Expedition-ready Royal Enfield Himalayan successfully completed a 90-degree South Quest as it journeyed to reach the South Pole in Antarctica.
see photosSantosh Vijay Kumar and Dean Coxson were on board the expedition-ready Royal Enfield Himalayan
In an iconic moment for the 120 year old brand, Royal Enfield Himalayan Conquered the South Pole, successfully completing the 90-degree south campaign. The Himalayan, prepared for the expedition aboard by riders Santosh Vijay Kumar and Dean Coxson, reached the geographic South Pole in 15 days on 16 December 2021. The team arrived from Cape Town in Novo, Antarctica for four days of adaptation, loading of supplies, equipment. Check and motorcycle. The bike maker managed to achieve the historic milestone as it celebrates its 120th anniversary this year.
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Royal Enfield Himalayan was tested at Longjokull Glacier in Iceland and upgraded ahead of Antarctic-expedition
Over the next nine days, riders covered an overland distance of 3,200 km with extreme temperatures between 300 and -25 degrees Celsius and wind speeds of 60 kmph toward the Ross Ice Shelf. The Ross Ice Shelf was the starting point for the riders, but an unexpected blizzard forced them to change course and begin the ride from 87-degrees South instead of the originally planned 86-degrees South. The company says that despite initial hurdles in the journey, the expedition managed to complete the quest, making history.
For the campaign, two Royal Enfield Himalayan motorcycles were modified by the company with functional upgrades. This included the ability to ride on snow and ice. The bike was tested by an in-house team on the Longjökull glacier in Iceland between September 2020 and July 2021. Based on the feedback, the bike was upgraded to be Antarctic-ready. This included adding a tubeless wheel setup with studded tires to run at low pressure, increase flotation on soft snow and provide traction on hard snow.
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To conquer the South Pole, the Himalayan gets a slew of upgrades including tubeless wheels, a bigger alternator and snow tracks
The Himalayan also got a different sprocket from the 15-tooth to the 13-tooth unit. In addition, all electricals were waterproofed with silicone grease and heat sealed. A stronger alternator with rare earth magnets was added to the adventure motorcycle to generate more current to enable the team to drive hot gear. Royal Enfield also removed the center stand and headlamp unit of the bikes to cut down on the extra weight. With Antarctica having 24 hours of sunshine in the summer, this was a viable option. The side-stand was fitted with a larger foot to avoid sinking in the snow, while the rear brake pedal was moved back to allow easier access with heavy off-road shoes.
Finally, the expedition-ready RE Himalayan was mounted on a narrow ice track at the South Pole to reduce motorcycle drag and limit emissions to a minimum. Royal Enfield also says that it ensured that no footprint was left by the expedition crew except in the wheel tracks. This includes not only emissions but also human waste, which will be brought back for proper disposal.
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Currently, the team is heading towards Union Glacier in the western part of Antarctica. The rider and bike will then fly to Punta Arenas in Chile.
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