Tag Archives: Ewan McGregor

Is Charley and Ewan’s ride a PR disaster?

Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman are currently (pun) riding specially equipped Harley-Davidson LiveWire electric motorcycles in what some suspect could be a PR disaster.

Critics claim their choice of bike is ridiculous. 

After all, the LiveWire has limited range (about 150km highway and about 235km city) yet they are riding thousands of kilometres from the bottom of South America to ether LA or Alaska.

PR disaster?

While Harley must be hoping it will encourage people to ride electric motorcycles, we doubt it will.

In fact, it may be an unmitigated PR disaster for both Harley and electric motorcycles in general.

We can just see them running out of juice while riding up the Andes and having to wait hours for their huge contingent of back-up vehicles to arrive.

Then they will sit around for hours while their bikes are charged up using DC chargers on the backs of their support vehicles.

Yes, we can see that could be HUGE turn-off for potential electric motorcycle customers. A PR disaster, in fact!

So if Charley and Ewan want to motivate riders to go electric, it could be a big fail.

Charley and Ewan adventure on LiveWire

Entertainment boon

But if they want to entertain, it could be a huge boon for their Long Way Up series.

Their 2004 Long Way Round and 2007 Long Way Down series were entertaining because what they did was difficult and had minimal back-up.

These days, adventure bikes are much better equipped and accessories, cameras, intercoms, etc are so much lighter and cheaper, anyone can do the same.

That’s why Charley and Ewan needed to do something different, something difficult and something that we mere morals could not do.

They have done more than just strap on some dual-sport tyres and wire wheels.

The Long Way compatriots have cleverly organised a real adventure.

It will present heaps of dramas that will make great viewing.

In fact, we are interested to see how the cold temperatures will further erode the LiveWire’s range as batteries don’t like cold.

Tech and crew

The adventure started in September when some of the crew posted the Instagram images on this page.

Since then things have been quiet so we don’t know where they are.

There have been a few modifications to the bikes for this adventure and there is quite an extensive back-up crew involved.

Apart from new wheels, other bike modifications include: windscreens, engine guards, highway pegs, bash plates, auxiliary lights, saddlebags and fender bags.

They also seem to have removed the rear guard and plate holder.

The crew consists of two electric Rivian R1T pick-up trucks which have 650km of range.

They are also supported by two Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 4WD vans and a Ford F350 pickup truck.

So we suspect they are carrying DC fast chargers with them. 

Harley-Davidson LiveWire electric motorcycle
Mobile DC fast chargers at work

Harley claims their Fast Charge (DCFC) technology will recharge a flat battery to 80% in 40 minutes and full in 60 minutes.

Maybe the trip won’t benefit Harley’s LiveWire or electric motorcycles in general, like Long Way Round and Long Way Down did for adventure riding and the BMW GS range.

However, it should be hugely entertaining!

Harley disasterHarley-Davidson LiveWire electric motorcycle

Harley certainly doesn’t need another PR disaster with the LiveWire.

It has so far experienced one disaster after another.

Firstly the bike was delayed a month going into North America dealerships.

Then several dealerships refused to pay big money to instal DC fast chargers in order to sell them.

Sales have also been a disaster as customers have baulked at the $US29,950 (about $A44,000) ticket price.

Harley then had the PR disaster of having to temporarily pull the plug on production to fix a problem with one charger.

Long time coming

disaster
Ewan heads off on his latest adventure

The long-awaited third Ewan and Charley travel documentary has been a long time coming.

Charley has been telling us they have been planning their Long Way Up America trip for about 10 years.

The problem has been that Ewan has been so busy with Hollywood movies he could not afford a few months off.

There was also the fact that Ewan is ambassador for Moto Guzzi and Charley is ambassador for Triumph.

The pair rode BMWs in their 2004 Long Way Round and 2007 Long Way Down.

In 2015, Ewan said he may ride from California to the tip of South America on a Moto Guzzi Stelvio. That never happened and the Stelvio was retired a year later.

