CRASH EXTRA News - Actor Boorman to tackle Dakar with BMW.
British actor Charley Boorman, best known for his televised round-the-world motorcycle ride with Hollywood counterpart Ewan McGregor, is to enter next year's Telefónica Dakar Rally with BMW.

Having successfully circumnavigated the globe on a BMW R1150 GS Adventures, a trip filmed for the television series Long Way Round, Boorman intends to enter the Dakar for the first time, riding alongside rally veteran Simon Pavey. The UK-based production team responsible for Long Way Round will plan and manage the project, with BMW Motorrad UK acting as principle sponsor, providing the bikes, technical support and off-road training.

"Long Way Round was one of the hardest and most satisfying 'big trips' that I think every biker would like to achieve at some point in their lives, but competing in the Dakar is really going to take me to another level," Boorman admitted.

Boorman and Pavey will campaign a pair of BMW F650 GS Dakar machines, ensuring a certain degree of mechanical reliability and allowing the actor to focus on getting to grips with the event. A novice in rally-raid terms, Boorman will also benefit from Pavey's role as BMW's chief off-road skills course instructor. The three-time Dakar competitor was the instructor who prepared Boorman and McGregor for Long Way Round, and the two have already formed a close friendship.
- posted by BeemerMonkey @ 11:31 AM