Go Back   Horizons Unlimited - The HUBB > Chat Forum > The HUBB PUB
The HUBB PUB Chat forum - no useful content required!

BUT the basic rules of polite and civil conduct which everyone agreed to when signing up for the HUBB, will still apply, though moderation will be a LITTLE looser than elsewhere on the HUBB.
Photo by Daniel Rintz, Himba children, Namibia

The only impossible journey
is the one
you never begin

Photo by Daniel Rintz,
Himba children, Namibia



Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #16  
Old 29 Apr 2009
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Manchester
Posts: 190
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris1200 View Post
Folks, it's just my opinion........

I personally couldn't care less if C+E never get on a bike again.

"We're hardcore," they say over and over again. And then they proceed to get everything handed to them for free, they get specialist SAS training to deal with bandits, they get "fixers" at every bend in the road, they ride through a river then describe it as "the biggest challenge of our lives", they have a tough 200 mile day then get a 5* hotel in which to recover, they camp out for a few nights then think they have almost become nomads of the land, they throw thespian tantrums with a few swear words to boot and they reckon they are "pioneers" for motorcycle travellers.

NO THEY AREN'T. They're 2 spoilt boys who happen to like bikes. Don't get me wrong, I am quite sure we would all jump at such a trip if given the chance and I have no gripe with them for taking advantage of the opportunities that have presented themselves. In fact, I would even go as far as to say....well done chaps, you manipulated your positions well.

But "hardcore" ?????
Not on your nelly, C+E, if you want "hardcore" just take a look at the guys who did Mondo Enduro and Terra Circa.........and lots of other people who submit their travel tales on sites such as this one (which doesn't include me by the way coz my bike travels have never gone outside Europe. But then I'm not claiming any titles either!). I'd like their shows much better and I'd respect them much more if they simply got on with the trips and stopped making reference to how they are experts, tough guys, macho men and whatever other ludicrous claims they make. Coz they really aren't any of these in comparison to other everyday bike travellers.

Like I said earlier......it's just my opinion, but I believe it's an opinion based on fact (and not jealousy!).



Chris
Agreed, Mondo Enduro was much much more hardcore , than this , Mondo were incredibly fortunate in all the goodwill they blended from everywhere , I wonder if such goodwill has been worn out though with all the riders passing through over the years.....

Ie Russians on the road (there being only one) thinking oh not another bunch of riders again.... etc
Reply With Quote
  #17  
Old 29 Apr 2009
mattcbf600's Avatar
Gold Member
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: London, England
Posts: 706
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris1200 View Post
"We're hardcore," they say over and over again.
Sorry Chris - I must have missed that in the TV series and books - can you point me to where they say that?

m
__________________
------------------
http://thelondonbiker.com/blog

Watch some of my camp cooking videos

AIM: mattcashmore
SKYPE: matthewcashmore
MSN: matthew@matthewcashmore.com
Reply With Quote
  #18  
Old 29 Apr 2009
Registered Users
HUBB regular
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Dundrum, Northern Ireland
Posts: 98
Yes Matt

E Mc G made reference to it on two occasions during LWD and I heard him make reference to it on BBC 5 Live during an interview.

Chris
__________________


"Life is too short to drink cheap wine!"
Reply With Quote
  #19  
Old 29 Apr 2009
Alexlebrit's Avatar
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: West London
Posts: 920
He does refer to the conditions as being pretty hardcore first in Kazakstan and then again in Mongolia... I don't think he says "hey, we're hardcore" just that it is.

And hardcore is all relative, he'd hardly biked on the dirt before. I know the first time I biked on a bit of mud I thought I was hardcore too.
__________________
Happiness has 125 cc
Reply With Quote
  #20  
Old 29 Apr 2009
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: West Yorkshire UK
Posts: 1,785
It's getting like the Three Yorkshiremen on Monty Python in here:

"When I rode t' North Cape, Ah did it 'wi nowt but an F650 an a black and white GPS"

"F650! Ah'd a thought a were in 'even on an F650. Ah did it on a C50 wi no tread ont back tyre an only a 2-pound book token for petrol"

"C50! Ah pushed an Harley wi mi ole fam'ly ont back and square wheels......"



