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Motorcycle to Antarctica?? Motorcycle to Antarctica??
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Photo by Andy Miller, UK, Taking a rest, Jokulsarlon, Iceland

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Andy Miller, UK,
Taking a rest,
Jokulsarlon, Iceland



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  #1  
Old 13 Feb 2013
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Motorcycle to Antarctica??
HI All,

Ive been on the road forn 40,000km now from the arctic circle in Alaska and I hope to try an make a symbolic landing of the bike in Antartica.

The bike in quetion is the iconic Honda C90.. i am currenlty in Chile, and heading for Tierra del Fuego. Recently I headed off up the side of a volcano in Chile to set a record for the Highest ever Honda Cub. YOu can see some pics below.. we made it to 5706m through deep snow, ppulling pushing and riding the bike when ever possbile.!

I really want to try get to Antarctica so if anyone knows someone who actually has done this please drop me a line!

thanks
Sean

Honda Vs The World | Alaska to ArgentinaHonda Vs The World | Alaska to Argentina






Honda Vs The World | Alaska to ArgentinaHonda Vs The World | Alaska to Argentina
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  #2  
Old 13 Feb 2013
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I don't think it's possible
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  #3  
Old 13 Feb 2013
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It has been done before I think by a Scandinavian who booked one of the discount cruises that sometimes come up in Ushuiaia and persuading the captain to let him bring his bike on board. It was then dropped off for the 100 metres or so of "road" at one of the stations they visited and he became the first person to motorcycle on every continent.
If you can get on one of those cruises they are fantastic in themselves, then have a word with the captain but don't hold your breath.
Be quick, I think they only run until the end of February.
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  #4  
Old 13 Feb 2013
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Why?
As Mark says, it has been done; it was such an occasion that I can't remember who, when, where exactly, or how, but, most of all, I have no idea why.

There are international treaties to prevent pollution of Antarctica, so, in theory, there is a lot of paperwork involved; on the other hand, there was that other ships' captain who bent the rules and went too close to an Italian island for a "drive past". I guess you have to strike lucky for someone of that ilk.
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  #5  
Old 14 Feb 2013
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There are enough cars there to need parking restrictions and sign posts.





Maybe post in the HU 4WD Overland section???
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  #6  
Old 14 Feb 2013
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Quote:
Originally Posted by McCrankpin View Post
There are enough cars there to need parking restrictions and sign posts.


Maybe post in the HU 4WD Overland section???
It looks like Land Cruisers rule OK!

There are the tourists trips/ships to the continent, just as there are to the North Pole, by aircraft in that case, but they are not cheap.
An acquaintance of mine was budgetting to visit "each side" of Antarctica via the respective bases and he expected to pay £20000 in total.
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Old 15 Feb 2013
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Walkabout View Post
As Mark says, it has been done; it was such an occasion that I can't remember who, when, where exactly, or how, but, most of all, I have no idea why.
--snip--
Benka Pulko - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"In the process she also became the first motorcyclist to reach Antarctica..."

Why? Because it's there....and she could. Same reason many of us seek weird
venues, despite the not always benign consequences.
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  #8  
Old 15 Feb 2013
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When in Ushuaia, you can get serious discounts on the tourist-run to Antarctica, and depending on ship and willingness of the captain he might let you bring the bike... Probably no way of making sure other than getting there and asking nicely.
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Old 15 Feb 2013
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Ed march whom I met last summer in İstanbul is just doing it but to north pole on a C-90.
after the big trip from Bangkok to London by the same c-90.
https://www.facebook.com/edwin.march?ref=ts&fref=ts

Best Wishes
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Old 15 Feb 2013
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Oh well, been there, done that rules OK, as well as L/Cs
Quote:
Originally Posted by CourtFisher View Post
Benka Pulko - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"In the process she also became the first motorcyclist to reach Antarctica..."

Why? Because it's there....and she could. Same reason many of us seek weird
venues, despite the not always benign consequences.
Hmmmmmmm, yep, she got her 15 minutes of fame 15 minutes of fame - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
now you mention it.
If IIRC the publicity of that event, it consisted of lowering a bike off the side of a boat, riding it a few 100 metres along an Antarctic shingle beach and then re-loading the bike onto the boat; someone else may have a better/more detailed memory of this particular 15 minute event.
Not quite in the same league as the originator of the expression "because it's there".

Also, it might be more accurate to say that she was the first to ride a bike there; there is every possibility that many others who have set foot in Antarctica happened to hold a motorcycle licence; personally, I am so glad that the Guinness folks have stopped doing all that nonsense with regard to motorcycles (it all became a tad dangerous of course).
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Old 21 Feb 2017
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Bringing back to life an old thread to ask...

Has anyone actually succeeded in getting a bike into Antarctica in the last decade or so?
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Old 21 Feb 2017
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The last person I heard who had done it was Benka Pulko, many moons ago.

I asked when I was in Ushuaia in Jan/Feb 2016 about taking my bike to Antarctica on a cruise ship but was told because of the fragile ecosystem there it wasn't possible. Even as a walking tourist you get given footwear by the ship to wear and it gets cleaned/disinfected prior to setting foot on the beach/rocks/ice.

I also spoke to a sailboat captain who did tours there who said he would take a bike, strapped to the mast. I wouldn't want my bike on the deck of a sailboat across the Drake Passage and back just for the sake of a photo.
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Old 21 Feb 2017
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SJAAK LUCASSEN has set his goal to reach the "North Pole"....

http://www.sjaaklucassen.nl/en/categ...th-pole-intro/
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  #14  
Old 25 Feb 2017
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chris View Post
I also spoke to a sailboat captain who did tours there who said he would take a bike, strapped to the mast..
Looks like someone took up that offer and strapped her bike to the mast!

One Steph Beyond: The Valentines Day Landing
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Old 26 Feb 2017
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Originally Posted by Chris of Japan View Post
Looks like someone took up that offer and strapped her bike to the mast!

One Steph Beyond: The Valentines Day Landing
One careful lady owner. Never been off road. Never been submerged in salt water in a howling gale for a fortnight....

It's a Honda!
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