WebCharley Boorman's South African Adventure: With Charley Boorman. EW: [Laughs] You just have to ride, people just have to have a go. JAG: Charley, you were in quite a few different wrecks over the years. She likes riding (pillon passenger) too, after she start doing it, the first time with me. I think people are very dismissive. As with their previous trip, and Boorman's Race to Dakar, Russ Malkin's company Big Earth produced the series. And for real adventure touring, EVs add a whole 'nother dimension to it. I love them all. [5] In March 2017, during a Reddit AMA, Ewan said there were "no plans at the moment" to do a third installment of the series. I just recently completed a 5000 km ride through South Africa, Namibia, and Zambia with Charley Boorman. Send him yor best. His motorcycle was substantially damaged, and the footage of the rest of the journey to Cape Agulhas appears only to include support vehicle and helmet cam footage, suggesting that Von Planta's motorcycle was no longer used. I wish you all the best, Charlie. When I broke my legs badly I sat there for a little while and thought what if Id just left the hotel a little later But the reality is that its happened and there is nothing you can do. See our privacy policy for details on how we manage your data. (The places these two bunk overnight, at least in the first three episodes, are hardly five-star. S02E01 Cape Town January 9, 2013; Channel 5 (UK) Charley begins in Cape Town and abseils from the Ever wonder what it's like to be riding with Charley Boorman? 2023 Cable News Network. I dont have anything to hide. By entering your details, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and privacy policy. He has his own YouTube channel where he posts videos on motorbikes. The original broadcast dates in the United Kingdom were: In the final pages of the Long Way Down book, there is a mention of "Long Way To Go"; however, this is not the intended title for a third series but a reference to the continual support that UNICEF needs for its work. Oha! 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. Ewan McGregor: Really once you've experienced that sort of adventure travel like weve done, it's sort of in you. A Mercedes clipped the Triumph he was riding in Portugal. Charley is a much-loved and frequent visitor to Australia where he leads Outback tours with Compass Expeditions. 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. Up In The Air! 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. 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. I love to show people that they can have a great tour in Africa and there is some great food, great wine and the people are so lovely. JAG: How do we get people more interested in motorcycles? We need to be a bit more friendly toward each other and look at what the cycling industry has done with their lobbying. Boorman was involved in a serious accident whilst test riding a motorbike with journalists in Portugal in 2016. The journey started on 12 May and finished on 4 August 2007. Once it became a little warmer, the batteries became much more friendly and we got more distance out of it. But if I could have ridden with anybody Id have loved to have ridden with Lawrence of Arabia on a Brough Superior. And if the photos trickling out of the southern reaches are accurate, theyre not sparing the whip, either. 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. Learn more about us. The support team with the production crew followed them in custom-built Rivian R1S all-electric SUVs. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. However, although delays of a few hours were common, there were few significant problems at crossing points as they travelled further south. I was overtaking a car on my motorbike when it clipped me, sending me careering into a wall. You have to drive a car, but you choose to ride a motorbike or a horse, or climb a mountain, he explains. That was a dodgy one. JAG: Why the long pause between the trips and the shows? Once youve been around the world and down its length on a motorcycle, there really isnt anywhere left to go but up. Its been more than a decade since Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman rode triumphantly into Cape Town at the end of a journey that saw them travel the length of Africa on their BMW R 1200 GS Adventure motorcycles. Maybe when Im too old to do the adventures and TV shows Ill have these tours to keep me occupied. 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. I realized we share something that I dont share with anyone else. 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. The wheels were spinning forward, but we were shooting backwards towards a cliff. And after a bike trip in south England, we have to visit Wales, Scotland, Yorkshire. He was in a wheelchair for a while Our reviews are hands-on, detailed, and unbiased. 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. WebCharley Boorman, adventurer, motorbike enthusiast and no. The series was added to Apple TV+ on 18 September 2020 along with the first iteration Long Way Round (2004) and sequel Long Way Up (2020). He is still close to his father, who is 84 and walks with sticks: when Charley was on crutches, they looked like twins, he says. 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. Charley saw it as a means to hang out with interesting people and earn money to buy motorbikes, and doesnt miss it at all. 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. Its something that you cant help. However, given the pairs typical journeys through distant lands where it might be a challenge to find gasoline or food, let alone a Level II electric vehicle charger, its suspected the sprinter vans might be ferrying generators for the Livewire bikes, which will need to top up about every 100 miles under favorable conditions. Well also do one on Scramblers in Morocco on light gravel and tar. Were also starting to do short tours to Spain with The Bike Shed, mianly on hipster bikes like the T120s and Thruxtons. The shock absorbers bore the brunt, with both McGregor's and von Planta's bikes suffering broken springs. Never did I think I would not ride again. 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. 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. The bone came out of my skin. Its great to have both, weve had a lot of fun on petrol bikes as well but your every day going bike when you live in a city has got to be electric now. Besides the 'Long Way' series, Charley has been actively working on his own projects. I think this scene (The Bike Shed) has brought younger riders back into biking. Weve joined selected affiliate programs which will allow us to place advertisements for select motorcycle and motorcycle-related product retailers on the site. 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. Ive never really had any regrets. WebHome / Uncategorized / charley boorman accident south africa 2018. santos executive team. In 2016, Charley met with a serious accident when test riding with motorbike journalists in Portugal where he broke both his legs. They last about four days each and we will do them over long weekends. I usually go back the way we came with them so they can experience it as well. You could get a quiet little electric trials bike and ride around in your back yard and no would would know until they saw your head pop up above the fence when you did a jump. The final leg took them through Zambia, Namibia, Botswana and into South Africa. Long Way Uppremieres on Apple TV on Friday 18 September. 