We've done this one before. You can't make a TV programme to a schedule with a risk that two front men and six crew will get stuck half way up the Amazon for a month until UPS and some customs clowns decide to deliver a spare widget. Hence you have fixers and spare bikes. I agree this makes it unrealistic and I agree Mondo Enduro was way better. It's like comparing a news reel with Saving Private Ryan though. The general public like stable shots and logical editing (ME is the best of it's kind but it's pure skill that it's watchable, it could have been real home movie stuff). Most BBC/Sky viewers don't notice that the bottom half of a Nazi tank is Russian or that one of the bikes changes for no apparent reason, but they will turn off when it ceases to make sense as to why finding a shiney thing it some drunken Russians hut is so good.

I felt cheated too, but having read more I think EM and CB got cheated out of their trip too.

As various people said at the start of this thread, lets hope they ditch the film crew and try it for real.

Andy
Reply With Quote
  #21  
Old 29 Apr 2009
Alexlebrit's Avatar
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: West London
Posts: 920
Quote:
Originally Posted by Threewheelbonnie View Post
Most BBC/Sky viewers don't notice that the bottom half of a Nazi tank is Russian or that one of the bikes changes for no apparent reason, but they will turn off when it ceases to make sense as to why finding a shiney thing it some drunken Russians hut is so good.
You're right Andy, I didn't and I've got the DVD's, when's it do it, I'll go and look..... but you have to tell or I'll only have to watch all ten hours again.
__________________
Happiness has 125 cc
Reply With Quote
  #22  
Old 29 Apr 2009
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Moscow
Posts: 1,117
I feel it is time to refer to this again -
YouTube - EWAN AND THINGY (EPISODE 1 of 9) PREPARATIONS

and the other episodes in the series!
Reply With Quote
  #23  
Old 29 Apr 2009
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Warrington UK
Posts: 703
Quote:
Originally Posted by Threewheelbonnie View Post
"I felt cheated too, but having read more I think EM and CB got cheated out of their trip too.

As various people said at the start of this thread, lets hope they ditch the film crew and try it for real.

Andy
-
-
I also hope for their sake, and to stop all the bickering they 'go it alone'

They must read bits here and there, and must feel fed up that people are talking about them.
It probably didn't turn out the way they wanted it to.
I am sure they would not like that.
This might be the push for them to decide to do it alone.
I hope so,


'vette
Reply With Quote
  #24  
Old 30 Apr 2009
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: in our 15th year on the road-only half way- now in Panama
Posts: 269
...a good thing

well...I think that 'they' have done a lot to bring the 'sport' of adventure motorcycling to the fore.

Sometimes (and only sometimes!) my husband and I wish for the kind of support and sponsorship they, C&E, have had - but hey....they are famous and we are not. Its a no-brainer for sponsors!

However, with sponsors and film crews come many many restirctions - the trip is not your own...and that is why most of us start these kind of travels.
I hope they do the Long Way Up...and Across and...In and Out...blah blah...but for themsevles and get to do what they want and how they want. Thats the whole point surely.

The restrictions placed on them due to support vehicles , film crew etc, must be infuriating. We have been flimed a few times and boy! its frustrating at times having to do the same piece of track over and over again so different shots can be taken - to worry and concentrate on the continuity rather than the riding is not something I like doing!

My husband and I have had total and utter freedom (apart from constant cash worries and the restrictions that brings!) during our 6 years on the road.
I hope C&E get to eventually enjoy one of their trips in the same way...remember initially they wanted to do this for the same reasons we all do - for their love of bikes and the desire to learn and see more of the World.

ciao
__________________
Lisa
www.2ridetheworld.com
Reply With Quote
  #25  
Old 30 Apr 2009
Alexlebrit's Avatar
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: West London
Posts: 920
In the endless compasions with Mondo Enduro and LWR/D/U/I&O I wonder if people miss the fact they have/had different target audiences. E&C made their programmes for mass-market audiences with a pre-decided number of episodes, and that surely makes a difference to the presentation of their trips. They have to have a "crisis" to overcome each episode, a cliff-hanger to draw lazy viewers back the following week, so of course things will be portrayed as "hardcore" and "the toughest thing since I tried to get my marmalade open", without those then lazy channel hoppers will hop and advertisers won't advertise.

