Uncategorized / charley boorman accident south africa 2018. santos executive team. WebInspired by their UNICEF visits to Africa, they knew they had to go back and experience this extraordinary continent in more depth. The title song was performed by Welsh group Stereophonics and is identical to the Long Way Round theme, with the lyric "round" replaced with "down". Then we got Russ and Dave our two producers and partners and then Russ floated the idea of maybe going electric and that was it really. Initially, they wanted to undertake the journey on KTM motorcycles, but the Austrian company refused to provide them with their motorbikes, fearing that they'd fail the trip. Personally, I got into a pretty bad wreck years ago, outside of Mugello on a Ducati and since then, I've kind of had the yips whenever I got on the bike. It took 10 operations over two years and a year and a half to start walking again. It was exactly what the doctor ordered.. They traverse 13 countries, zigzagging between Argentina and Chile, then northward through Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, up through Central America (Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras and Guatemala), then finally into Mexico and ending in Los Angeles, California. Its to do with the freedom you have.. Updated JAG: When it comes to the electric bikes, there seemed to be a lot of range anxiety at the beginning of the trip for you two. EM: You just have to change your mindset. The wheels were spinning forward, but we were shooting backwards towards a cliff. You join the family theyve created under these particular conditions, and you feel how much they all mean to one another. We turned the corner on this hairpin and just hit black ice. Their daughters - Doone and Kinvara, 21 and 20 are both at university, but Doone also had to be flown home last year after breaking her jaw on a skiing trip. Smiling, looking forward 2 getting home. But its definitely the way forward. 1 bestselling author is back! You really feel the ground because there's no mechanical vibration between you and the ground - there's no mechanical movement, other than this the electric engine which is spinning around and so you can really feel the road. ", "The latest accident in Portugal was pretty scary. Essentially the bottom of my leg was hanging off, only held on by the calf muscle. WebEwan McGregor, Charley Boorman, Robert Uhlig (co-author) It started as a daydream. You may opt-out by. Although the American crew members were barred from entering Libya, this was anticipated ahead of their arrival. Related: 2021 BMW R1250 GS & GS Adventure. It was a surprise though, it's not an everyday occurrence for me! From Kenya, they rode to Uganda and then Rwanda, where they had an audience with President Paul Kagame. Riding a prototype electric Harley-Davidson LiveWire through the Calchaqu Valley in northwest Argentina, the actor and avid motorcyclist Ewan McGregor waxes poetic into a microphone inside his helmet. Boorman admitted he had been "putting on a show" for a roadside garage and braked sharply as part of a maneuver. The thing I remember most was flying through the air and seeing the pavement and wall and thinking, 'This is going to hurt'. We'd sort of slightly drifted apart just because Id moved to America, Charley was very busy and whenever I was in Britain, he seemed to be away on one of his bike trips and making another show and I kept missing him. In 2008, he did a show called 'By Any Means' where he traveled from County Wicklow, his hometown in Ireland, to Sydney, Australia using only appropriate public transport and flying whenever necessary.