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. WebThis is Charleys touring show with of an added update regards his accident last year how it happened and how the recovery is going. I understand why they ride bikes: One, because they love it and two because it gives them anonymity. 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. They rode the BMW R1200GS Adventure, the successor to the R1150GS Adventure bikes in Long Way Round.[2]. If Ewan hadnt been involved, it wouldnt have had a chance to be successful, says Boorman, frankly. Its very rare that you get that period of time to hang out with your best buddy and ride motorbikes. 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.". HotCars covers all things automotive: the latest auto news and informative reviews on the car, pickup truck and motorcycle industries. Can you change the seat? CB: Certainly those first few weeks had a steep learning curve. 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. They just got back in the car and drove off. But I did perfect the wheelchair wheelie with a lot of pain. YouTube channel where he posts videos on motorbikes. And because the Long Way Up route terminates in Los Angeles, where McGregor lives, his 13,000 mile journey ended on his own driveway. British adventurer Charley Boorman treks across Canada and discovers what makes the country amazing. 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. The first one (Long Way Down) because it was all new. And thats when the real magic begins. Charley Boorman: When I did have the accident, you know, I remember waking up in the morning and I was in Portuguese hospital. Revealed: First photos and premiere date of Long Way Up. With the right planning, of course. However, American producer David Alexanian and cameraman Jimmy Simak were unable to obtain the necessary entry visas and were forced to fly from Tunisia to Egypt. Both McGregor and Boorman had visited such centres in Africa previously. The team anticipated problems at the various borders crossings, particularly in Africa. 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 This is a BETA experience. Didn't think you were that famous? News updates will happen by Twitter, through @biketruck his long-time friend Billy Ward. 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. 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. 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. 2. He had shattered his left tibia and fibula and broken his right ankle and wrist. 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. 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 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? So we had to bring them inside, where it wasn't actually that much warmer, so we also had to put blankets on top of the bikes to warm them up and get them charging again. You join the family theyve created under these particular conditions, and you feel how much they all mean to one another. 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. I thought Id broken my hip just for the sake of going down the shops! They also decided to travel with medic Dai Jones, cameraman and security officer Jim Foster, and various "fixers"local guides and interpreters. You may opt-out by. And so we found each other again and decided to do this trip.. Boorman at last year's Chelsea Flower Show. And they just did. 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. 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 -- Pictured: (l-r) Charley Boorman, Ewan McGregor -- Photo by: Sven [+] Arnstein/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank. Here are some facts about the 'Long Way' series and what Ewan and Charley are up to today. So, why has it taken more than a decade for the pair to reunite for a motorcycle adventure? Ewans always had a loose relationship with Moto Guzzi (hes currently an ambassador) so theres no conflict there. People look at it as one country, but its actually so diverse and so big. Id love to ride with (princes) Harry and William. 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. The Perito Moreno glacier in Argentinas Los Glaciares National Park, which rises above turquoise glacial waters. The thing I remember most was flying through the air and seeing the pavement and wall and thinking, 'This is going to hurt'. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. (Charley crashed on a Triumph launch in Spain a couple of years ago.). according to a post on popular off-road riding site ADVPulse. I fell off that as well. I've crashed a lot in the past. Obi-Wan Kenobi was right, you know: That is a major twist. I broke both legs, which is why I ended up lying in bed for three months. You're looking at your GPS for the actual mileage left and you're looking at your bike which is telling you the projected mileage based on within the parameters that it's experiencing at that point in time and you're trying to keep those fingers together, so it adds a certain element of artistry to it. He underwent gruesome treatment in Portugal and then in London, and doctors feared he might lose the leg. 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. During the trip, the pair visited three UNICEF facilities to promote the work done by the organisation. 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. His German mother, Christel, died a few years ago. I have earphones in them and I can listen to podcasts and books. I love Africa and returned last year to guide a tour, but I felt quite vulnerable dabbing my feet off road in case I broke my legs again. appreciated. 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 ) I just think it was about time, you know. TV presenter and adventurer Charley Boorman, who motorbiked around the world with his pal Ewan McGregor for the series Long Way Round and Long Way Down, has had plenty of scrapes in his time. 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 2016, Charley met with a serious accident when test riding with motorbike journalists in Portugal where he broke both his legs. Jon Alain Guzik: Youve been around and down, why decide to go up this time? It's a different way of thinking but it's totally doable in America. Apparently, after completing two epic motorbike adventures, the two felt they needed an additional challenge. South Africa. It took 10 operations over two years and a year and a half to start walking again. Not just get on a bike again, but go basically 13,000 miles on an electric motorcycle? The new bikes featured a 2-cylinder boxer engine, a six-speed gearbox, and generated 109 horsepower with 89 pound-feet of torque. Badar enjoys driving cars, writing about cars, watching movies and anime about cars; basically, he loves cars! 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. I was just coming out the hotel in the morning and was passing a car when the driver decided to turn down a lane. Billy Ward. 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. All these vehicles are all frontier tech and you both seemed pretty damn worried during the first couple of episodes. 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. See our review policies for more information. Africa gets a really bad rub as a dangerous place, usually by people who havent been. wBW providessubjective opinionsand information on hard-to-find and unique motorcycling products. 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. In Ethiopia, they visited a land mine awareness project and met children injured by mines. Ive ordered a nurses uniform always wanted one. The soundtrack features music drawn substantially from the catalogue of Real World Records, which produced the accompanying album. Discovery Company. ", "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. 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.
