articulate
Expedition Leader
Yeah! And with a rhino shnozz out front.DesertRose said:
Would Jonathan approve?
Long way down....
- Thread starter goodtimes
- Start date
Would Jonathan approve?
DesertRose
Safari Chick & Supporting Sponsor
articulate said:
Nope, but who's asking?!
[He's already teased me that I'm the only woman he knows who would look at a picture of Ewan McGregor and say, "Oh my god! A zebra-striped BMW! I want one!" Yesh!]
DesertRose
Safari Chick & Supporting Sponsor
Long Way Down blog and website
The Long Way Down website is re-done, very nice (total java script, sometimes it wigged out on me, but it's great - wonderful bike and truck detail pages; note that Nissan stepped up as a sponsor and they've got Patrol turbo diesels!).
The BBC is also running their blog and it's great - I love the map feature, looks like a hybrid Google Earth thing, very neat.
Whatever you think of 2 "celebrities" doing this, it's a great adventure regardless, and their commitment to charities and people along the way is excellent.
Website: http://www.longwaydown.com/
Blog: http://www.bbc.co.uk/longwaydown/
The Long Way Down website is re-done, very nice (total java script, sometimes it wigged out on me, but it's great - wonderful bike and truck detail pages; note that Nissan stepped up as a sponsor and they've got Patrol turbo diesels!).
The BBC is also running their blog and it's great - I love the map feature, looks like a hybrid Google Earth thing, very neat.
Whatever you think of 2 "celebrities" doing this, it's a great adventure regardless, and their commitment to charities and people along the way is excellent.
Website: http://www.longwaydown.com/
Blog: http://www.bbc.co.uk/longwaydown/
Desertdude
Expedition Leader
I am not sure they are bringing enough stuff on this... "The long Weighted Down"
I was a fan of Long Way Round. Read the book... one of the few pieces of literature that was more than about 100 soft pages(magazines) that I have read.
I am looking forward to seeing this come forward. My wife is a big fan of Ewans. She loves his voice and of course thinks he is hot. And she read parts of the book and thinks he's a lot like me....
I wish they would have reconsidered the bikes. There are several bikes that would have made that trip alot easier on them. I think the Honda Transalps or the KTMs would have been better choices. The beemers are just too heavy. Especially watching the LWR. I think they will be dealing with much more sand and slick mud on this trip. Sand and mud is no fun on a bike thats for sure. Especially when the bike is so loaded down.
But, I think they learned their lesson from their first trip. GET RID OF THE UN-NECESSARIES! They found how much better the bike handled whenever they shaved 50lbs out of the panniers.
They outfitted the Patrol right. They may as well just get a couple more of those to take and have just as much fun.... since the bikes will be belly up most of the time.
More about the bike choice. I'm sure BMW gave them the beemers again, but I think they should have chosen similarly outfitted the BMW F650GS Dakar. Probably half the weight. Just as comfortable. Better offroad. It just doesnt make sense to have such big bikes when they have the support vehicles there. They could easily have almost no weight on the bikes the entire trip.
We'll see how this goes.....:chowtime:
Will likely be a stocking stuffer this year!
I am looking forward to seeing this come forward. My wife is a big fan of Ewans. She loves his voice and of course thinks he is hot. And she read parts of the book and thinks he's a lot like me....
I wish they would have reconsidered the bikes. There are several bikes that would have made that trip alot easier on them. I think the Honda Transalps or the KTMs would have been better choices. The beemers are just too heavy. Especially watching the LWR. I think they will be dealing with much more sand and slick mud on this trip. Sand and mud is no fun on a bike thats for sure. Especially when the bike is so loaded down.
But, I think they learned their lesson from their first trip. GET RID OF THE UN-NECESSARIES! They found how much better the bike handled whenever they shaved 50lbs out of the panniers.
They outfitted the Patrol right. They may as well just get a couple more of those to take and have just as much fun.... since the bikes will be belly up most of the time.
More about the bike choice. I'm sure BMW gave them the beemers again, but I think they should have chosen similarly outfitted the BMW F650GS Dakar. Probably half the weight. Just as comfortable. Better offroad. It just doesnt make sense to have such big bikes when they have the support vehicles there. They could easily have almost no weight on the bikes the entire trip.
We'll see how this goes.....:chowtime:
Will likely be a stocking stuffer this year!
goodtimes
Expedition Poseur
While I am not privy to their business arrangements with BMW...I can make a pretty good guess as to why they are on the 1200GSs instead of the 650s.
First and foremost, the 1200GS is their flagship adventure bike. This is where the sales (and thus, the money) are. At the local dealer (Iron Horse BMW), they sell 4 or 5 1200's for every 650. They sell so many 1200's that they keep a dozen of them in stock at any given time. The 650s only come in 2 or 3 times each year...and only 3 or 4 at a time.
