Long Way Down

[SteveH]

Hmmm...but if one were doing it , assuming one was not
a a filthy rich film star
b the son of a filthy rich film director
a battalion strength backup crew might be out of reach.
In those circumstances I'd be reluctant to take a 1200GS, as picking it up more than a couple of times a day might prove tiring.
So.....what bike would you do it on???
Answers on a postcard....

[m25jambuster]

Went to a BMW dealership this morning to place an order for a 1200GS based on what I had seen on LWR and am seeing on LWD. Sadly I was last in the line of the other 200 like minded people and I now cant get one until 2010!!! (Tongue in cheek smiley please Moderators!)

Seriously though - BMW must rub their hands in glee when this is done and KTM must rue the day they made the decision not to support the original trip LWR.

[jltownshend]

But...

The Belstaff outfits...the colours...the "Got a wet arse already" as EM arrived in only London...

HA, HA, HA!

It's hard work sitting in front of a map and then (sometimes) deciding not to pack the Toilet roll cover (Last trip they had a toilet roll holder).

I note that they are starting as they finished last time with two tents and sleeping apart...

Apart from that, I'm looking forward to it!

J

[Cobbster]

Hi all,
Anyone notice the Boxer cup in the HQ garage? I cought a couple of fleeting glimses as the camera panned around.

Their trip down from John o Groats reminded me of mine early this summer. We went past and stopped at virtually the same places, Spean bridge memorial, Crieff, Glencoe and so on. Wish we were still there, the scenery was awesome.

Cheers, Cobbster.

[Lars1974]

Hi all,

i like the programm just what it is...easy and pleasant TV, better than most of the other crap on telly these days!

As for wanting a GS: As long as you dont want to go off-road our "S" is perfectly capable for touring...i did the large trip through 11 of the 15 provinces in Spain and travelled all the way through Germany, Belgium etc...two up with full luggage and the bike did not miss a beat!

Hail the R1100s!
Anyone can ride a GS!!!

only my opinion!

[PBBoxer]

With respect, an 1100s wont be much cop on grasslands, loose trails or river crossings!!

GS1150 fer me
or
KTM adv

[Harry]

KTM?? 1200 GS??

foookin poofs.

I'm doin my 2500km rally on a Honda CTX 200. Now that's a challenge that's got to be worth sponsoring!
And one of my mates suffers with his farmer giles...!

Off in 8 days and still looking for donations (all sponsorship money goes to Riders for Health so at least Boorman & McGreggor got that bit right!)

www.justgiving.com/harryrogers

and there's still a few Trixters who promised support and didn't show! No names, of course.
Yet.

[Jason M]

KTM?? 1200 GS??

foookin poofs.

I'm doin my 2500km rally on a H*nda CTX 200. Now that's a challenge that's got to be worth sponsoring!
And one of my mates suffers with his farmer giles...!

Off in 8 days and still looking for donations (all sponsorship money goes to Riders for Health so at least Boorman & McGreggor got that bit right!)

www.justgiving.com/harryrogers

and there's still a few Trixters who promised support and didn't show! No names, of course.
Yet.

Good luck with that Harry - it'll be a blast I'm sure. And the Honda will be a better choice than a GS I reckon too. Africa is an amazing place.. truly amazing. Wish I was coming along too

Jason

[boxerscott]

First non fiction book my wife read. She was glued to LWD thinks its good and that I am only jealous... Women what do they know??

[Black Knight]

Not seen any of these unfortunatley, not got a TV connection at home.

Think they had the Boxer Cup at the end of LWR when Ewan's Dad came to meet him.

[horse27]

Terra Circa and Mondo Enduro were far truer depictions of overlanding / adventure touring ... available on DVD.

They took DR350s.

Yam XT or Honda XR still good - old school tech that can be fixed by any mechanic you might come across with the tools available.

Recommend Jupiter's Travels too (as mentioned above) ... I think Ted sums it up when he says something about the actual trip being easy it's just the worrying and thinking it's difficult just because not many others do it, etc.

Don't believe the hype - all you need is a bike and a will (no pun intended) - any plans you make will change anyway.

If Dan Walsh can do it then anybody can (can't ride, no mechanical knowledge or sympathy, no plan ...)

I'd take a Honda Hero (C90 based I think) and go with the total loss touring method - ride it until it explodes - buy another one (£300 OTR in India )

Blah blah blah ... H.

[oyster]

All true, you just need the will. My school mate, when he was about 21, no real mechanical knowledge, brief geographical awareness, wanted to go to 'Greece'. He got into the middle of that country, two up, on a Honda CD175. He abandoned it, he said, with the engine still running, leaning against a tree after the totally shredded rear flat tyre left him riding on the rim. He was thirty miles from any town and decided that it would be less hassle to hitch onwards from there. He now manages a caravan park somewhere north of St Tropez.

[rc]

hi
good luck to them both,must be real fun if you are a bike nut ,backup crew the lot ,all that crap attached to the bike ,serious case of a bad back coming up for sure and they aren't big guys to pick them up .wish i could tag along for a month eh .all i know if i broke down it would be phone battery gone, walk to the phone box 6 miles at least ,wait 2 f--- hours for the rac tele tubbies to arrive then to notice the bike has been ransacked or been stolen and just a damp patch were it was left .

[BockingBandit]

It was Ted Simon's book that first stoked my 'Adventure Fire' back when I had hair and though that girls were magical creatures. More recently I read Emilio Scotto 'The Longest Ride' which made Jupiter's Travels look like a 'Saga Mini-Break'. Some people 'diss' LWR and LWD for being pampered and over financed,.. but given the options, .... I know which way I'd prefer to do it. Whichever way you decide to do it, ... any motorcycle journey is an adventure into the unknown, some are just a little longer than others. Can't wait to see the rest of the episodes and then re-think my own more humble plans.

[soggybottoms]

More fun and japes from Messrs Boorman & McGregor

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpgKXkyYEvc