Ewan McGregor admits to running out of ‘juice’ on Long Way up
The film star admits to running out of battery while riding from Ushuaia to LA for his latest TV show
EWAN McGregor has admitted to ‘running out of juice a couple of times’ during the filming for his latest motorcycle adventure show, Long Way Up.
The admission came while McGregor was a guest on Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight Show when the Star Wars actor admitted to his Harley LiveWire’s battery running out.
McGregor and his long-time companion Charley Boorman set off on the journey in the autumn last year, planning to ride the electrically powered Harley-Davidsons from Ushuaia at the tip of Argentina to Los Angeles.
In the interview, McGregor admits to having to stop off at random houses to recharge the bikes, saying, “We camped in the garden, and we plugged-in. And when there are two bikes charging at the same time, sometimes you could blow the fuses, which could be embarrassing”.
He went on to say, “I got towed a couple of times, I was the only one that ran out. Charley never ran out of juice, and he’ll tell you it’s cause he’s a better rider than me – and it may well be the case. I ran out a couple of times and you’d just hold on to a car … you get your arm around the pillar … and you can just muscle along like that!”
The ride courted controversy from some sides of the motorcycle adventure and environmental communities, with rumours of diesel vans following the team with petrol-powered generators in the back to recharge the bikes in an emergency. You have to admit, it does take the sheen off the event a little.
Alongside the LiveWire motorcycles, and alleged diesel vans, the team was escorted by two high-spec electrically powered Rivian R1T electric pick-ups.
As yet there is no official confirmation as to when the Long Way Up will be released. We’ll be sure to let you know when it is.
Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!
