THIS is Ewan McGregor’s incredible motorcycle collection, from a £23,000 electric Harley Davidson to a custom-built vintage chopper.
The Star Wars actor is well-known as a bike-lover and has made several programmes touring the world on two wheels with close pal Charley Boorman.
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However, off-screen he has racked up a large number of unique and classic bikes.
BMW R1150GS – £7,000
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Probably McGregor’s most famous ride, this bike featured in his Sky One docu-series Long Way Round.
The show saw him and Charley Boorman make the 19,000-mile eastwards trip from London to New York.
They rode the specially-modified BMWs across Europe, through Siberia and into Canada before arriving in the US.
They even took in the infamous Russian highway known as the Road of Bones in memory of the forced labourers who lost their lives building it.
Estimates suggest as many as a million workers died and legend states that they are burning underneath or around the road, though this has not been confirmed.
The R1150GS was produced from 1999 to 2006 and featured a 1130cc engine in BMW’s favoured flat-twin configuration.
It is the same model ridden by Kevin Sanders and his wife Julia when they broke the world record for the fastest round-the-world journey by motorcycle in 2002.
BMW R1200GS Adventure – £11,000
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The immediate successor to the 1150GS, this model was used by McGregor and Boorman for Long Way Down, the sequel to their first hit show.
In the 2007 show, the Beemers carried the pair from London to John O’Groats and from there down to Cape Agulhas, the southernmost point of Africa.
This model featured a slightly large 1170cc flat-twin engine and was produced until 2019.
McGregor wasn’t the only celeb to bring the bike onto our screens, though, as Hairy Bikers Dave Myers and Si King rode the same models in several episodes of their Cookbook series.
Harley Davidson LiveWire – £23,000
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Rounding out the trio of TV bikes used by McGregor and Boorman, the LiveWire served them well in their 2019 show Long Way Up.
Making the decision to go all-electric, the pair were delighted by their performance as they carried them from southern Argentina to Los Angeles in quiet comfort.
With prices starting at £22,990, the LiveWire is one of the more expensive bikes in McGregor’s collection.
It is amply powered by a liquid-cooled induction electric motor, which lays down an impressive 105 horsepower and 86 ft.lb of torque.
This gives the relatively weighty 210kg bike a nifty top speed of 115mph.
BSA Bantam D1 (1952) – £3,000 to £4,000
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One of only a couple of British bikes in the Obi-Wan Kenobi star’s garage, the BSA Bantam D1 is beloved by classic bike enthusiasts.
With a production run between 1948 and 1963, the D1 is the original motorcycle produced by the Birmingham Small Arms Company.
It featured a 125cc engine producing a nervous four-horsepower and a three-speed gearbox.
Maxed out it would stretch to 45mph, which might not seem much now but was a decent lick for a bike in the early ’50s.
Sunbeam S7 (1956) – £6,000
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The other Brit in the collection, the Sunbeam was produced between 1949 and 1956 by a subsidiary of BSA.
It was based on the BMW R75, the designs for which were actually acquired by BSA as war reparations.
Sunbeam’s dedicated owner’s club was established in 1924, making it one of the oldest in the UK.
A bit of a power upgrade on its causing the Bantam, its 487cc inline vertical engine put out 24 horsepower.
Indian Larry Chopper – Custom Price
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Taking its name from revered motorcycle builder Lawrence ‘Indian Larry’ DeSmedt, the chopper is one of the most special and unique bikes in McGregor’s collection.
It is not known how much he paid for the custom bike, but they have resold for as much as £22,000.
Indian Larry found fame as a champion of old-school choppers and was considered one of the best custom builders in the world.
Choppers are usually made by taking a base model cruiser-style bike and stripping out anything that could be considered unnecessary to it running.
They are characterised by tall handlebars, low riding position, steeply raked frame and minimalist style.
Moto Guzzi Eldorado Police Bike (1974) – £7,000
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Beginning a run of many Moto Guzzis in the collection, this one-time police bike is regarded as one of the manufacturer’s best models.
It was designed in consultation with the Traffic Division of the LAPD and later adopted by several other police forces stateside.
The 64.5 horsepower was generated by a 844cc 90-degree V-twin, producing a top speed of 115mph.
This Guzzi is also a rare item as it was only produced between 1972 and ’74.
Moto Guzzi V7 Sport (1972) – £10,000 to £15,000
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We told you he liked Moto Guzzis.
Produced between 1971 and 1974, this was the first cafe racer put out by the iconic Italian brand.
It featured a 748cc V-twin laying down 70 horsepower and a top speed of 125 mph.
In 2008, Moto Guzzi revived the model as the V7 Special, the retro-design of which was based on the original.
Moto Guzzi V11 Sport (2000) – £6,000
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With the blood of the V7 Sport flowing through its veins, the V11 Sport was a more powerful bike for modern times.
The engine was expanded to 1064cc and the horsepower cranked up to 91 to squeeze out an extra 12mph in top speed.
It also produced a hefty 69 ft.lb of torque to make up for its added bulk.
Moto Guzzi V11 Le Mans Tenni (2002) – £5,000
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Named after the famed endurance race, this bike is a streamlined version of its brother the V11 Sport.
It honours Italian racing champion Omobon Tenni, who rode Guzzis throughout much of his career.
He even rode one to victory in the lightweight class of the 1937 Isle of Man TT, becoming the first Italian ever to win the a race at the event.
Honda Gold Wing (1980) – £6,000
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Perhaps the most celebrated and beloved big bike of all time, the Honda Gold Wing has endured to this day and will celebrate 40 years of production in 2024.
The GL1100 version, which was released in 1980, holds the world record for the longest distance travelled on a motorcycle after Argentinian journalist Emilio Scotto rode it 457,000 miles across the globe.
Its 1085cc flat-four puts out 81 horsepower, while 65 ft.lb of torque drags its meaty frame up to 119mph on a good day.
Renowned for providing immense comfort, an easy riding style and affordable price, the Gold Wing is a staple of motorcycle collections.
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