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". Ewan McGregor, besides being an actor, has been an activist and the ambassador for UNICEF UK since 2004. They crossed 13 countries, namely Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico, and the U.S.A. I just love seeing Mother Nature like this, watching the land change as we go by. WebLong Way Round: Created by David Alexanian, Charley Boorman, Russ Malkin, Ewan McGregor. Now, a decade after the Long Way Down entry, it looks like the third installment is underway with electric mobility at the core of the concept. Electric bikes are brilliant. Then this big truck came round the corner and it put them off. Every 20 minutes, you were just about to crash. And they just did. . He was last seen starring as Obi Wan Kenobi in Disney+ original series Obi Wan Kenobi in 2022. 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. This form collects your contact information. John thought acting might help his dyslexic son to express himself. Jon Alain Guzik: Youve been around and down, why decide to go up this time? That was my therapy, to get back on the motorbike. Every time we found somewhere to plug that bike in was like a little mini-triumph, said McGregor. In fact, I borrowed (wife) Olivias scooter to go to the shops because I couldnt change gears with the cage around my leg. Sponsors, including Triumph, kept him afloat, but as well as pain and frustration, he faced crashing boredom. We chatted to Jody Ocker who is currently traversing Africa with Charley! Each bike weighed about 505 pounds. Weve joined selected affiliate programs which will allow us to place advertisements for select motorcycle and motorcycle-related product retailers on the site. The book and TV show enabled me to do the Dakar and the other tours and books and shows, so it really changed my life. That was sort of a wake-up call to me that we mustn't let this friendshipthis very special relationship to medrift. The team anticipated problems at the various borders crossings, particularly in Africa. Billy Ward. However, Alice struggles running the vet clinic in his absence, and a traumatic, close encounter with a I put the question to Charley during the making of the latest issue ofAdventure Bike Ridermagazine (issue 59). The team travelled from their base in Shepherd's Bush, London, to John o' Groats at the northern tip of Scotland to begin their journey. Well, that's easy, that's a no brainer. And our bikes were being charged directly by the sun., In the end, after three months on the road, both men were ready to end the trip, though Boorman says, You always talk about the possibility of another one, so youve got that in your head, so its not so bad that this ones finished., Theres an arc, these trips that weve done, says McGregor. Weve been talking about it a long-time and if the stars align we will do something like a Long Way up from Tierra Del Fuego to Alaska in the next couple of years. 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. It was hours and hours and hours later that I actually woke up, but again, I wanted to get back on the motorbike. The scenery is breathtaking, and while the relationship between McGregor and Boorman is the predominant one, seeing how this group navigates the trip, together and separately, is also powerful stuff. 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. Charley Boorman In 2004, Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman embarked on a journey to bike across 12 countries and 19 time zones in 115 days. It's a different way of thinking but it's totally doable in America. In Long Way Down, they share their 15,000-mile It was six months before I could walk on one leg. WebBoorman hit a wall and then bounced along the pavement three times. I would hate to sit there at 90 and think I wished Id done more. 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. I love it. Charley will be leading a pack of Adventure When it's extremely cold, you know, the batteries don't perform as well. Charley had just returned from a Compass Expeditions Update 2moro. People look at it as one country, but its actually so diverse and so big. 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. 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. 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. Once it became a little warmer, the batteries became much more friendly and we got more distance out of it. I broke both my legs, broke and dislocated my right ankle and smashed my left tibia and fibula. Boorman admitted he had been "putting on a show" for a roadside garage and braked sharply as part of a maneuver. 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. WebCharley Boorman, adventurer, motorbike enthusiast and no. The torque is unbelievable, its fun to be sort of silent and it's just a different riding experience. 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. WebEwan McGregor, Charley Boorman, Robert Uhlig (co-author) It started as a daydream. They rode the BMW R1200GS Adventure, the successor to the R1150GS Adventure bikes in Long Way Round.[2]. I get in trouble with her for silly things - but I can't talk about them. Long Way Down - Wikipedia But they arrived in Ushuaia after we did. wBW providessubjective opinionsand information on hard-to-find and unique motorcycling products. 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. 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. Charley Boorman Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman take on South America 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. Boorman at last year's Chelsea Flower Show. That meant electric bikes (Harley-Davidson supplied prototypes) that could withstand myriad environments snow, ice, altitude, wind, rain and very few charging stations. During the trip, the pair visited three UNICEF facilities to promote the work done by the organisation. Hope Charley is doing OK. Id love to see Tiffany Coates standing in for him rather than his engagements having to be cancelled. 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. The second installment in the series, 'Long Way Down' was shot in the year 2007. Youre sort of ready for it to end. [7][8], On 27 May 2020, it was announced that the series Long Way Up would premiere on Apple TV+.[9]. But now, some 18 months later, Charley is back in the saddle, pursuing adventure with more enthusiasm than ever before. Charley had a terrible accident and was very badly injured. I really hope Charley and Ewan do ride together soon in another adventure. The answer was the pair drifted apart over the past decade and its only thanks to two broken legs and a barbecue that they reunited for their latest adventure,Long Way Up. Charley Boorman: When I did have the accident, you know, I remember waking up in the morning and I was in Portuguese hospital. 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. He had shattered his left tibia and fibula and broken his right ankle and wrist. Ewan went on to talk of how it wasn't until Charley had a motorcycle accident in 2016 that he and Charley settled their differences. Charley Boorman and Ewan McGregor spat: Charley nearly lost his leg after his motorbike accident in 2016. (Image: GETTY ) Charley Boorman bares all for our readers - Motorbike Writer (The places these two bunk overnight, at least in the first three episodes, are hardly five-star. Riding electric, it's just a mindset and you know from driving an electric car in LA, then you know what it is. It's such fun to ride and they are so fast. He has his own YouTube channel where he posts videos on motorbikes. The final leg took them through Zambia, Namibia, Botswana and into South Africa. Charley and I talk a lot about it, about how you hear people who should really know better dismissing electric-powered vehicles. They let us in and let us plug in our bikes as they showed us around and explained how everything worked. I write about motorcycles, ebikes, cars, trucks and mobility tech. It just seemed to be a better fit with what I was doing with The Bike Shed. Upon arrival in Tunisia, the team bribed the local authorities with a few bottles of vodka to aid their passage into the country. Wild At Heart Watch Online Season: 6 Episode: 4 | Full Stream Oha! We were lucky, we had assistance from Rivian. The truth is you just have to have a go. His German mother, Christel, died a few years ago. 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. Weve had our share of spills and thrills (riding, all our lives), but this is -pretty- unbelievable; so unfortunate! and the first time we read /hear about it. Great story. The thing I remember most was flying through the air and seeing the pavement and wall and thinking, 'This is going to hurt'. In Ethiopia, they visited a land mine awareness project and met children injured by mines. All Rights Reserved. Up In The Air! Horror crash: Charley is back on his bike after a horror smash last year Wed 19 Jul 2017 at 01:41 TV presenter and adventurer Charley Boorman, who motorbiked But the LiveWire wasn't even being sold yet, so we were so lucky that they built us these two beautiful bikes. Send him yor best. Im amazed when Charley Boorman walks to the door of his west London home. On a daily basis, just plugging the bike in at the end of the day was a highlight in itself. Okay, not Yorkshire again. 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 In 2019, Ewan and Charlie reunited 12 years after 'Long Way Down', this time hoping to journey from the city of Ushuaia at the southernmost tip of South America to Los Angeles, U.S.A; a journey of over 13,000-miles. Its something that you cant help. The Long Way motorcycle adventurer Well also do one on Scramblers in Morocco on light gravel and tar. A division of A07 Online Media, LLC. This article is about the TV documentary series. Which is fitting, because according to numerous reports, the pair have ditched their all-conquering BMW GS Adventure dual-sport machines for something a bit more radical: Harley-Davidsons new all-electric Livewire motorcycles. Can you put an off-road suspension on it? Theyre already talking about making it harder. GET THE LATEST ADVENTURE BIKE NEWS IN YOUR INBOX. And for real adventure touring, EVs add a whole 'nother dimension to it. Updated Last year, he was involved in a horrific accident in Portugal, in which he nearly lost his leg, when he was clipped on his motorbike by a car and ended up slamming into a wall. With the right planning, of course. 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. I understand why they ride bikes: One, because they love it and two because it gives them anonymity. Never did I think I would not ride again. 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. It could generate 105 horsepower, 86 pound-feet of torque, and had a top speed of 110 mph. News updates will happen by Twitter, through @biketruck his long-time friend Billy Ward. Forbes.com has reached out to Harley-Davidson for comment on the news. That makes it very complicated and I dont understand how people are so tribal about it. We've sort of lost touch with each other a little bit. 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. Related: Youve Never Seen A Harley-Davidson LiveWire Like This. Harley just nailed it. Dealing with things such as insane cold meant moving bikes indoors overnight and wearing all the clothes. Discovery Company. 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. They put in these charges all the way down our route with our partners at Enel. The godforsaken charging. As an aside, I could watch Charley Boorman layer up (please put this on TikTok) all day. 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. appreciated. 