Charley told us last year that Ewan’s relationship with Moto Guzzi would not necessarily foil their plans:

We’ve been talking about it a long time and if the stars align we will do something like a Long Way up from Tierra Del Fuego to Alaska in the next couple of years. It really is close now. Ewan’s always had a loose relationship with Moto Guzzi so there’s no conflict there.

But rather than Moto Guzzi and Triumph, the pair have opted for the new Harley-Davidson LiveWire.

While it was thought they would go all the way to Alaska, Charley recently said the ride would go from Argentina to LA.

Maybe they don’t want to cover the same territory through Canada and Alaska that they did in the Long Way Round.

Long Way Back

It’s been a long time between trips for Ewan and Charley.

From 14 April 2004 to 29 July 2004, they rode across Europe and the USA in Long Way Round and from 12 May to 4 August 2007 they rode from the top of Scotland to Cape Town in South Africa for Long Way Down.

With Ewan becoming increasingly busy with Hollywood movies, Charley squeezed in the 2006 Dakar rally for his series, Race to Dakar, and has produced several other travel shows.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Harley-Davidson LiveWire hits short circuit

Harley-Davidson’s electric LiveWire motorcycle has hit a short circuit with production stopped for a “nonstandard condition” involving the home charger.

The company has asked owners only to charge their bikes with the DC fast charger supplied at some HD dealerships.

Harley-Davidson LiveWire electric motorcycleHarley-Davidson's electric LiveWire short circuit
LIveWires on DC fast chargers

There is no other information from the company.

Even though it doesn’t arrive in Australia until late next year, we asked Harley-Davidson Australia for comment and received an unusual stoney silence.

Which leaves us speculating.

The strongest possibility is that the home chargers overheat which could cause a fire.

In March, the entire fleet of 18 Energica electric motorcycles for the MotoE series were destroyed in a blaze that was blamed on a short circuit in one of the charging units.

electric garage fire energica short circuit
Energica garage explodes in flame

Electric fires

Electric vehicle and charger fires can be caused by short-circuits, power surges, impact, excessive discharge or overheating.

They also cause special concerns for fire fighters.

Lithium batteries are obviously made with lithium which is highly flammable and stored in mineral oil.

short circuit
Tesla goes up in flames

While it is not toxic, it can cause nausea, diarrhoea, dizziness, muscle weakness, fatigue and a dazed feeling.

Electric vehicle and battery fires can also release sulphuric acid, carbon monoxide, copper and cobalt.

Fire fighters can’t douse the flames with water as the high voltage can cause an electric shock or electrocution.

Instead, they have to disconnect the power supply (usually an orange plug) and contain the fire to let it burn itself out.

LiveWire short circuit

Harley-Davidson LiveWire electric motorcycle electric highways short circuit
Riding the LiveWire in Orgeon

This short circuit to Harley’s electric motorcycle program follows a month delay in deliveries to US dealerships where it has created a lot of interest, but not a lot of sales.

Buyers are apparently baulking at the $US29,990 price (about $A44,000).

Some dealers are even rejecting the expensive DC fast-charger installation which is a requirement of being able to sell the bike.

PR exercise

So Harley has two major PR exercises going at the moment to rescue the LiveWire.

Charley Boorman and Ewan McGregor are currently shooting Long Way Up from the bottom to the top of the Americas, riding LiveWire motorcycles.

Charley and Ewan adventure on LiveWire
Ewan and Charley pack their LiveWire bikes for the trip

And now HD has brought in Hollywood action star Jason Momoa who plays Aquaman and Khal Drogo to test ride the bike.

“Harley wanted me to test one of the new LiveWires, I was kind of like ehhh. I like the idea of it but I wanted to hear it,” says Jason who is more at home on pushrod fuel burners.

While filming on the Gold Coast in 2017, he took delivery of a Softail.

Now he says he is stoked by the electric bike.

“I have never been on anything this fast, it kind of blew my mind,” he says.

“I am in love with it, it’s amazing and I look forward to the future of many more of these bikes.

“It’s so fast, faster than I need, it’s amazing. It’s good for the planet, beautiful, we’re moving with the times.

“Best part is, it’s the future. You can have this and your old one. It’s amazing.”

Harley is going to need a lot of star power to help the LiveWire over this current short circuit!

