They just got back in the car and drove off. Also, insurance is very expensive and bike theft is a big issue. Charley Boorman [7][8], On 27 May 2020, it was announced that the series Long Way Up would premiere on Apple TV+.[9]. The support team with the production crew followed them in custom-built Rivian R1S all-electric SUVs. When he came to rest, as he casually puts it, my leg was all flippy-floppy, bending in the wrong places and Ive pretty much broken everything but you cant fix your head. 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. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. Id love to ride with (princes) Harry and William. Its something that you cant help. When James isnt riding motorbikes, he can usually be found reading or writing about them. This is a BETA experience. For other uses, see, "Ewan McGregor secures sponsorship deal for South American road trip", "Long Way Up is go! He also has a penchant for all things F1, occasionally catching up on WRC. In Uganda, they met former child soldiers of the Lord's Resistance Army and saw the work being done to rehabilitate them. Charley Boorman All good. 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. Nite!. Charley and I talk a lot about it, about how you hear people who should really know better dismissing electric-powered vehicles. 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. Id also have loved to have ridden with Barry. I'd had a lot of surgeryboth my legs were smashed up, my right hand had broken bones. British adventurer Charley Boorman treks across Canada and discovers what makes the country amazing. I taped him on the shoulder and said, I dont think my wife wants to go to Australia with you but I do. He looked me up and down and simply said No and then walked off. And because the Long Way Up route terminates in Los Angeles, where McGregor lives, his 13,000 mile journey ended on his own driveway. By entering your details, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and privacy policy. YouTube channel where he posts videos on motorbikes. I love it. Three bikes were used in Long Way Down with Ewan, Charley and cameraman Claudio Von Plata each riding one, Long Way Up took about 100 days to complete as they rode from Ushuaia to Los Angeles, The crew traveled from their base in Shepherd's Bush, London to John o'Groats at the northern tip of Scotland to begin their journey. Id love to the do Simpson Desert. Shots posted as recently as September 14th on the Facebook fan page Long Way Everywhere appear to show Ewan and team on the road with the Livewire bikes, charging them up as they go. South Africa. I just find myself thinking about it a lot. Re-watching By Any Means for the 20th time at the moment. Charley saw it as a means to hang out with interesting people and earn money to buy motorbikes, and doesnt miss it at all. And if the photos trickling out of the southern reaches are accurate, theyre not sparing the whip, either. I think this scene (The Bike Shed) has brought younger riders back into biking. We were lucky because we were right at the crest of that adventure travel wave. Im crazy about bike riding for now 39 years. This time, McGregor and Boorman are making it even harder on themselves, taking a pair of electric Harley-Davidson LiveWire motorcycles transformed into dual-sport adventure bikes and a pair of Rivian RT1 electric pickup trucks from Ushuaia in the southernmost tip of Argentina, up through South America, Central America, into Mexico, and ending in Los Angeles, California. And that happens regularly. (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.). Boormans first thought when he was told he might lose his leg was: Well, at least I can still ride he knows an amputee stunt rider who uses a magnet to keep his artificial limb on his bikes foot peg, you see. The road through the Calchaqu Valley in northwest Argentina. That sounds like an intimidating journey on its own, but trouble began for the adventuring pair even before they left for South America. In TV Guide's exclusive sneak peek at the premiere episode, viewers get an inside look at Boorman's harrowing motorcycle accident that left him struggling to walk during the early stages of planning the trip. They went from there to Tanzania and then into Malawi, where they were joined by Ewan McGregor's wife Eve. 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. Long Way Round has broken his leg ina collision with a car while attending the media launch of the new Triumph Explorer in Portugal. I agreeI do not agree. Ive ordered a nurses uniform always wanted one. Im working away from home on average about five to seven months a year but my wife knows Ive always travelled, even when I was doing films. Enter your email address below we'll keep you up to date with everything that's happening in the world of adventure motorcycling. That was sort of a wake-up call to me that we mustn't let this friendshipthis very special relationship to medrift. WATCH: Ewan McGregor in action on the Moto Guzzi V85 TT, but will he take it on the Long Way Up? Boorman was involved in a serious accident whilst test riding a motorbike with journalists in Portugal in 2016. However, the pair undertook the journey on fully electric motorcycles, something which had never been done before. 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 godforsaken charging. Charley Boorman back in saddle for African tours - webBikeWorld And after a bike trip in south England, we have to visit Wales, Scotland, Yorkshire. 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. News updates will happen by Twitter, through @biketruck his long-time friend Billy Ward. 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. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Once youve been around the world and down its length on a motorcycle, there really isnt anywhere left to go but up. lovely story.. and Charile is an awesome guy! His German mother, Christel, died a few years ago. They took the Channel Tunnel to France and rode south to Italy. Charley journeys in a circular route starting and finishing in Cape Town, experiencing the deeply rooted Enjoy this party classic with an updated RT twist - fun for all the family! He is also properly appreciative of Olivia, whom hes been with for 30 years and married to for 25. Charley, besides being an avid motorcycle enthusiast, is an actor, TV presenter, and travel writer. JAG: How do we get people more interested in motorcycles? Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman will film in coming months", "Charley Boorman confirms the Long Way Up will take place within months", "Apple TV+ now includes all classic Fraggle Rock episodes, orders full season reboot [update: official]", Right to the Edge: Sydney to Tokyo by Any Means, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Long_Way_Down&oldid=1110182313, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Galaxy British Book Award 2008- Best Popular Non Fiction, This page was last edited on 14 September 2022, at 02:52. 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. There were moments towards the end of this trip that I said to Charley, that I could do this forever, I feel like I could keep going. 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. 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 Drive Interview: Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman Take And then I obviously had to have the second one, the second accident, where I really smashed myself up in South Africa. 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). 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. Im too stupid to be anything other than open about my life. . With equity release you could access a lump-sum of tax-free cash which can be used to enhance your retirement income, make home improvements, or even enjoy a memorable holiday. In one of my classrooms when I was at school, there was a poster of Machu Picchu. Can you put an off-road suspension on it? His close friend and partner on the road Charley Boorman, a fellow actor turned journeyman writer and TV presenter is similarly moved by the scenery. 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. She was cooking every meal, and bathing me, which would do my head in, Boorman says, but she is a saint, my wife, incredibly practical, and just gets on with it.. CB: You can really talk to each other, like Ewan and I did because there is no engine noise, so you can really hear the people you ride with. ", "I remember Ewan and I were on the side of the road in Long Way Round (a TV series in which they rode 32,000km around the world) in the Ukraine or Kazakhstan and a white Lada stopped and these two big guys got out and started walking towards us. The visuals satisfy an increasingly unbearable wanderlust that has become more acute during this year of coronavirus lockdown. He also did a follow-up to the show in 2009 called 'Right To The Edge: By Any Means' where he traveled from Sydney to Tokyo following the Pacific Rim. But we just picked up from where we left off, and we're just having a laugh again and then, of course, we started talking about motorbikes and then we started thinking, well, what about that long way up? They let us in and let us plug in our bikes as they showed us around and explained how everything worked. In 2016, Charley met with a serious accident when test riding with motorbike journalists in Portugal where he broke both his legs. 1 bestselling author is back! I just love seeing Mother Nature like this, watching the land change as we go by. The truth is you just have to have a go. Drifting apart from your mates can be a sad fact of life as you get older. During the trip, the pair visited three UNICEF facilities to promote the work done by the organisation. I think people are very dismissive. The television series began broadcast on BBC Two on 28 October 2007,[3] with clips also shown online. Within the first three episodes of this series, the duo visit: Parque Pingino Rey in Tierra del Fuego, Chile, at the tip of South America. Take a LiveWire around your city and youll just have such a laugh. Traversing through cities, mountains, deserts, and snow, they documented their trips using special helmet cameras whilst riding their bikes, had a cameraman ride on his own bike accompany them, and had a production crew that provided them with additional support and rendezvoused with them at border crossings. It could generate 105 horsepower, 86 pound-feet of torque, and had a top speed of 110 mph. Oha! [6] In June 2019, it was reported that Boorman confirmed that the filming of a third installment would begin "in a few months". wBW providessubjective opinionsand information on hard-to-find and unique motorcycling products. 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.. Charley Boorman's South African Adventure (TV Series 2013-2013) The Movie Database (TMDB) Join Adventurer Charley Boorman as he sets off once more on an epic motorbike adventure, this time making his way through the stunning, rugged and often unknown South Africa. I usually go back the way we came with them so they can experience it as well. That meant electric bikes (Harley-Davidson supplied prototypes) that could withstand myriad environments snow, ice, altitude, wind, rain and very few charging stations. Charley Boorman's South African Adventure - IMDb It took 10 operations over two years and a year and a half to start walking again. Im one of the founding members here and ever since we started weve been trying to get people active about issues with We Ride London. In 2013, riders started their amazing journey based at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel. Boorman was then badly injured in a motorcycle crash in 2016 but eventually recovered. McGregor and Boorman gave the adventure or ADV riding segment a huge boost in 2004 with their original series Long Way Round, in which the pair rode heavily loaded BMW GS adventure bikes around the world the long way from England through Russia, including Siberia, capturing their adventures on video using action cameras, and by including Swiss photographer (and rider), Claudio von Planta, who also rode a kitted BMW during the project. In the opener, he sees icebergs; tries screeching; visits the graves of Titanic victims; and encounters a tidal bore. You join the family theyve created under these particular conditions, and you feel how much they all mean to one another. A division of A07 Online Media, LLC. But now Im ok and starting to do some dirt riding again so Im super excited for our two trips there later this year. The new bikes featured a 2-cylinder boxer engine, a six-speed gearbox, and generated 109 horsepower with 89 pound-feet of torque. 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. New book 'Atlas of Extinct Countries' explores the places that fell off the map. 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. 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I have a shed about 20 minutes from home where I have a dirt bike, the T120 custom, a Beta 400, a motocross bike, a sportsbike and what am I up to? Then Ewan was in town when I was in town and he came over and stayed for a while and we started talking and as Ewan said, we had kind of drifted apart a little bit, just because we're on different sides of the pond. The first episode of Long Way Up is all preparation and planning, which was incredibly fun to follow. 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. Rivian also installed charging stations along the more desolate parts of the route. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. From abseiling down Cape Town's iconic Table Mountain, to learning how to rodeo in Canada, prepare for a non I get in trouble with her for silly things - but I can't talk about them. The final leg took them through Zambia, Namibia, Botswana and into South Africa. The soundtrack features music drawn substantially from the catalogue of Real World Records, which produced the accompanying album. Would be great to see more of this top female motorcycle adventurer. Great story. All Rights Reserved. I write about motorcycles, ebikes, cars, trucks and mobility tech. [4] Charley Boorman breaks leg in crash - webBikeWorld - Motorbike Billy writes on his Twitter account: CB had accident today in Portugal @ Global launch of Triumph Explorer. It's such fun to ride and they are so fast. Its A Honda!: Automakers Pursue VTOL Dreams, These Are The 12 Greenest Cars In The U.S. For 2023, reportedly begun production of the third entry. The simple act of watching Ewan and Charley put a map on a wall and trace the route was enough to give this viewer some serious travel Stendhal syndrome I needed to order an actual map (and did). A bike tour with my wife. HotCars covers all things automotive: the latest auto news and informative reviews on the car, pickup truck and motorcycle industries. 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. 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. This path of chargers on the route still exists, and its our Long Way Up legacy. But its definitely the way forward. On the Late Show with David Letterman (17 February 2010), McGregor said he was not planning another trip, because he found it difficult to be away from his family for such a long time, but he also mentioned wanting to do a trip from South to North America. In 2016, Charley met with a serious accident when test riding with motorbike journalists in Portugal where he broke both his legs. 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. I didnt do very well in school, but I got As in daydreaming, so I would spend a lot of time daydreaming about Machu Picchu, like it was this mythical place that Id never see. I ride full time now because of LWD and LWR. Von Planta says he was riding too closely and fell while avoiding a collision; he was shaken but uninjured. if you're if your daily commute is less than 100 miles, which let's face it, most of us don't ride more than 100 miles a day on our bikes. Theyre already talking about making it harder. How do we get someone more interested in EVs and becoming a better eco steward while still being, you know, a total degenerate biker? And they just did. A Warner Bros. Dealing with things such as insane cold meant moving bikes indoors overnight and wearing all the clothes. Long Way Down at the Lagoon Beach Hotel on August 4, 2007 in Cape Town, South Africa. Billy Ward. Electric bikes are brilliant. The Perito Moreno glacier in Argentinas Los Glaciares National Park, which rises above turquoise glacial waters. She likes riding (pillon passenger) too, after she start doing it, the first time with me. 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. And thats when the real magic begins. Given their experiences on the Long Way Round, which included problems with Russian visas, a "fine" for a missing stamp in their carnet, and delays of up to twelve hours, major preparation and planning went into the transit between countries. The second installment in the series, 'Long Way Down' was shot in the year 2007. 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. 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?. Use your recovery as the spine of the book. I was just coming back from the bathroom and he was sitting in my chair chatting up my wife. I had three big casts on three limbs of my body and I was feeling really, really, really very sorry for myself and thinking, if only I had this, or only I had done that. (Photo by Michelly Rall/WireImage). The book abounds with bikes trashed and accidents endured, including the time Boorman rode 400km in the Dakar Rally with broken hands. So it goes with Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman and their third globe-trotting adventure, a follow-up to the epic journeys documented in 2004s The Long Way Round and 2007s The Long Way Down. 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. Why now, after a 12-year hiatus, did the duo decide to return for a third run? Badar enjoys driving cars, writing about cars, watching movies and anime about cars; basically, he loves cars! Scottish star Mr McGregor, 49, first rose to prominence in Danny Boyles cult classic Trainspotting and subsequently starred in blockbusters including Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker and DC 1:41 PM EDT, Thu September 17, 2020, Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman take on a 13,000-mile e-bike journey in the Apple TV+ series, "Long Way Up.". Click here to read more about his African tours. The first one (Long Way Down) because it was all new. But, in February last year, Charley was involved in motorcycle accident while in Portugal for the launch of the Triumph Tiger Explorer so bad that he almost lost his left leg. So, why has it taken more than a decade for the pair to reunite for a motorcycle adventure? During this time, he got an acting job on The Serpents Kiss in 1997, where he met McGregor, and they talked about bikes, because thats what bikers do, and cooked up the idea of a 19,000-mile, two-wheeled journey from London to New York that became 2004s Long Way Round a TV series, book and DVD.