Second, Charlie and Ewan using them gives BMW a massive amount of publicity. And why would they want to draw attention to a motorcycle that is out of production? (F650s are in their last year--they are being replaced with the G650 line up). While I agree that the trip would be easier on the F650s, it would not sell as well. With no drama, you have a boring trip (boring to watch). And remember, this is about money. They need to give BMW a return on their investment...without that, there would be no sponsers making the trip possible.
As for why BMW instead of, say, KTM? Well, you remember that they wanted to use KTM's for the Long way 'Round...but KTM backed out of the deal. BMW stepped in, and now they are reaping the rewards. It makes sense for Charlie and Ewan to stay with BMW from a business stand point. It probably only took one phone call to get BMW on board with them...which removes one large piece of the project from their plate, freeing them up for the other aspects of the trip. Sure, there are probably better bikes out there (for this trip), but again, it is not all about the trip, it is also about generating revenue, both now and in the future. One aspect of that is maintaining relationships with the sponsers, and that involves being loyal to them *when you believe in their products*. Charlie and Ewan certainly appear to believe in BMW.
First and foremost, the 1200GS is their flagship adventure bike. This is where the sales (and thus, the money) are. At the local dealer (Iron Horse BMW), they sell 4 or 5 1200's for every 650. They sell so many 1200's that they keep a dozen of them in stock at any given time. The 650s only come in 2 or 3 times each year...and only 3 or 4 at a time.
Second, Charlie and Ewan using them gives BMW a massive amount of publicity. And why would they want to draw attention to a motorcycle that is out of production? (F650s are in their last year--they are being replaced with the G650 line up). While I agree that the trip would be easier on the F650s, it would not sell as well. With no drama, you have a boring trip (boring to watch). And remember, this is about money. They need to give BMW a return on their investment...without that, there would be no sponsers making the trip possible.
As for why BMW instead of, say, KTM? Well, you remember that they wanted to use KTM's for the Long way 'Round...but KTM backed out of the deal. BMW stepped in, and now they are reaping the rewards. It makes sense for Charlie and Ewan to stay with BMW from a business stand point. It probably only took one phone call to get BMW on board with them...which removes one large piece of the project from their plate, freeing them up for the other aspects of the trip. Sure, there are probably better bikes out there (for this trip), but again, it is not all about the trip, it is also about generating revenue, both now and in the future. One aspect of that is maintaining relationships with the sponsers, and that involves being loyal to them *when you believe in their products*. Charlie and Ewan certainly appear to believe in BMW.
And I thoroughly agree with you. And yeah, it would be boring if they didnt fall over all the time.:lurk:
But I know I would have learned something from the first trip. Tackle big terrain with little bike. But they gotta work hard for it I suppose....:costumed-smiley-007
But I know I would have learned something from the first trip. Tackle big terrain with little bike. But they gotta work hard for it I suppose....:costumed-smiley-007
goodtimes said:
DesertRose
Safari Chick & Supporting Sponsor
Hltoppr said:
Wow!
I wonder what happened to that idiot consultant for KTM?
Probably now working at the McDonald's in Berlin . . .
The LWD should be even better for BMW, with much more intensive branding, a superb blog on none other than BBC . . . good stuff. All the mere cost of a couple of bikes . . .
goodtimes
Expedition Poseur
DesertRose said:
All the mere cost of a couple of bikes . . .
I suspect it cost BMW much more than a couple of bikes. I remember hearing that the budget for LWR was around $4,000,000. I'm betting BMW ponied up a sizable chunk of cash in addition to the bikes.
Of course, I could be wrong....
Clutch
<---Pass
See...what will happen...those people buying those BMW's will do some searching, end up on Adventure Rider...reading this and that. Then trade their Beemers for Katooms.
Yeah...that is what will happen...
Hey, if it gets people into motorcyling and off the couch. I don't care what brand of bike you ride.
...isn't there a bunch of people doing tours on scooters?
Yeah...that is what will happen...
Hey, if it gets people into motorcyling and off the couch. I don't care what brand of bike you ride.
...isn't there a bunch of people doing tours on scooters?
kcowyo
ExPo Original
They finished up today by reaching Cape Town, South Africa. :roost:
Can't wait to see this DVD! :lurk:
Can't wait to see this DVD! :lurk:
Spikepretorius
Explorer
I'm very dissapointed in the available info regarding this trip. Down here, we were all exitedly trying to follow the trip with what little info was made available, and now near the end we were eagerly waiting their arrival in the Cape. The arrival photos were taken less than a mile from my home but there was no info telling us when they were arriving. We "heard" they were arriving "any time in the next 4 days". I read this on the Saturday. On the Sunday I picked up the paper to be greeted by the photos from the day before.
Public Relations a bit lacking unfortunately.
Anyway I hope they had a good time.
Public Relations a bit lacking unfortunately.
Anyway I hope they had a good time.
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Spikepretorius said:
Their initial arrival was supposed to be around August 20th, right?
I am so jealous of their journey...