Royal Enfield takes pride in being the world's oldest motorcycle brand in continuous production since 1901. To commemorate the brand's 120th anniversary, Royal Enfield will mark 2021 by undertaking a motorcycling expedition on the Royal Enfield Himalayan to attempt to reach the geographic South Pole. 90 Degrees South - Quest for the Pole, is conceptualised as a tribute to the brand's commitment to pure motorcycling, and to the courage and resilience of innumerable riders and explorers who have made history with their motorcycling journeys.
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The expedition will be attempted on two, purpose-built Royal Enfield Himalayan motorcycles. The two Himalayans have been modified in-house, with functional upgrades to be able to navigate snow and ice to ably function under extreme conditions in Antarctica.
Speaking about the milestone year for Royal Enfield and the expedition attempt, Siddhartha Lal, Managing Director of Eicher Motors Ltd, said, "120 years is a long legacy for the brand, and we are very happy to have made it count. Over these years, we have created and nurtured a thriving culture of riding and exploration around the world. This pursuit of exploration has been a quintessential part of our DNA, and 90 Degrees South is another chapter in our series of extraordinary, epic motorcycling rides. In the past, rides like Himalayan Odyssey have paved the way for motorcycling adventure in the Himalayas and an epic expedition like this to the South Pole will further inspire people to become adventurers again. A test of endurance and perseverance for man and machine, this expedition is the first of its kind attempt to traverse the 770 km long route to the South Pole on a motorcycle."
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Two riders, both Royal Enfield employees, will attempt the ambitious goal of reaching the South Pole on two Royal Enfield Himalayan motorcycles.
Scheduled to begin from Cape Town, South Africa, on November 26, 2021, the expedition will witness two Royal Enfield riders, Santhosh Vijay Kumar, Lead - Rides & Community, Royal Enfield, and Dean Coxson, Senior Engineer - Product Development, Royal Enfield attempting to reach the geographic South Pole, , from the Ross Ice Shelf via the Leverett Glacier, to the Amundsen-Scott Pole station.
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For the 39-day expedition, covering over 770 km, the Royal Enfield Himalayan was tested for the arduous and treacherous journey at the Langjokull glacier in Iceland, with an intention to mirror the conditions in Antarctica.
Speaking about the brand's purpose of encouraging explorations, and wishing the expedition great success, B Govindarajan, Executive Director, Royal Enfield remarked, "It has been an unbroken legacy of 120 years, of fueling and pushing the boundaries of human exploration, and being an ally to many explorers. It is their journeys and adventures that have inspired us to attempt this first of its kind motorcycle expedition. This bold and ambitious attempt to ride to the very end of the earth summarizes the resilience of the human spirit, and we hope to complete it successfully as an ode to all Royal Enfield riders and their own inspiring expeditions."
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The expedition will be conducted in close partnership with Arctic Trucks, and will be attempted on two, purpose-built Royal Enfield Himalayan motorcycles.
The expedition will be conducted in close partnership with Arctic Trucks, and will be attempted on two, purpose-built Royal Enfield Himalayan motorcycles. The two Himalayans have been modified in-house, with functional upgrades to be able to navigate snow and ice to ably function under extreme conditions in Antarctica. For the 39-day expedition, covering over 770 km, the Royal Enfield Himalayan was tested for the arduous and treacherous journey at the Langjokull glacier in Iceland, with an intention to mirror the conditions in Antarctica. Phase 1 of testing was held in September 2020, while Phase 2 of testing concluded in July 2021.
For greater torque at the rear wheel, the main drive sprocket has been changed to 15-teeth, to a 13-teeth unit. There's a tubeless wheel set-up with studded tyres that allows the tyres to run at very low pressures, and to increase floatation on soft snow, while also providing adequate traction on hard ice.
Minimal changes have been made to the Himalayan to make it ready for the terrain and weather conditions in Antarctica. For greater torque at the rear wheel, the main drive sprocket has been changed to 15-teeth, to a 13-teeth unit. There's a tubeless wheel set-up with studded tyres that allows the tyres to run at very low pressures, and to increase floatation on soft snow, while also providing adequate traction on hard ice. The team has introduced a stronger alternator using rare earth magnets, so as to enable the motorcycle to produce more current and enable the team to run heated gear off the battery.
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The South Pole expedition on two Royal Enfield Himalayan motorcycles will be the most ambitious rides ever attempted by Royal Enfield. Enfield has conducted rides across the globe- ranging from riding on the highest motorable pass in the world, to reaching the Base Camp of Mount Everest in Tibet; from riding over the most inaccessible mountain pass at Daulat Beg Oldi, Karakoram, to riding across the desert at Kutch.
From its beginnings at the Redditch factory, Royal Enfield today is an Indian-brand with its headquarters in Chennai, and a Technological Centre in the UK. In its journey to encourage and kickstart the lifelong pursuit of exploration, Royal Enfield has conducted rides across the globe- ranging from riding on the highest motorable pass in the world, to reaching the Base Camp of Mount Everest in Tibet; from riding over the most inaccessible mountain pass at Daulat Beg Oldi, Karakoram, to riding across the desert at Kutch under picturesque night skies. The motorcycle expedition to the South Pole will be the most ambitious rides ever attempted by Royal Enfield.
