TV2 The Long Way Round

[Wellyman]

I watched the some of the episode last night till my eyes got till droopy. Great show, good humor as mentioned.
WM

[FlangMasterJ]

Sorry I missed the trialling of the bikes. What KTM model were they looking at? The 950 Adventure?

[k14]

Yeah it was a 950 something, they wanted it but then ktm pulled out because some advisor guy said that their journey was impossible and they were going to fail, lol. Not the best ad for ktm.

[SpankMe]

Just watched Ep. 4 on DVD and it’s a good one with lots of biking, lots of really hard biking. So don’t miss it, especially since it ends on a bit of a cliffhanger.

What amazes me is that those Beemer bikes will run on any crap fuel you find in the middle of nowhere, hand pumped from a petrol pump that looks like it’s been around since the 20’s

Oh, and they buy a Russian motorbike in Mongolia.

[Brian d marge]

I'm finding it interesting as they discover the realities of touring. I'd love to see them do it on a push bike. There was a comment about having riden 38 miles on dirt and feeling buggered. Try doing that on a push bike knowing you still have to do another 120miles that day. I notice that half their luggage has gone already

Still, makes me want to get back into touring again tho. Jelous now

38 kilopoofers on the dirt and they are buggered ...try a 4 hour enduro ...my average speed was 50 km/h over a long MX track for 4 hours ...only a break whilst refueling ,,,3 time ..didnt need it on the third time ,,I was just plain buggered
Actors ..haaa run for the limo and they would call that work ....
now In MY DAY .....acting was the reserve of the the Unemployed ...you had to act for 2 hours a day twice a week ...in order to to convince em to pay your Giro ....( unemployment money )
Acting ...,,,,Dont give me Acting ......Rada once concidered me as a replacement doormat ...I refused you know ...I took the umbrella stand job instead
I spit in the FACE of thes over paid 38 km ...oh I am tired ..European actors ......
Stephen D Watson R.A.P.A ( Royal Acadamy of Pissed Artisans)

[Krayy]

Hope you guys caught this last night. Talk about hard going! There are a number of things that struck me about this episode....

1. No matter where you are, and how desolate it looks, people still call it "home". Was a few funny moments when they're talking into their video diaries saying "Here we are, no-one around for miles", then a Mongolian "horde" of 2 or 3 show up.

2. If someone asks you "would you like some nuts?", make SURE they're not talking about sheeps balls!!

3. A $1k Russian motorbike is worth 2 BMW 1150GS's (until the gear box breaks)

4. Speaking of big Beemers, never take one into a bog FFS.

5. Before going on a world tour, learn how to pick up a big bike properly (http://www.ibmwr.org/otech/pickup.html)

6. have more than 1 days riding experience on the bikes you're gong to ride through some of the roughest terrain on earth.

7. When you start dreaming about being a "naked Obi-wan", it's time to stop.
Good show though.

[Hitcher]

I have become a devout follower of this series.

I had the same thought as your point 5 last night -- the bikes are way too big and bulky for the purpose to which they are being put. A couple of Dakars, or Transalps, or Caponords would have made their lives considerably easier. At least each would have been able to stand up their own machine unaided.

They also broke rule number one of arc welding on any vehicle: First disconnect the battery. They're lucky they didn't fry more than just the ABS controller.

[Blackbird]

Amazing the empathy you feel for these guys when having experienced biking stresses and traumas for yourself. Went to bed totally worn out!

[Krayy]

... A couple of Dakars, or Transalps, or Caponords would have made their lives considerably easier. At least each would have been able to stand up their own machine unaided...

I'm pretty sure they went for the bigger bikes due to the amount of gear they have to carry. Could have left the toolkits at home if they didnt know what to do with them though.

[Wolf]

Forgot it was on so missed last night's episode. <-- only because there's no "kicking myself in the arse" smilie.

Missed 2 out of three episodes now, will definitely have to get the 3 disc set. And the book.

[dawnrazor]

was impressed how honest this series appears to be, its really warts and all telly, very watchable. No bloody wonder the DVD has shot through the roof in sales and BMW are reporting record sales of the GS.

[Mr Skid]

I'm pretty sure they went for the bigger bikes due to the amount of gear they have to carry. Could have left the toolkits at home if they didnt know what to do with them though.

I think they were dammed when they had to go with BMW. I'd quite like a 1150GS for touring, but they were just too much for where they were going.

A KTM 640 Adventure with goodies from the hard parts catalouge would have been a bit more manageable.

I was also suprised that with all the luggage they couldn't find the space to carry a factory service manual.

[Postie]

I think they were dammed when they had to go with BMW. I'd quite like a 1150GS for touring, but they were just too much for where they were going.

A KTM 640 Adventure with goodies from the hard parts catalouge would have been a bit more manageable.

I was also suprised that with all the luggage they couldn't find the space to carry a factory service manual.

KTM had there chance, they said it couldn't be done, this point has been mentioned already, but they will be kicking them self's and each other for letting this opportunity go by, specially now the GS sales are rocketing

[Mr Skid]

KTM had there chance, they said it couldn't be done, this point has been mentioned already, but they will be kicking them self's and each other for letting this opportunity go by, specially now the GS sales are rocketing

I appreciate that KTM told then to get knotted, just making the point of what I think would be a better bike for the job. I would have thought that considering the production budget, it wouldn't have been too difficult to afford of the forementioned KTMs.

Weight comparisons (dry) are 154kg on the KTM 640, and 232kg on the 1150GS.

[k14]

I appreciate that KTM told then to get knotted, just making the point of what I think would be a better bike for the job. I would have thought that considering the production budget, it wouldn't have been too difficult to afford of the forementioned KTMs.

Weight comparisons (dry) are 154kg on the KTM 640, and 232kg on the 1150GS.

I thought they test rode the ktm 950 somethingrather. Regardless they stuck one up ktm's rear end, I wish at the end they could show the guys ring up ktm and let them know of their success.