Why I dont like the long way round...
 

For a good number of years i've always wanted to go travelling, some crazy expedition to a place where they eat crazy food, have crazy religions, drive on the crazy side of the road, talk crazy languages, worship the sun and still think that dial up internet is something which comes from out of space.

Anyway, i'm finally planning my first trip and am planning on going to India overland. I haven't seen the Long way round yet, but have caught bits of it. To be honest I dont have any bad feelings towards the project that they did and in all honesty if I was that famous with that much money i'd probably do something similar.

What actually annoys me is the fact that every time you mention that your going travelling on a motorbike people almost instantly say, "oh cool, like on the long way round?".

Well, i've not even seen it yet so I wouldn't know, but honestly I can't imagine it been anything like that. I'm going on my own for a start. No film crew, no buddy on bike, no sat phone, no doctor, no helicopter back up, no gps, no SAS training, no £7000 bike, no intensive planning and meetings with sponsors, no studio garage back home, hell i'm not even a jedi.

Also if someone introduces themselves as Hutch, please dont say "SO where's Starsky?"


Peace out all.....

To be honest I wouldn't mind watching the series and its great what they did. I just think that its hard to compare their trip with the average joe's. Am I just been apathetic cause I dont watch enough TV and I'm running it on a shoe string budget? Yeah, probably. Anyway, you should probably ignore everything i say from now on...... :)

RTW trips, whether via moto or 4 wheels, have had relatively little media exposure, even though adventurous people have been doing this for many years.

If the opposite were true, great past media exposure, Long Way Round would never have been produced.

Perception...is perceived knowledge....and thus fact. :)

Good News/Bad News ??
 

I am in the process of doing my Prudhoe Bay (this past June 8th) to TDF (Christmas/New Year's ????) trip and have noticed the same thing. A LOT of people to which I mention my trip bring up the Long Way Round thing. The folks that have done some adventure motorcycling know about their support and such and what they did. The non travelers at least seem to appreciate the difficulties of the trip. I guess that would make the Bad News -- They brought attention to adventure motorcycling, perhaps causing many more to attempt it (could get crowded out there). The Good News -- at least on TV they down-played all the support they had and played UP the difficult parts (bad roads, difficult borders, bike trouble, etc). Most everyone (non moto travelers) still understand that it may not be something to take on just because you can ride a motorcycle.
Rick

Hutch. Check out the Mondo Enduro vid. They were (are) regular guys and they showed how it could be done on a low budget. Very entertaining and in a different class to LWR. Book also recently out in all good bookstores.....

enjoy
simon

Here's a question for you to think about, Hutch.....you say that the food, religion, languages, etc which are not from your country are all "crazy".
Why are they crazy?

Eh?......And 2+2= 9?..........................................

Is it not good, that people understand what you are planning to do and think its cool?
I think its cool that you are planning a RTW... and a bit jealous.

Whatever opinion "bikers" hold of Chas & Ewens LWR trip, with all the backup etc., they still did it and the vast majority have not.
If you have not seen LWR, do so. Most people that I know have a grin on their faces while watching it.


John

I enjoyed the LWR, my little brother is now riding motorbikes around london and planning other trips after watching the shows, I got extra ideas from it, and have a great resource to show family, friends.. new partner a little of why i have been planing a bike ride for 2 years... with 2 more years or saving, trialing and stuff to buy...:thumbup1:

Hutch:

I'd suggest you get yourself a copy of the DVD and take a look. They do come across as spoilt rich blokes to start with, but as the trip develops they do travel across some pretty amazing parts of the world. The episodes covereing Mongolia and Russia are superb and the stars prove themselves to be genuine biking and adventure enthusiasts.
You'll also see the mistakes they made and maybe even pick up a few things to apply to your own trip.
I'm currently reading the Mondo Enduro book which is proving to be very entertaining, and worth a look if you see it around.

Too much money?
 

Sure, they had huge resources at their disposal compared to the rest of us, using the excuse that they didn't have much time, but even so, they had some pretty tough times to deal with. I had a pre-concieved idea that they were a bunch of jessies, but I read the book and watched the DVD, and came away with a grudging respect (mostly 'cause I'll NEVER have that sort of money!!). I think one of the most telling things they said, after wrestling there 280kg+ GS BMWs out of a muddly hole for the tenth time for the day, was to the cameraman who had to ride a Russian two-smoke after his bike died. They said "How come you haven't fallen off at all?"
Sometimes lots of money can be a problem.

