In this connected world that we live in, how many times have we all said we need to unplug, undo and take a bike trip away from all the noise, especially with the current global pandemic looming over our heads. So, what’s your ideal destination, somewhere tucked away in the mountains or enjoying the sun-kissed coastal road running along the ocean? If you’re game then how about a place that will change your life forever? Antarctica anyone?
We are quite sure that the South Pole wasn’t on your dream riding destinations list. We can’t really blame you for that, but the world’s oldest motorcycle brand in production, Royal Enfield, has decided to test the endurance limits of both man and machine as they will attempt to reach the geographic South Pole. Calling it 90° South - Quest for the Pole, this will commemorate 120 years of the pure motorcycling culture as Royal Enfield will take on this first-of-its-kind motorcycle expedition. This legendary motorcycle company isn’t a stranger to ambitious rides as it has carried many including riding on the highest motorable pass in the world to reaching the Base Camp of Mount Everest at the Roof of the World, Tibet; to the most inaccessible mountain pass at Daulat Beg Oldi, in the Karakoram Range in northern Ladakh, India.
Mad Max In World’s Largest Polar Desert
Thanks to Hollywood, we have seen Mad Max scorch the barren desert against all odds in post-apocalyptic times, well now prepare to witness Royal Enfield daring to dream where no motorcycle has gone before. The two Royal Enfield riders who will make this historic 478-mile attempt are — Santhosh Vijay Kumar, Lead - Rides & Community, Royal Enfield, and Dean Coxson, Senior Engineer- Product Development, Royal Enfield and their trusty steeds will be the battle-hardened Himalayans.
Mission 90° South will kick start from Cape Town, South Africa, and both Kumar and Coxson will touch base at Novo, Antarctica on November 26, 2021. The crew will then acclimatize for three days before they drive southward for 12 days to India’s Arctic Research Station on Ross Ice Shelf with the help of support vehicles. The distance is over 8,300 miles. This entire quest is partnered with Arctic Trucks who have in-depth knowledge of Antarctica and have covered over 217,480 miles on this frozen continent. From here, the Himalayan duo will start their historic attempt on December 14, 2021, to Amundsen-Scott Pole Station via South Pole Traverse.
Trivia time. Japanese adventurer Shinji Kazama was the first man to reach both the Poles —North in 1987 and South in 1992. Kazama had previously taken part in arguably the world’s toughest rally and finished the Paris-Dakar race in 1982 and two years later won Dakar’s 500cc class. Coming back to the South Pole quest, you might ask why we had mentioned earlier that this attempt by Royal Enfield is a first-of-its-kind motorcycle expedition if this is already achieved by Kazama. The difference here is that Kazama, at times, attached a ski to the front wheel, but Royal Enfield will stick to good old fashion rubber tires.
Gearing Up For The Very End Of The Earth
The Himalayan is a proven and capable adventure bike, both off-and-on road, but tackling the extreme conditions in Antarctica is a different ball game altogether. Based on the rigorous and grueling tests in similar conditions at the Langjokull glacier in Iceland, Royal Enfield modified the two ADVs accordingly. Phase 1 of testing was held in September 2020 while phase 2 of testing concluded in July 2021. After these tests, the Himalayan showed its mettle as only minimal modifications were needed to tackle the unforgiving conditions. First and foremost, the tires were upgraded to studded ones so that they can provide the much-needed additional traction on slippery cold terrains. The wheel setup was changed to a tubeless one so that the tires can run at very low pressures and sail over the soft snow rather than digging a deep hole and getting stuck in it. The other crucial upgrades are for greater torque at the rear wheel, the main drive sprocket has been changed from a 15-teeth to a 13-teeth unit and the two bikes are now equipped with a stronger alternator using rare earth magnets to produce more current and run heated gear off the battery.
As prepared as the two riders can be, the problem with best-laid plans is that they tend to go astray and Royal Enfield explains this in their 90° South promotion video. Despite the weather, atmosphere and extreme riding conditions, they have to keep in mind the number of times they will slip, fall and try to avoid any serious injuries and on top of that frostbite and hypothermia. Even with such a daunting task in hand, the riders believe — “There are two ways to go about this earth. One is to exist and the other one is to live and attempting to reach the Pole on the motorcycle is living.”