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Say what?!!!
ADVMotoMag is reporting a new series is in the works!  What route do you think they'll take?  On which bikes?  Will you watch?
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I am looking forward to this. These guys definitely played a roll in what started my obsession with Adventure Riding.
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I hadn't seen the series until after I'd started riding and it would bug me when the AOLrider small bike trolls would say things like "oh I bet he saw Long Way Round and just had to go out and buy a $25k bike" ?

Liked the first two as well as Charley's Road to Dakar but this time given they are certainly much better riders with a lot more experience go a bit less supported than before.  The whole 3 car caravan with medical team, etc... is kind of not necessary, especially I think if they're doing S America north.

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1 hour ago, Eric Hall said:

I hadn't seen the series until after I'd started riding and it would bug me when the AOLrider small bike trolls would say things like "oh I bet he saw Long Way Round and just had to go out and buy a $25k bike" ?

Liked the first two as well as Charley's Road to Dakar but this time given they are certainly much better riders with a lot more experience go a bit less supported than before.  The whole 3 car caravan with medical team, etc... is kind of not necessary, especially I think if they're doing S America north.

I see nothing wrong with people seeing a series like that then going out and buying a 25K adventure bike.  Everyone builds on other people's ideas or adventures.  

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I'll see this new series, FWIW. Supported or not, these guys do a fairly good show. I reckon the support vehicles, accompanying doctor etc might be a contract & insurance based thing. Ewan MacGregor is now a famous actor and the other guy an experienced and skilled rider.

It would have been fun if the cameraman Claudio Von Planta teamed up also. He was a great resource and likeable dude

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+1 on Claudio VP. The most relatable rider :)

I'll see this new series, FWIW. Supported or not, these guys do a fairly good show. I reckon the support vehicles, accompanying doctor etc might be a contract & insurance based thing. Ewan MacGregor is now a famous actor and the other guy an experienced and skilled rider.

It would have been fun if the cameraman Claudio Von Planta teamed up also. He was a great resource and likeable dude
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I recently saw a discussion on Facebook where the OP's question is basically "are these guys posers or the real deal?"  Many comments ensued.

My only point was I think what they've done for the industry is a great thing and I've enjoyed all the various series.  But.... I also said that I don't find them that remarkable of motorcyclists and that the average rider in our community is better.  A few responded "yeah but Charly rode (raced) Dakar!  What have you done!!"  Well, I did race Baja and Sonora rallies...  

To be fair, Charly has since done quite a bit of adventure tours all over the globe and unfortunately was injured quite severely twice and is still recovering.  Ewan put together his own XR650 and did a solo Baja trip and camped.  A Dakar stage is also much more formidable than any you'll find in either the Baja or Sonora rallies.

But Charly never was qualified to race Dakar, could only finish one of the races he entered during his training phase, didn't take his fitness seriously, etc...  He raced Dakar because he's a celebrity doing a TV show.

Charly's no Lyndon Poskitt (nor am I) but there's been so many amateur riders do Dakar and do so much better:  Ned Suesse, Bill Conger, Petr Vlcek, Taye Perry, Mirjam Pol, Llel Pavey, Neil Hawker, etc...

So then I started to think more about Charly's Race to Dakar series comparing it to my own.  And while I don't want to take away from what he accomplished (Simon Pavey had high praise for Charly when I asked him that at Taste of Dakar a few years ago), the more I thought about it the more I feel my points are valid.  I'm by no means an elite rider.  I was 50 years old when I did Baja Rally (Charly was 40).  I'm just a suburban dad who likes to ride adventure bikes and have only been doing it for barely 10 years now.  I didn't grow up riding dirt bikes.  I did not do well in either rally but I did a lot better than I expected I would.  I'd never ridden sand dunes either but got through 3 days of them at Sonora (even though I wished I'd had a wider rear tire).

I don't think Charly could have done the Baja Rally on a 990, or any big bike actually.  I got 9th in the prologue and I also doubt he could have done as well in any stage.

So I would never say they're posers.  I think they have more talent in many areas (than I'll never have).  I just find the experience of the average riders I know to be a bit higher than theirs is all.  I see them as entertaining people who've been able to do some very cool adventures.  I do hope this new series will result in many more people taking up adventure riding.

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