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

HOG boss calls on journalists’ help

Harley-Davidson boss Matt Levatich (above) has called on motorcycle journalists to help the industry’s future by not just explaining the product but telling readers what it’s like to ride.

As Harley and the motorcycle industry slump through trade wars, ageing riders, tough finance and a lack of interest among millennials, the finger of blame has been pointed at everyone from manufacturers all the way down to dealers and customers.

This is the first time motoring journalists have been included.

Boss Hog

Matt was talking to a bunch of “motor noters” at the recent media launch of the Low Rider S in Sydney.

Harley-Davidson boss Matt Levatich in town for Low Rider S launch
MBW at the Low Rider S media launch (Image: Lyndon Marceau / marceauphotography)

“What we need to do as an industry — and I would include all of you in this request — is start leaning into what it’s like to ride,” the company president and CEO told us.

“Why should people ride? What is it that people get from riding? Why is it worth the trip?

“Because it’s hard: It takes a lot of energy, it takes a lot of commitment, it takes a lot of time and it costs a fair bit of money before you actually realise all the things you get from riding.”

The boss Hog says many in the industry, including journalists, have forgotten what it’s like to learn how to ride because we learnt so long ago.

“It’s intimidating, it’s hard, it’s challenging, but it’s an achievement,” he says.

“We need to help people understand why riding is worth the trip and what’s on the other side of becoming a great rider.

“What is the feeling? What’s the transcendent moments you have on a motorcycle that you never have in any other part of your life?

“If we can all collectively start to do that we’re gonna … start to light up people who might be on the outside looking in and wondering why.

“Start thinking about how you talk about what it means to be a rider, not just about what it means to have a great product to ride.

“If we all do that, we will all be stronger as an industry and we will all have a great future.

Quick visit

Matt was only in town a couple of days and was limited to talks to staff, dealers and two media agencies; sadly not us.

We were not allowed to ask any questions, so after his talk I rushed up to ask a quick question before the minders could lead their boss away to safety.

“What does Ewan (McGregor) think of the LiveWire (Harley’s electric motorcycle)?” I asked.

Charley and Ewan adventure on LiveWire
Ewan on a LiveWire in South America

He laughed and said: “Yes, I’ve seen the spy photos too.”

Matt was referring to Instagram photos of Ewan and Charley Boorman on LiveWires for their Long Way Up ride from Tierra del Fuego in South America to LA.

That’s when he was led away before I could ask about the effect of Trump’s trade wars and when we would start getting Thai-made Harleys in Australia.

Shame he didn’t talk about Ewan and Charley’s adventure because that could inspire many future riders just as their first two Long Way instalments inspired thousands of adventure riders.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Charley and Ewan adventure on LiveWire

Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman are riding specially equipped Harley-Davidson LiveWire electric motorcycles with dual-sport tyres and wire wheels.

Last week we confirmed that their third travel documentary, Long Way Up, from Tierra del Fuego, South America, to Los Angeles would feature the electric bikes.Charley and Ewan adventure on LiveWire

Now Instagram photos and ADV Pulse show the bikes are equipped with wire wheels and dual-sport tyres for the many kilometres of unpaved road ahead.

It must be cold, because they also have handlebar gauntlets to keep the chill off their hands.

We wonder how that cold will affect the LiveWire’s 150km of highway range.

Other modifications for the trip include: windscreens, engine guards, highway pegs, bash plates, auxiliary lights, saddlebags and fender bags.

They also seem to have removed the rear guard and plate holder.

They are being supported by two electric Rivian R1T pick-up trucks which have 650km of range.

Charley and Ewan are also supported by two Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 4WD vans and a Ford F350 pickup truck, so we suspect they are carrying DC fast chargers with them. 

Harley-Davidson LiveWire electric motorcycle
Mobile DC fast chargers at work

Harley claims their Fast Charge (DCFC) technology will recharge a flat battery to 80% in 40 minutes and full in 60 minutes.

The trip may just do for electric motorcycles, particularly the LiveWire, what Long Way Round and Long Way Down did for adventure riding and the BMW GS range.Harley-Davidson LiveWire electric motorcycle

Long time coming

The long-awaited third Ewan and Charley travel documentary has been a long time coming.

