'This time we'll use a road tyre in Europe - then go to knobblies when we hit Africa.' Amazingly, the three riders suffered just one puncture between them on the Long Way Round, when Charley let down his tyres too much for better off-road grip.įor improved protection, there are tougher rocker-cover guards, a bigger, stronger engine bash plate, brake reservoir protectors, and folding rear-brake levers. Plus, you get a lot of vibration,' Charley explains.
'The knobblies were incredibly grippy on tarmac, but they're very soft, so wear out pretty quick. Last time they used ‘knobblies’ throughout. This time we may stay a bit closer.'Įwan and Charley will use different tyres in Europe and the rest of the trip. On the Long Way Round we met up with the crew every five or six days. The kit inside the panniers includes clothes and cooking equipment, such as a stove that runs off petrol or diesel, pots and pans, tea, coffee, multivitamins and boil-in-the-bag meals - 'like Army rations, only nicer,' says Charley.Ĭharley continues, 'We have to be self-sufficient. Then there's the essential gadgetry for communication and filming.įor improved touring capability, there are rugged metal panniers, a tank-mounted bag with map pocket, extended luggage rack (to carry tent, sleeping bag, and so on), taller windscreen, specially adapted shock absorbers and headlights, and a canvas-covered seat to reduce sweating. Others enhance driver and crash protection. Some bits make the machines more comfortable for the long-distance haul and suitable to the terrain. Many happy hours have been spent browsing through catalogues, picking the trickiest gear so the bikes could be painstakingly made totally Africa-proof.
Of course, the bikes haven't been left as standard. Cameraman Claudio von Planta pilots the third GS, always riding with Ewan and Charley, unlike the support crew, which can sometimes be several days behind. On Long Way Down, as on the Long Way Round, there will be three bikes in all. The boxer engine configuration - with two horizontally opposed cylinders - has been around much longer, since the 1920s.
It's the latest model in a dynasty that began in 1980 with the GS800, the bike credited with starting the adventure motorcycle genre. For their African odyssey, Ewan and Charley are using the R1200GS Adventure. Which is why Ewan and Charley are sticking with BMW for Long Way Down. Apart from the riders and the road, the bikes are the most important part of the adventure.
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