Regards

Nigel in NZ

If told, and without other facts available. It's true, correct? :)

To me the things that stuck out in my mind was this.
despite the trained mechanics and backup vehicles, they had to abandon one of the bmws for brake failure, until a tech rep from germany was flown out to fix the ABS. so what chance have we mortals if we were to ride such a machine?
secondly, once they hit the real dirt roads (as opposed to stone roads unsealed) the bikes were just too heavy. I appreciate that they were necessarily carrying lots of gear plus themselves, but the lightweight two stroke ran rings around the top heavy Beemers.

My girlfriend found this a few weeks ago and we played it over a 3 day time period.

The 1st 3rd blew wads...fact.
The middle 3rd was good. I apprecited the direction, filming, etc...and the content. Some really great sht there...
The last 3rd, after they arrived AK, blew double wads and kinda screwed the whole thing....loosing the theme.

The bike cam guy(Sergio..?) worked his ass off!

It realy is very difficult doing something such as this unless you're spending mucho $ for support.

Why would you need a chest full of Snap-On tools? :)
The river crossings were very cool.
The Diary Cams did help complete the project.
Again, the following cam guy worked his ass off....

Wads? What does that mean?

One reason I don't like TLWR is that I have to keep shaving to stop looking like Ewan the bearded wonder.

Honestly, the number of times I've been mistaken for him... ;-)

--Mike

Hey all. Lots of replies on here to my original post. Remind me not to rant when i've had a few drinks....

Basically I have had chance to see a couple of episodes of this series and can fully appreciate the journey which they undertook. My comments however were more in reference to peoples reactions to my trip and me looking at their open ended check and my hopeful plans.

I've been interested in such a trip for some time having always been interested in travelling and motorbikes (though at one time these two aspects remained as 2 seperate entities). I first watched Nick Saunders series about his rtw on a TT600. Later I caught a couple of articles in Bike magazine (UK) from Dan Walsh.

Basically its not been a solely new plan to undertake such an adventure and I was just having a rant about people reactions. Though in general people who know me have known that this is something I've been meaning to do for a long time but unfortunately I was bogged down at uni with my feet dying for a bit of adventure.

With reference to Herbert Meeks remarks about my using the term crazy to desribe pretty much everything which is foreign to my limited life experiences all I can say is this. Well I got carried away with the word crazy, and the very reason I'm going on this trip is to experience different ways of life as to which I have grown a custom to. I dont really see any of it as really crazy though some would say that to merely to be Human and to have a mind is crazy in itself. I dont think I'm completely ignorant to others views of the world I just find it very very easy (and sometimes entertaining) to exagerate my percieved ignorance.

I think if I remember correctly I only made that last post to stir up a bit of a response.....

ANyway, peace out all and maybe i'll see a few of you out on the roads.

Hutch
xx

Not the impression I get:unsure:!!!

The LWR was the single reason i learnt to ride, bought a GS and did the RTW thing.

The program totally inspired me.....although i can't defend it to the end (there would have been no way i could have caught 40 winks at a border crossing) i would give it a good go!!!

Watch it for information and inspiration.......and what to pack - 1/2 what they had!!!!!

mark
www.etribes.com/markstowe

I agree with many of the comments on here, watch the DVD, and any others, to help plan your trip and so you have a better idea of expect. I've read and watched as much as possible over the last 6 months to help planning... Mondo Enduro was the first I found a few years ago, after mooching about on the internet probably one wet sunday. I saw LWR in tesco about 18 months or so ago and thought it was great, watched it in one marathon sitting. Yes it's easy to pick holes in what they did (and encourages you to look for the lightest bike possible, not the most expensive) but it got me thinking and planning properly.

I've recently bought Charlie Boorman's book of Race to Dakar but it's in a queue until I've finished the Mondo Enduro book. I've just finished watching Terra Circa which arrived through the post yesterday - also excellent.

As I'm planning an Africa trip I've also read Werner Bausenhart's 'Africa: Against the clock on a motorcycle'. Werner has also done books on the Americas and Asia. Good read, fairly short and informative for an Africa trip and assume his other two books are the same for Asia and Americas.

Also recommend Sam Manicom's 'Into Africa'. Excellent (and shocking) stories in it, including the first chapter! Good bloke too, met at UK HU meeting and he gave us some hints and tips. The book makes the prospect of an adventure real.

I have Chris Scott's Bible and his 'Sahara' book. Another in the queue is 'Africa Overland'. I haven't read the latter yet but it is a similar 'handbook' style similar to AMH, but with a bit more focus on 4x4's rather than just bikes.

Another interesting but possibly less relevant good read is 'First Overland' by Tim Slessor. In the 1950's six Oxford and Cambridge Uni students decide to drive from London to Singapore. They manage to blagg a couple of Land Rover Defender 110's and make money to sustain them along the way by selling their film and writing articles for papers back in the UK.