Unless we really reckon they trailered their bikes about between shoots then I'm sure they had a great experience, meeting locals, seeing the sights we long to see, falling off, tinkering in the workshop, all that stuff. It might not be your idea of adventure, but it still looked bloody good fun to me.
__________________
Happiness has 125 cc
Reply With Quote
  #26  
Old 30 Apr 2009
AliBaba's Avatar
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Norway
Posts: 1,379
In another thread a lot of people defined adventure motorcycling as driving outside your comfort zone. I have seen LWR and LWD and I think that’s exactly what they are doing.

I’m not a big fan of C+E but for me this bashing has no meaning, it’s just sad.
Reply With Quote
  #27  
Old 30 Apr 2009
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: West Yorkshire UK
Posts: 1,785
Quote:
Originally Posted by AliBaba View Post
In another thread a lot of people defined adventure motorcycling as driving outside your comfort zone. ....
Now that is a great definition. Mind if I borrow it?

Andy
Reply With Quote
  #28  
Old 30 Apr 2009
AliBaba's Avatar
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Norway
Posts: 1,379
Quote:
Originally Posted by Threewheelbonnie View Post
Now that is a great definition. Mind if I borrow it?

Andy
I guess so, but I'm just quoting someone else
Reply With Quote
  #29  
Old 2 May 2009
Registered Users
HUBB regular
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Dundrum, Northern Ireland
Posts: 98
I don't agree with the point about TV needing proper organisation etc.
The lads from Mondo Enduro/Terra Circa did it all themselves....no fixers, no nothing. They filmed their own sequences and presented it in a way that made it clear that the trip was of primary importance and the filming/marketing was secondary. And in my opinion it made for a more interesting programme. It lets you see how it REALLY is when you undertake a difficult challenge. No airs or graces, they just got on with it.

C+E had every opportunity to do this trip on their own. They weren't exactly stuck for a few quid, were they???? But they sold out to commercialism then had the cheek to gripe about the restrictions it placed upon them. If they were so disappointed about not getting KTM bikes for free to begin with then why didn't they go out and buy 2 of them?? Instead they reacted as if the world had collapsed around them with little chance of recovery.
To me it all comes down to a pompous attitude that says,
"We're famous. We want everything handed to us!"

Chris
__________________


"Life is too short to drink cheap wine!"
Reply With Quote
  #30  
Old 2 May 2009
Alexlebrit's Avatar
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: West London
Posts: 920
It's no use, I'm going to get sucked in, I can feel it happening. I recently lent both LWR/D and Mondo Enduro to my dad to watch. He's not a biker, although he used to be in the 50's, he's not a traveller although he used to be in the 60's. He prefered E&C's efforts, so I asked him why.

His answer was that he felt the show was better produced, the camera work better directed and the quality higher. As he said Mondo Enduro is more like William Woollard's Top Gear, where content is what's important. LWR/D is like Jeremy Clarkson's Top Gear, well filmed, well produced TV, where style is as or more important than content. And that's the market E&C were aiming at, the mass TV watching market, not the people who do it and then get on this forum and others like it. We're more likely to be drawn into Mondo Enduro.

Think of LWR/D as a taster, something to whet your appetite, a long weekend in the Lakes. Then once you've got the bug, found this forum you move on to Mondo Enduro, and plan your year-long tour of the planet.
__________________
Happiness has 125 cc
Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 Registered Users and/or Members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Helmet cams, Now you too can be a Proper Charley! ( or Ewan) Martynbiker Equipment Reviews 18 7 Jul 2010 18:38
BMW with Charley & Ewan paint job... XT GIRL The HUBB PUB 5 23 Oct 2008 23:20
Ewan & Charley custom paint job... XT GIRL BMW Tech 8 17 Jul 2008 23:49
Charley Boorman off again DarrenM The HUBB PUB 18 5 May 2008 19:21
How long? Turtlevet Trip Paperwork 4 3 Dec 2005 13:18

 
 

Announcements

Thinking about traveling? Not sure about the whole thing? Watch the HU Achievable Dream Video Trailers and then get ALL the information you need to get inspired and learn how to travel anywhere in the world!

