Royal Enfield Himalayan To Conquer The South Pole!

The Royal Enfield Himalayan is by far the most capable motorcycle in the Chennai-based bikemaker’s portfolio. After having conquered the Himalayas and several other unforgiving terrains across the world, the iconic Himalayan has set its sights to something even more challenging. In a bid to celebrate Royal Enfield’s 120-year anniversary in style, the company has announced an ambitious expedition to the South Pole.

Called ‘90° SOUTH - Quest for the Pole’, the expedition will have two Royal Enfield Himalayan motorcycles starting from the Ross Ice Shelf, via the Leverett Glacier to the Amundsen-Scott Pole station in the South Pole. It's a 770km journey that’ll be covered over a period of 39 days. The bikes will be piloted by Santhosh Vijay Kumar, lead - rides & community, and Dean Coxson, senior engineer- product development.

Of course, there will be support and logistical backup, thanks to the company’s partnership with Arctic Trucks, a tour operator that has the experience of covering over 3.5 lakh km on the Antarctic Plateau. In fact, the company has supported and serviced several scientific expeditions and commercial tours in the past.

• Now Pay Up To Rs 6,428 More For The Meteor 350 And Himalayan
• ZIG Opinion: Royal Enfield Himalayan 650 In The Works - Fact Or Fiction?
• 2021 Royal Enfield Himalayan: Has RE Perfected The Formula?

To traverse through the harsh terrain, Royal Enfield has tweaked the motorcycle in-house with minimal mods. Low-end grunt is crucial in such terrains, so the stock 15-teeth main sprocket has been swapped with a smaller 13-teeth unit, which should improve the bike’s torque output at the wheel. The 21-inch front and 17-inch rear spoke wheels have been enhanced with tubeless knobby tyres that are capable of running at very low pressures. This setup is claimed to improve the flotation in soft snow, and also provide better traction on hard ice. The bike also gets heated grips, and presumably heated seats that draw power from the battery. To ensure the battery is able to handle the load, Royal Enfield has upgraded the alternator with rare-earth magnets to produce more current. Other noteworthy upgrades include a pair of Acerbis aluminium handguards, and Renthal cushioned handlebar brace. We reckon it must also be using antifreeze additives for its fuel system. Royal Enfield has also tested the bike at the Langjokull glacier in Iceland, to simulate the conditions in Antarctica. The company did its first phase of testing in September 2020 while phase 2 concluded in July 2021.

To minimise motorcycle drag and to keep the emissions as low as possible, the bikes will be riding over a compacted snow track. Complying with its #LeaveEveryPlaceBetter initiative, Royal Enfield claims its team will ensure that all waste (including human waste) is brought back for appropriate disposal.

Royal Enfield will commence its journey on November 26 from Cape Town, South Africa. We wish the brave riders the absolute best in this epic adventure!