90° SOUTH – QUEST FOR THE POLE
Royal Enfield successfully completes quest for the pole – an extraordinary endeavour in celebration of 120 years of pure motorcycling
- Successfully completes 90° South – A first-of-its-kind motorcycle expedition to reach the Geographic South Pole | A 28-day journey traversing Antarctica on a 400 km ride from 87 Degree South to the South Pole, on expedition-ready Royal Enfield Himalayans
- Celebration of the 120-year journey of Royal Enfield and a tribute to all expeditioners and riders across the world
Expedition team with the Royal Enfield Himalayan at the geographic South Pole, Antarctica
New Delhi, December 24, 2021: Royal Enfield is the world’s oldest motorcycle brand in continuous production since 1901. Riding through time and tough terrain, Royal Enfield has tested the endurance of man and machine time and again, while remaining relevant and desirable through the ages. Today it has created history by successfully completing the 90° SOUTH expedition, its quest for the South Pole on the Royal Enfield Himalayan. This extraordinary endeavour is 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.
On December 16, 2021, two riders Santhosh Vijay Kumar and Dean Coxson, reached the geographic South Pole in 15 days, making this ambitious attempt a reality. The team arrived at Novo in Antarctica from Cape Town for four days of acclimatization, loading of supplies, checking equipment and the motorcycles. From Novo, the team covered an overland distance of 3200 km over the next 9 days, braving extreme climatic conditions with temperatures between -30 to -25 degrees and wind speed of 60kmph, towards Ross Ice Shelf. Located in the extreme south of the continent, Ross Ice Shelf was the designated starting point for the riders. However, an unexpected blizzard forced the team to alter the course. Instead of starting the ride from 86 South, the team started the ride from 87 degree South. Despite a few initial road-blocks and a slight detour, the expedition team completed the quest on December 16, 2021, creating history.
For this expedition, two Royal Enfield Himalayan motorcycles were modified in-house, with functional upgrades to be able to navigate snow and ice to ably function under extreme conditions in Antarctica. The motorcycles were ridden on a compacted snow track 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 quickly be lost to snow drift. In line with the brand’s #LeaveEveryPlaceBetter initiative, the team is ensuring all waste including human waste is brought back for appropriate disposal.
Currently the team is heading towards Union Glacier, the western part of Antarctica, from where they will fly out to Punta Arenas, Chile.
#90South #RoyalEnfieldHimalayan #RoyalEnfield90South #120YearsOfRoyalEnfield
About Royal Enfield
The oldest motorcycle brand in continuous production, Royal Enfield has created beautifully crafted motorcycles since 1901. From its British roots, a manufacturing plant was established in Madras in 1955, a foothold from which Royal Enfield spearheaded the growth of India’s mid-sized two-wheeler segment. Royal Enfields are engaging, uncomplicated, accessible, and fun to ride; a vehicle for exploration and self-expression. It’s an approach the brand calls Pure Motorcycling.
Royal Enfield’s premium line-up includes the all-new Classic 350, Meteor 350 – the easy-cruiser, Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650 twins, the Himalayan adventure tourer, and the iconic Bullet 350 and Classic 350 singles. Riders and a passionate community are fostered with a rich profusion of events at a local, regional and international level. Most notable are Rider Mania, an annual gathering of thousands of Royal Enfield enthusiasts in Goa, and Himalayan Odyssey, a yearly pilgrimage over some of the toughest terrain and highest mountain passes.
A division of Eicher Motors Limited, Royal Enfield operates through 1033 large format dealerships and 1038 studio stores in all major cities and towns in India and exports to over 60 countries around the globe. The company’s two state-of-the-art production facilities are located at Oragadam and Vallam Vadagal, near Chennai. Royal Enfield recently invested in two world-class technical centers, in Bruntingthorpe, UK, and Chennai, India, and in 2020 opened its first assembly unit outside India, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. With more than 17% growth year-on-year for the last 5 years and sales in international markets up 96% in 2019-20, Royal Enfield is the leader in the global mid-size motorcycle market.