Charley has been telling us they have been planning their Long Way Up America trip for about 10 years.

The problem has been that Ewan has been so busy with Hollywood movies he could not afford a few months off.

There was also the fact that Ewan is ambassador for Moto Guzzi and Charley is ambassador for Triumph.

The pair rode BMWs in their 2004 Long Way Round and 2007 Long Way Down.

In 2015, Ewan said he may ride from California to the tip of South America on a Moto Guzzi Stelvio. That never happened and the Stelvio was retired a year later.

Charley told us last year that Ewan’s relationship with Moto Guzzi would not necessarily foil their plans:

We’ve been talking about it a long time and if the stars align we will do something like a Long Way up from Tierra Del Fuego to Alaska in the next couple of years. It really is close now. Ewan’s always had a loose relationship with Moto Guzzi so there’s no conflict there.

But rather than Moto Guzzi and Triumph, the pair have opted for the new Harley-Davidson LiveWire.

While it was thought they would go all the way to Alaska, Charley recently said the ride would go from Argentina to LA.

Maybe they don’t want to cover the same territory through Canada and Alaska that they did in the Long Way Round.

Long Way Back

It’s been a long time between trips for Ewan and Charley.

From 14 April 2004 to 29 July 2004, they rode across Europe and the USA in Long Way Round and from 12 May to 4 August 2007 they rode from the top of Scotland to Cape Town in South Africa for Long Way Down.

With Ewan becoming increasingly busy with Hollywood movies, Charley squeezed in the 2006 Dakar rally for his series, Race to Dakar, and has produced several other travel shows.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Charley and Ewan’s Long Way Up on electric bikes

Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman are expected to do their third travel documentary, Long Way Up, from South America to Los Angeles on Harley-Davidson LiveWire electric motorcycles.

They are also expected to be supported by electric Rivian R1T pick-up trucks which are likely to carry DC fast chargers. 

Harley-Davidson LiveWire electric motorcycle
Mobile DC fast chargers at work

South American press have already spotted the trucks and speculated on the Long Way Up electric adventure.

While attending a recent electric grand prix race in Rome, Ewan said:

In twenty years we will not use fuel, everything will be plugged in.

If they are planning to ride from the bottom of South America, possibly as far as Alaska, it should take some time on electric bikes.

The Rivian truck has 650km of range, but the LiveWire only has 150km of highway range and 235km of city range.

Charley and Ewan mount up for electric adventure
Rivian electric pick-up truck

Charging times will certainly make it a long trip.

However, the trip may just do for electric motorcycles, particularly the LiveWire, what Long Way Round and Long Way Down did for adventure riding and the BMW GS range.

Long time coming

The long-awaited third Ewan and Charley travel documentary has been a long time coming.

Charley has been telling us they have been planning their Long Way Up America trip for about 10 years.

The problem has been that Ewan has been so busy with Hollywood movies he could not afford a few months off.

There was also the fact that Ewan is ambassador for Moto Guzzi and Charley is ambassador for Triumph.

The pair rode BMWs in their 2004 Long Way Round and 2007 Long Way Down.

In 2015, Ewan said he may ride from California to the tip of South America on a Moto Guzzi Stelvio. That never happened and the Stelvio was retired a year later.

Charley told us last year that Ewan’s relationship with Moto Guzzi would not necessarily foil their plans:

We’ve been talking about it a long time and if the stars align we will do something like a Long Way up from Tierra Del Fuego to Alaska in the next couple of years. It really is close now. Ewan’s always had a loose relationship with Moto Guzzi so there’s no conflict there.

But rather than Moto Guzzi and Triumph, it appears the pair have opted for the new Harley-Davidson LiveWire.

While it was thought they would go all the way to Alaska, Charley recently said the ride would go from Argentina to LA.

Maybe they don’t want to cover the same territory through Canada and Alaska that they did in the Long Way Round.

Long Way Back

It’s been a long time between trips for Ewan and Charley.

From 14 April 2004 to 29 July 2004, they rode across Europe and the USA in Long Way Round and from 12 May to 4 August 2007 they rode from the top of Scotland to Cape Town in South Africa for Long Way Down.

