The Royal Enfield Himalayan was the weapon of choice for the rider duo on the 90° South expedition
Royal Enfield
Royal Enfield is finding more and more ways to celebrate its 120th anniversary, and it seems as if the 120th Anniversary editions of the Interceptor and Continental GT 650 weren’t enough. Earlier this year, Royal Enfield announced its 90° South expedition, in collaboration with Arctic Trucks. As part of the bike maker’s celebration of its 120th anniversary, this expedition would take two Royal Enfield Himalayans on a quest to conquer the South Pole in a period of 39 days. The bike maker has now announced the expedition has been completed on December 16 in just nine days.
Riders Santhosh Vijay Kumar and Dean Coxson piloted two Himalayans that were modified in-house by Royal Enfield to tackle the challenging ice and snowy conditions. The modifications include a 13-tooth sprocket for more torque, adjustable bolt-on skis, a tubeless tyre setup, a repositioned rear brake pedal, and weight saving measures such as the removal of the headlamp and centre stand. Click here to read our conversation with Santhosh Vijay Kumar on the preparation for the expedition.
The riders started off from Novo, Antarctica, and covered a distance of 3200km, reaching the geographic South Pole in just nine days. Temperatures ranged between -30 to -25 degrees, while wind speed was measured at 60kmph as the riders headed towards Ross Ice Shelf, which was originally meant to be the starting point for the course. However, a blizzard caused the riders to change their route and start the ride from 87 degree south. Kumar and Coxson managed to reach the geographic South Pole successfully on December 15, making Royal Enfield the first Indian bike manufacturer to reach the South Pole.
With the updated Classic 350 having been launched recently, Royal Enfield hasn’t said anything about new launches. However, we expect the bike maker to come up with some interesting products in the coming new year.