Royal Enfield Himalayans Reach the South Pole

90° South – Quest For The Pole is a success! Two riders successfully trekked across Antarctica to the South Pole on Royal Enfield Himalayan motorcycles. (Photo: Iceland testing phase)

Royal Enfield, the world’s oldest motorcycle brand in continuous production since 1901, has tested the endurance of man and machine time and again. Recently, it made history once again by successfully completing the 90° South expedition, the quest to see Royal Enfield Himalayans reach the South Pole. This extraordinary endeavor is a tribute to the brand’s 120-year commitment to pure motorcycling, and to the courage and resilience of countless riders and explorers who have made history on two wheels.

On December 16, 2021, two riders – Santhosh Vijay Kumar and Dean Coxson – reached the geographic South Pole in 15 days, making the ambitious attempt a reality.

The Royal Enfield Himalayans and crew arrived at the geographic South Pole on December 16, 2021. (The team is in communication via satellite phone, hence the low-resolution image.)

The team arrived at Novo in Antarctica from Cape Town, South Africa, for four days of acclimatization, loading of supplies, and checking equipment and the motorcycles. From Novo, the team covered an overland distance of 1,988 miles over the next nine days, braving extreme weather conditions with temperatures between -22° to -13°F and wind speed of 37 mph, towards Ross Ice Shelf.

The Ross Ice Shelf was the designated start point for the riders, however, an unexpected blizzard forced the team to alter their course. Instead of starting the ride from 86 degrees South, the team started the 250-mile ride from 87 degrees South. Despite a few initial roadblocks and a slight detour, the expedition team completed the quest by reaching the South Pole on December 16, 2021.

Minimal changes were made to the 90° SOUTH Royal Enfield Himalayans; smaller countershaft sprockets (15- to 13-tooth) increase low-end torque and stronger alternators enable the team to run heated gear. (Photo: Iceland testing phase)

For this expedition, two Royal Enfield Himalayan motorcycles were modified in-house, with functional upgrades to be able to navigate snow and ice, and function under extreme conditions in Antarctica. The motorcycles were ridden on a compacted snow track from the Ross Ice Shelf to the South Pole, to reduce motorcycle drag and limit emissions to an absolute minimum.

Royal Enfield is consciously ensuring no footprint is left behind by the expedition team except wheel tracks that will be quickly lost to snow drift. In line with our #LeaveEveryPlaceBetter initiative, the team is ensuring all waste including human waste is brought back for appropriate disposal.

Studded tires, a tubeless setup and low tire pressure will only do so much–riding in snow is no easy task. (Photo: Iceland testing phase)

The team is currently heading towards the western part of Antarctica, Union Glacier, from where they will fly out to Punta Arenas, Chile.

For more information about the expedition, visit Royal Enfield 90° South – Quest For The Pole.

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