With Ewan becoming increasingly busy with Hollywood movies, Charley squeezed in the 2006 Dakar rally for his series, Race to Dakar, and has produced several other travel shows.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Watch Ewan McGregor ride Moto Guzzi V85 TT

Call us sceptics, but we wonder whether a stunt rider did some of the riding for Ewan McGregor in this Moto Guzzi promotional video for the new V85 TT.

It was filmed in southern Sardinia to promote the launch of the bike and Ewan as the bike’s ambassador.

Ambassador McGregor 

Ewan has been a brand ambassador for Moto Guzzi for a few years now.

He says his father had a Moto Guzzi and he has several old California cruisers in his motorcycle collection.

In a previous Moto Guzzi promo video, Ewan rides a cruiser.

Ewan isn’t as skilful off-road as Charley who competed in the 2006 Dakar Rally, which makes us wonder about the riding in the V85 TT video.

His ambassador role is also one of the reasons preventing him from doing a proposed Long Way Up tour of South and North America with longtime friend Charley Boorman.

While the pair rode BMWs in their 2004 Long Way Round and 2007 Long Way Down, they are now ambassadors for different companies.

Charley has been brand ambassador for Triumph for several years.

In 2015, Ewan said he may ride from California to the tip of South America on a Moto Guzzi Stelvio. That never happened and the Stelvio was retired a year later.

Now Moto Guzzi has replaced it with the V85 TT, so there is at least a suitable adventure bike for Ewan to ride.Ewan McGregor Moto Guzzi V85TT Long Way Up on Moto Guzzi and Triumph

If Triumph and Moto Guzzi could come to an understanding, the pair could team up together again and ride different bikes.

Both companies have much to win from such a joint effort and a lot to lose — remember Charley’s tantrum when KTM pulled their support for Long Way Round!

However, Charley told us last year that Ewan’s relationship with Moto Guzzi would not necessarily foil their plans:

We’ve been talking about it a long time and if the stars align we will do something like a Long Way up from Tierra Del Fuego to Alaska in the next couple of years. It really is close now. Ewan’s always had a loose relationship with Moto Guzzi so there’s no conflict there.

Charley Boorman answers questions from readers writer Ewan McGregor Moto Guzzi V85TT Long Way Up on Moto Guzzi and Triumph
MBW with Charley Boorman

Long Way Back

It’s been a long time between trips for Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman.

From 14 April 2004 to 29 July 2004, they rode across Europe and the USA in Long Way Round and from 12 May to 4 August 2007 they rode from the top of Scotland to Cape Town in South Africa for Long Way Down.

With Ewan becoming increasingly busy with Hollywood movies, Charley squeezed in the 2006 Dakar rally for his series, Race to Dakar, and has produced several other travel shows.

We’d love to see the pair ride the Americas on a V85TT and a Triumph Scrambler 1200.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Long Way Up on Moto Guzzi and Triumph?

There are two things that have prevented Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman completing their proposed Long Way Up tour of South and North America.

There is the fact that Ewan is so busy with Hollywood movies he can’t afford a few months off and there is also the fact that Ewan is ambassador for Moto Guzzi and Charley is ambassador for Triumph.

The pair rode BMWs in their 2004 Long Way Round and 2007 Long Way Down.

In 2015, Ewan said he may ride from California to the tip of South America on a Moto Guzzi Stelvio. That never happened and the Stelvio was retired a year later.

Ewan McGregor Moto Guzzi V85TT Long Way Up on Moto Guzzi and Triumph
Ewan tries the sleeping arrangements on the V85TT!

Now Moto Guzzi has replaced it with the V85TT which Ewan recently rode in Southern Sardinia.

If Triumph and Moto Guzzi could come to an understanding, the pair could team up together again and ride different bikes.

Both companies have much to win from such a joint effort and a lot to lose — remember Charley’s tantrum when KTM pulled their support for Long Way Round!