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. Im just going to crack on., Try 12 issues for 1 today - never miss an issue. The Drive Interview: Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman Take Ive pretty much broken everything but you cant fix your head. After visiting the pyramids, they boarded a ferry to Sudan, continued into Ethiopia and then into Kenya, where they crossed the equator. Our reviews are hands-on, detailed, and unbiased. Our reviews are hands-on, detailed, and unbiased. Extreme Frontiers Long Way Up: How 2 broken legs and a BBQ reunited Ewan and A bit of separation is not a bad thing and I always try to schedule trips while the kids are at school. Can you put a screen on it? The Perito Moreno glacier in Argentinas Los Glaciares National Park, which rises above turquoise glacial waters. I was on a bed pan for god knows how long and I just wanted to go to a regular toilet. He answered many of the questions posted in by you, our readers, including his next trip wth Star Wars star Ewan McGregor, his regrets, riding tips and more. But if I could have ridden with anybody Id have loved to have ridden with Lawrence of Arabia on a Brough Superior. I love the fact that they ride bikes. Then I noticed the guy beside me and then he wasn't in a very good way at all and it was at that moment that I kind of realized that actually, these are just some broken bones and I'll get through this. according to a post on popular off-road riding site ADVPulse. Enjoy this party classic with an updated RT twist - fun for all the family! 2022Recurrent Ventures. More importantly, the pair hopes the show will give people a new appreciation for where electric vehicle technology is at this moment, and the kinds of eco-conscious adventures that are already possible in far-flung areas of our increasingly fragile environment. Also, insurance is very expensive and bike theft is a big issue. The European leg ended in Sicily, where they caught a ferry to Tunisia. Badar enjoys driving cars, writing about cars, watching movies and anime about cars; basically, he loves cars! For Long Way Up, which debuts globally on Apple TV+ on September 18 with the first three episodes, McGregor and Boorman reunite to ride 13,000 miles from Ushuaia in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, to Los Angeles, California. 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. Learn more about us. [4] 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. I really thought, 'S***, he's going to kill us'. Charley Boorman I realized we share something that I dont share with anyone else. You could just keep riding your bike not knowing where you're going on forever and If it wasn't for the people that you love at home, that would be an interesting way of life. He has worked in numerous Hollywood movies such as the Star Wars prequel trilogy, the Trainspotting series (1996, 2017), Christopher Robin (2018), Doctor Sleep (2019), Pinocchio (2022), and many more projects. 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. Olivia matches lonely elderly people with tenants who provide company or help, and suddenly found herself also dealing with a husband who couldnt manage the lavatory alone. Charley Boorman is riding again after his major motorcycle crash in 2016 and ready for his big African adventure later this year. Having explored much of Europe and most recently Thailand on two wheels, hes now got his sights set on exploring more of the world by motorcycle. When he came to rest, as he casually puts it, my leg was all flippy-floppy, bending in the wrong places and He smiled and nodded his head. The Long Way Up production crew hooked up with an electric SUV startup, Rivian, to supply new prototype pickup trucks designed to take on every terrain. 1 bestselling author is back! 2023 Cable News Network. Charley Boorman's Motorcycle Life Motorcycle Podcasts The bone came out of my skin. CB: Certainly those first few weeks had a steep learning curve. And thats when the real magic begins. Charley Boorman and Ewan McGregor stop in Bolivia on their electric Harley- Davidson LiveWires. Previous iterations of the episodic documentary series were Long Way Round, an eastward journey from London to New York City in 2004, and Long Way Down, a southward odyssey from John o Groats in Scotland to Cape Town in South Africa, in 2007. They decided the Long Way Up would be an electric voyage a way to see the world without aiding its decay. Charley Boorman breaks leg in crash - webBikeWorld - Motorbike 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? By entering your details, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and privacy policy. But when you and your best friend are the two most recognisable faces in adventure biking, people start to ask questions when you havent been seen together in a while. Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman reunite to ride 13,000 miles from Tierra del Fuego to Los Angeles in the Apple TV+ show "Long Way Up" -- the third journey And so we found each other again and decided to do this trip.. HotCars covers all things automotive: the latest auto news and informative reviews on the car, pickup truck and motorcycle industries. When you stop at traffic lights, you can hear people talking as they're walking down the pavement, it's a fantastic experience. 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. Von Planta says he was riding too closely and fell while avoiding a collision; he was shaken but uninjured. Update lata., Endingwith: Charley Update: OK, hes come round after op. Here's What Ewan McGregor And Charley Boorman Are Up To Today, all 3 of which you can watch on Apple TV+, Youve Never Seen A Harley-Davidson LiveWire Like This, Charley met with a serious accident when test riding with motorbike journalists in Portugal.