Etc.

ROUNDUP

etc.

SCRATCHING THE ITCH

Grab your TV remote and saddle up with Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman. In 2004, thirsting for adventure, the nuts-for-bikes actors circumnavigated the world on BMWs, documenting their on-and off-road ups and downs in print and on film. Now, they've done it again, only this time traveling from John O'Groats in Scotland to Cape Town, South Africa, raising more than $1 million for charity along the way. A written chronicle of the 85-day, 15,000-mile journey, Long Way Down, will be published by Atria Books in July, with a 10-episode documentary television series beginning August 2 on the Fox Reality Channel. Learn more at

WWW.longwaydown.com

SCHUEY SHINES

Following his celebrated outing on Casey Stoner's MotoGP-winning Ducati last November in Spain, seven-time Formula One World Champion Michael Schumacher showed up ata club event in Hungary on a borrowed Honda CBR1 000RR and raced to a thirdplace finish from a back-of-grid start. The 39-year-old later placed fourth at a KTM Trophy race in Italy on a Super Duke 990. He has since tested the Ducati GP8 but denies any plans to pursue a career on two wheels. The German retired from F-i in 2006 after winning a record 91 races and 68 pole positions.

LIVING ROOM RIDE

Wonderful thing, the Internet. How else could a simple seat cobbler from Finland let a waiting world know about his latest product? Actually, Markus Wikar is a Helsinki-based architect (www. markuswikar.com) who has come up with the "Easy Rider," a seat ing device that looks as though it were pilfered from the Marquis de Sade's very own dentist's office. It is, Wikar tells us, "a leather chair inspired by the motorcycle culture. The fringe covering the chair's legs conveys a general impression of lightness and helps create the illusion of a levitating object." No word about price, but if you have to ask... It's nice that he got his spinster sister Hanna, poor thing, a little modeling work on the side, too.

TIRES GET SMART

Looking for a long-wearing set of tires that bridge the gap between high-performance track rubber and hard-compound high-mileage designs? Dunlop's new Roadsmart tire could be the answer. According to Dunlop, this sporttouring tire provides the best wetweather grip of any road tire in its line. The multi-compound rear has a long-lasting center formula while the shoulders are optimized for corning performance. The Roadsmart is available in six rear and three front sizes. Go to www. dunlopmotorcycle.com for more information.