However, Charley told us last year that Ewan’s relationship with Moto Guzzi would not necessarily foil their plans:

We’ve been talking about it a long time and if the stars align we will do something like a Long Way up from Tierra Del Fuego to Alaska in the next couple of years. It really is close now. Ewan’s always had a loose relationship with Moto Guzzi so there’s no conflict there.

Charley Boorman answers questions from readers writer Ewan McGregor Moto Guzzi V85TT Long Way Up on Moto Guzzi and Triumph
MBW with Charley Boorman

Long Way Back

It’s been a long time between trips for Ewan and Charley.

From 14 April 2004 to 29 July 2004, they rode across Europe and the USA in Long Way Round and from 12 May to 4 August 2007 they rode from the top of Scotland to Cape Town in South Africa for Long Way Down.

With Ewan becoming increasingly busy with Hollywood movies, Charley squeezed in the 2006 Dakar rally for his series, Race to Dakar, and has produced several other travel shows.

We’d love to see the pair ride the Americas on a V85TT and a Triumph Scrambler 1200.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

York Motorcycle Festival adds adventure

The ninth annual York Motorcycle Festival in Western Australia is adding some adventure and celebrity to its events this year on Sunday 14 April 2019.

Festival Director Peter Woods says the number of new attractions planned for the free event would help attract more than 6000 people.

“This year we are presenting a big focus on adventure hike riding, Peter said.

“Adventure motorcycling is becoming increasingly popular as more and more people opt for taking their bike off road,” he says.

“We are going to celebrate everything to do with adventure bikes and riding, and hopefully inspire riders to get out and give it a go.”

Billy Biketruck

York Motorcycle Festival adds adventure
Billy Ward

Helping to inspire riders will be Charley Boorman’s sidekick Billy Ward, or Billy Biketruck as he is known.

we met Billy when he joined Charley several years for a motorcycle tour to the Flinders Ranges and he is an extremely funny and entertaining speaker.

He’s also a very competent adventure rider who has recently returned from a filming trip through Afghanistan with Claudio von Planta who filmed Charley and Ewan McGregor in Long Way Round.

York Motorcycle Festival adds adventure
Billy (left) and Claudio

“It started – as so many good stories do – with excessive alcohol consumption, and ended up with a trip through a war zone,” Billy says of his Afghan trek.

“Though standing on the front line in Mosul surrounded by military of one type or another, listening to the coalition jets above made me ponder ‘What the feck am I doing here?’.

“An incredible journey into the Middle East with Claudio opened up my eyes to many things — political, social, economic, power and control. Our legacy, if we have one should be our understanding. My story is about how I fell into this adventure and how wonderfully good and bad, people can be.”

Billy will tell his story at the festival and present some videos and photos of his trip in what he calls an exciting, funny and sad story, with only a little bit of nudity!

Catch Billy at the York Mill on the Saturday at 3pm, and Sunday at 1pm.

York Motorcycle Festival adds adventure
Billy with Chris Vermeulen and Charley Boorman

Free York festival

The family-friendly free festival includes the usual Mt Brown vintage hillclimb, show and shine competition, vintage collective markets, children’s bike rides, displays of new bikes and products, and the Harley-Davidson family concert in Peace Park from 4pm.

Aussie stunt rider Lukey Luke will stage stunt shows burning up South St on his new BMW F800R on the Sunday and champion trials rider Neil Price will demonstrate his amazing skills.

York Motorcycle Festival adds adventure
Lukey Luke

If you want to join  in the fun, you can enter the hillclimb. Riders get two timed passes and need to replicate the next three timed passes as close to their nominated time as possible.York Motorcycle Festival adds adventure

The York Motorcycle Festival will raise funds for beyondblue with a charity ride for on the Sunday from Midland Gate Shopping Centre carpark, Great Eastern Highway, from 8.30am.

Cost is $10 per rider, $5 per pillion, and all money goes to beyondblue.York Motorcycle Festival adds adventure

There is plenty of motorcycle parking available on Avon Terrace and throughout the town.

The York Motorcycle Festival is supported by Department of Tourism Western Australia, Department of Regional Development, Royalties for Regions and the Shire of York, and proudly sponsored by Shannons Insurance, Harley-Davidson, 5 Star Yamaha and Indian Motorcycles.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com