The modifications
The Alps 2019 (ENG)
Long Way Round (Special Edition)
Title: Long Way Round
Tagline: Chasing shadows across the world
Type: DVD Boxset
Review copy: eBay
Length: 7 hour 19 minutes
Price: £12 (Standard Edition) @longwayround.com
Producers: Alexis Alexanian, David Alexanian, Charley Boorman,
Russ Malkin,Ewan McGregor,Cori Abraham
Website: https://www.longwayround.com/
This gets a pretty mixed bag in the adventure riding community, you either love it or hate with the hardcore purists leaning heavily towards hating.
I don't really understand why.
Sure they're given bikes and a bunch of gear but I wouldn't say no if someone were to give me stuff.
And then there's the support crew, oh my god the pure hatred in the adventurer's eyes when they talk about the LWR support crew.
Who cares? They did it their way and credit to them, the exposure they've given the adventure motorcycle creed is completely astronomical and if it makes a bunch of posers having a mid-life crisis go and buy a brand new fully kited adventure bike just so they can ride in style to Starbucks on sunny Sundays then so much the better.
Eventually they'll hit the second hand market and get in the hands of someone that'll actually ride it.
I really don't think there's anyone who has found this webpage that doesn't know what this is but still:
This is a documentary series about two actor friends Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman who set out on a journey from London to New York due east, four months and 22000 miles through western Europe, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia and across the pacific to Alaska through Canada and America.
It takes them across Siberia and the notorious Road of bones.
At that point of the journey they are really starting to struggle which has given many the hardcore adventurer a reason to go there and prove how to really do it.
It starts out a bit slow but picks up nicely and has such a great mix between the pure travelling and entertainment aspect and the motorcycling that you can watch this with someone completely disinterested with motorcycles (I've heard there are such people out there) and they will still enjoy it.
The production is amazing with the true hero of the series being Claudio Von Planta who shoots the footage in a way that makes you almost feel like your there, riding with them.
The extras don't really add much to the story so when I bought it new I guess I could have saved myself a few quid but as you can now pick up a used copy on eBay for <£5 you might as well get the SE for a bit more insight into the production that you get from just watching the series.
Despite all the hate I absolutely loved this, it's a completely epic series and a must-have in the DVD-collection of anyone even remotely interested in motorcycle travel.
Road Heroes
Title: Horizons Unlimited Presents: Road Heroes
Tagline: Motorcycle Adventure Travel Tales Part One
Price: $19.99 @horizonsunlimited.com
Producer: Horizons Unlimited
Website: horizonsunlimited.com
This DVD features presentations by four travellers. Dr. Gregory "Greg" Frazier, Tiffany Coates, Peter & Kay Forwood and Rene Cormier.
Greg has done 5 RTW-trips by motorcycle and clocked in 1000 000 miles behind the handlebars.
Tiffany "Tiff" Coates had on the outset planned to do a four month trip travelling by her second hand BMW R80 GS but picked up the travel bug along the way and just kept going, her trusty GS has now clocked more than 211 000 miles.
Peter & Kay Forwood has travelled through every country in the world recognized by the UN on their Harley Davidsson Electra Glide purchased new in 1994.
They have ridden 610 000 kms on that very same bike!
With a $25 a day budget Rene Cormier spent five years travelling through 41 countries covering 154 000 kms.
For me the most interesting part of the DVD was without a doubt the interview with Peter & Kay, had I based the rating solely on that feature this would get a solid 10/10.
In a matter of fact kind of way they tell about crossing war zones like the war-torn Congo where because of the road conditions Kay who was the pillion passenger pretty much walked through the whole country.
It's still absolutely amazing what they managed to do on a Harley with road tyres.
As this is basically presentations taped on Horizons Unlimited events the production isn't all that great but the sound quality is good and it's all mixed with still photos which might not sound like it's enough to keep you glued to your seat but considering these are some of the most prolific adventure bikers on the planet it is truly inspiring and a nice evenings entertainment.
A story worth living
Title: A story worth living
Type: Streaming
Review copy: Vimeo On Demand
Price: Rent: €5 Buy: €9
Producers: Jon Dale,John Eldredge,Sam Eldredge
Website: https://www.astoryfilm.com
I read in forums about this where it got completely slaughtered by the ADV riding community.
I also read that they even gave refunds to those that requested it at the screening.
Like a rubbernecker riding past the scene of a horrible accident I just had to see for myself what it was about.
What a mistake that was.
First of all the positive, and there is just one positive thing I can say about this:
There is some really epic drone footage in this but not by far enough to save it to something I would recommend watching.
The rest of it is basically a bunch of middle-aged to real oldtimer dudes filming themselves sitting around talking.
They're not even talking about motorcycles, it's all just quasi-philosophical bullshit.
And just when you just don't think it can possibly get any worse it gets evangelical.
I read a challenge somewhere to do a drinking game to this and take a shot every time anyone says the word story.
I can't see anyone surviving that as they say story 15 times in the first 5 minutes alone.
85 times in the total duration of the film. That's more than once a minute ffs!
(Yes, I counted, it wasn't like I had to concentrate very hard to keep up with the narrative because that was dead in the water from the first frame).
The most hilarious part of the film is when they shout out loud warnings to each other about a puddle with less than an inch of water, I'm no hardcore adventure rider myself but give me a break.
This isn't a motorcycle film, I don't really know what it is or what it is supposed to be other than something I'd recommend you'd stay as far away from as humanly possible.
A story worth watching it definitely isn't.
Where the glacier meets the sky
Title: Where the glacier meets the sky
Price: Rent: €4
Producer: Shawn Edmondson
Website: https://vimeo.com/rsedmo
Iceland, a breathtakingly beautiful country well captured by filmmaker Shawn Edmondson.
Shawn travels to Iceland along with his friend Kevin and they rents couple of BMW:s to travel around the island for a two week long ride.
He fully immerses himself in the Icelandic culture even trying the local delicacy Hákarl (fermented shark meat) and interviewing charming locals.
The music is nice, the scenery is absolutely stunning with sublime drone footage and the production is stellar from what as I understand it is an amateur filmmaker.
Shawn had at first made this freely available but I can see why he decided to make this a pay-per-view as this film well exceeds many professional studio productions.
A thoroughly enjoyable production.
A Kurdish Movie
Title: A Kurdish Movie
Price: Rent: €3 Buy: €10
Producer: Claudio Von Planta
Website: www.vonplantaproductions.com
Iraq, Kurdistan Region
The legendary filmmaker that made Long Way Round/Down the eposes that they are Claudio Von Planta heads out on another adventure, this time along with Billy "Biketruck" Ward.
It's definitely fair to say that they have chosen the path less travelled by going to the Kurdistan region of northern Iraq, by all accounts a war-zone to scope out the territory for future guided tours.
As transport they are actually lent a couple of bikes from the Kurdistan traffic police complete with lights and sirens which to be honest is pretty fucking cool.
The film is quite watchable as Cloudios filmmaking style is very immersive and it's very obvious that he and Billy get along very well as they have great chemistry.
That they've chosen to explore a to most westerners completely unknown region also makes this a bit of a novelty and peaked my interest immediately.
As far as the content is concerned this is definitely more of a travel documentary as the motorcycle element is not very prevalent.
An entertaining watch.
C90 Adventures - Malaysia to UK