Have YOU ever wondered who has ridden around the world? We did too - and now here's the list of Circumnavigators!
Check it out now
, and add your information if we didn't find you.

Next HU Eventscalendar

HU Event and other updates on the HUBB Forum "Traveller's Advisories" thread.
ALL Dates subject to change.

2024:

Add yourself to the Updates List for each event!

Questions about an event? Ask here

HUBBUK: info

See all event details

 
World's most listened to Adventure Motorbike Show!
Check the RAW segments; Grant, your HU host is on every month!
Episodes below to listen to while you, err, pretend to do something or other...

2020 Edition of Chris Scott's Adventure Motorcycling Handbook.

2020 Edition of Chris Scott's Adventure Motorcycling Handbook.

"Ultimate global guide for red-blooded bikers planning overseas exploration. Covers choice & preparation of best bike, shipping overseas, baggage design, riding techniques, travel health, visas, documentation, safety and useful addresses." Recommended. (Grant)



Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance.

Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance™ combines into a single integrated program the best evacuation and rescue with the premier travel insurance coverages designed for adventurers.

Led by special operations veterans, Stanford Medicine affiliated physicians, paramedics and other travel experts, Ripcord is perfect for adventure seekers, climbers, skiers, sports enthusiasts, hunters, international travelers, humanitarian efforts, expeditions and more.

Ripcord travel protection is now available for ALL nationalities, and travel is covered on motorcycles of all sizes!


 

What others say about HU...

"This site is the BIBLE for international bike travelers." Greg, Australia

"Thank you! The web site, The travels, The insight, The inspiration, Everything, just thanks." Colin, UK

"My friend and I are planning a trip from Singapore to England... We found (the HU) site invaluable as an aid to planning and have based a lot of our purchases (bikes, riding gear, etc.) on what we have learned from this site." Phil, Australia

"I for one always had an adventurous spirit, but you and Susan lit the fire for my trip and I'll be forever grateful for what you two do to inspire others to just do it." Brent, USA

"Your website is a mecca of valuable information and the (video) series is informative, entertaining, and inspiring!" Jennifer, Canada

"Your worldwide organisation and events are the Go To places to for all serious touring and aspiring touring bikers." Trevor, South Africa

"This is the answer to all my questions." Haydn, Australia

"Keep going the excellent work you are doing for Horizons Unlimited - I love it!" Thomas, Germany

Lots more comments here!



Five books by Graham Field!

Diaries of a compulsive traveller
by Graham Field
Book, eBook, Audiobook

"A compelling, honest, inspiring and entertaining writing style with a built-in feel-good factor" Get them NOW from the authors' website and Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.co.uk.



Back Road Map Books and Backroad GPS Maps for all of Canada - a must have!

New to Horizons Unlimited?

New to motorcycle travelling? New to the HU site? Confused? Too many options? It's really very simple - just 4 easy steps!

Horizons Unlimited was founded in 1997 by Grant and Susan Johnson following their journey around the world on a BMW R80G/S.

Susan and Grant Johnson Read more about Grant & Susan's story

Membership - help keep us going!

Horizons Unlimited is not a big multi-national company, just two people who love motorcycle travel and have grown what started as a hobby in 1997 into a full time job (usually 8-10 hours per day and 7 days a week) and a labour of love. To keep it going and a roof over our heads, we run events all over the world with the help of volunteers; we sell inspirational and informative DVDs; we have a few selected advertisers; and we make a small amount from memberships.

You don't have to be a Member to come to an HU meeting, access the website, or ask questions on the HUBB. What you get for your membership contribution is our sincere gratitude, good karma and knowing that you're helping to keep the motorcycle travel dream alive. Contributing Members and Gold Members do get additional features on the HUBB. Here's a list of all the Member benefits on the HUBB.




All times are GMT +1. The time now is 13:08.