Royal Enfield has come up with Nirvik Jacket that has officially replaced its Darcha Touring Jacket range. The new jacket has got a lot of improvement over the outgoing gear, primary among these is the inclusion of exhaust vents that keep it cool and wearable around the year. We also bought it through the MIY program on the RE’s store website and the process was hassle-free, there are multiple options, the website works seamlessly and all the features on the website include 360-degree look at the gear. Packaging is also really well done with a large box that can house all the armor, two liners, and a jacket without any squeeze or creases.
A reason why we chose Nirvik over the Khardungla jacket it feels lighter and provides more ventilation. Every ride in last four months, despite cold weather with humidity in Mumbai, kept us much more comfortable than we expected! Unlike the Darcha, Nirvik has got a massive vent on the back and two vents on the chest. All these vents ensure proper ventilation and comfort for the rider. The pocket vents on Nirvik are held on to their place with the help of magnets although the placement of these closing mechanisms is not very accurate. Even the improper closure feels a bit flimsy and we would have liked RE to have come up with the fold and tuck kind of a design.
There are two separate liners for providing protection against cold weather and rain. There is no issue with the rain liner as it is thin and light but the same is not true for the winter one. The good thing is that both these liners can be used individually though the mechanism for attaching these liners to arms with the help of a single loop-type fastener isn’t great. Rather a two-loop arrangement would have made the whole mechanism easier and more manageable.
Nirvik’s fit and cut make it an ideal touring jacket for most of the motorcycles from RE range. Our brown color jacket is just perfect with an orange Interceptor or the black Himalayan we had while shooting this. It is recommended to first try the jacket even if you’re sure about the size – some people might find the sleeves of the jacket shorter than usual. For me, where I always get long sleeves, these seemed perfect. So clearly, I am quite happy with this comfortable well fitted jacket. Also, the placement of the zipper specifically around the wrist is something that could feel better. There are plenty of adjustments that you can do around the elbows, waist, collar, biceps, and forearms. Specifically, around the arms and the waist, there are metal fasteners that should work well in the long term.
Nirvik is available in a total of 2 shades – brown and black. Its body is made with 500D nylon which is tear-resistant while 610D Cordura abrasion-resistant material has been used for the shoulders and the elbows. The material has got the Class A certification which adds credentials to its overall ergonomics design and lightweight characteristics. The jacket offers superior protection to the rider – CE Level 1 D30 Viper Panel for the back, CE Level 2 chest protectors, and CE Level 2 D30 T5 Evo X armor.
The jacket comes with a total of 11 pockets including 2 waterproof front pockets, 2 waist pockets, and 2 zipper pockets. All zippers belong to YKK and they should stand the test of time. There is a provision of zipper attachment on the jacket although there are no loop fasteners for the pants on offer.
Priced at Rs 14,950, Nirvik is quite a cost-effective option when compared against the outgoing Darcha. Including the liner and level 2 armor, our total cost reached around the Rs 20,000 mark. It still is definitely a good alternative and great value considering to local brands, which are cheaper but this easily feels well worth the buy and more. Royal Enfield store website is a must-visit to understand the MIY aspect as it makes the experience from buying to wearing it better than all its peers in the two-wheeler automotive space.