I think when you start looking there are load of books and dvds out there. From the Motorcycle Diaries to the Dakar Rally DVDs. Duke DVDs from the Isle of Mann must have made a packet from me! Sorry for rambling but hope someone finds this useful!

Chris

stay away from Madaan Motors
 

Traveling through India on a motorcycle was the best thing I ever did in my entire life. Especially the time I spend up in the Himalayas, in particular Ladakh.
If you find yourself in Delhi, stay away from Madaan Motors. They're thieves. Check out my website detailing my problems with them.
http://www.madaanmotorsthief.com/

In the US you can get them at -

The Book, Mondo Enduro
http://www.amazon.com/Mondo-Enduro-A.../dp/1904466281

The DVD's, Mondo Enduro and Terra Circa
http://www.aerostich.com/catalog/US/...o-p-17589.html

Read the first one, Jupiters Travels, but not the later one .I agree though time to go riding...just waiting on a few more pay cheques!

i agree with the others, read ted simons book to get a feel of what rtw was like back in the day. mondo enduro and terra circa also gives you a real feel of doing the rtw thing on a budget without the support of a film crew and sponsered bikes and tools ect. As i understand from lois' page the dr350s still going strone. proof itself any bike can do it. i agree why would you need a full set of snap on tools, for a start thats a hell of a lot of dough and weight to be lugging around. and if the abs fails, deal with it or ride without it. my dr and xt dont have it!! neither do a lot of bikes.

TLWR has inspired lots who before the program would never have even considered such adventures, so lets not knock the boys too much. as for sergi on that 2 smoke, just goes to show you dont need a 7grand bike!!

IMO "just do it" i am as soon as the long task of planning and bike prep is finished, Africa first then well see where my 2 wheels and legs take me next.
Ignore all who say it cant be done and those who boo hoo your plans.
One mate of mine said " what if your chain breaks in the middle of the sahara. what would you do then?"
Simple, you fix it. the same as any other problems, you deal with them, you have no other choice unless you consider giving up as an option and thats never the case.
Read the books, talk to people and watch the vids. soon you realise that there are quite a few of us like minded 2 wheel travelers out there and even more people who are willing to help you out and offer advise mostly for free, or a few beers.

PS. i reserve the right to change my opionions when i am on my 10th puncture of the day and my chain breaks in the middle of the sahara for the 3rd time and i have no spare joining links or patches left!!!

Curate's Egg!
 

I feel that LWR was a bit of a Curate's Egg ie. good in parts. On the up side it did open up the idea of long distance motorcycle travel to the previously unconverted and showed what can be done with perseverance.
However, the two things that got my goat were:-

1) The way Boorman spat the dummy and bleated "How DARE they?!" when KTM withdrew their offer of free bikes! With the money these guys have, why not buy the bikes they wanted in the first place.

2) Apart from flying Ted Simon in to Mongolia for a two minute chat, they never mentioned the fact that lots of people are doing this sort of trip all the time, and mortgaging their souls to do it!!!

That's my two-pennurth anyway.

Derek.

well, I enjoyed it anyway.
Yeah they had loads of money(wads) to put into the trip but that for me would make it less of a challange.
I watch it as inspiration during the winter when I HAVE to work and am planning the next trip.
I've also just got the dvd from the store "the achievable dream".
It wasn't quite what I expected but is very good and answered some questions for me - again more inspiration.
I can't see how anyone would knock any of the productions out there, they're all food for thought and all add up to knowledge for a trip still to come.

Entertainment
 

If you view TLWR as a piece of entertainment for a mass audience ,then it is a success .Also it was a business venture for Ewan and Charlie and therefore involved financial risk ,I don't imagine any of the support crew went unpaid .
I hope the two guys will make a profit out of it .

It's easy to pick holes and criticise their endaevours and hint that they are spoilt rich brats but remember that there are people on this forum who also make money out of their travels .The guys are in show biz ,so that tailored their approach to the whole enterprise .

Ewan and Charlie took their love of bikes and travel and made a tv show ,good for them ! - Adventure travelling now has a higher profile .
I thought Claudio's camera work was excellent as well .

I would have preffered a more "bike orientated" theme but what the heck - any publicity for biking is good publicity .

Mollydog,

I've ordered a few of them from the Internet, but they are saved on my old computer. If anyone is interested I will look them up over the weekend - if I don't and anyone is interested give me a PM and i will get onto it...

Chris

Update,
they changed their site.
They now have Mondo Enduro the book and DVD and Terra Circa.

http://search.aerostich.com/search?i...ynamic&q=mondo