Royal Enfield has launched its Make It Yours or MIY range of riding jackets. MIY is RE’s range of customisable riding gear and apparel that hitherto included helmets and T-shirts. Now, with the introduction of the MIY riding jackets, it is giving riders an option to both save money and tailor-make the jacket to suit their specific needs.
Imagine, one rides only in Mumbai. Add to it the fact that the same rider already has perfectly fine armour from his or her previous jacket. But, if this rider now wants to buy a new good quality jacket, he or she would be saddled with armour and a thermal layer he or she doesn’t need.
With MIY, Royal Enfield is taking the redundancy out of the equation.
There are three types of jackets to choose from under the MIY program currently. There are the light and city-centric Streetwind, Windfarer, and Explorer mesh jackets. One can also choose the Nirvik or the Khardung La, all-season jackets. And there’s the waterproof but breathable Stormraider as well on the list.
The only customisation one can do with the jackets here, is to choose the colour of their wanting. Which is identical to what is offered otherwise on the jacket with nothing special being offered under MIY. In our case, we got the Stormraider. And, since it’s only available in grey, well, that’s what we have.
Now here’s where things get interesting. Let’s say you wanted to buy the Stormraider jacket. Outside the MIY program, it costs Rs 9,950. And as part of this, you get Level 1 D30 armour for the shoulders and the elbows, but nothing for the back or chest. You also don’t get any sort of lining.
Now, let’s consider two scenarios.
One, you already have all the armour you need from your previous jacket. And you never intend riding in the cold. Now, under the MIY program, you can just choose the jacket at Rs 8,750 and save Rs 1,200 over the non-MIY Stormraider's price. And even if you choose to get fresh armour, let’s say you like to ride at an easy pace, nothing too fast or frantic. Then why spend extra on Level 2 D30, when you can choose Knox for lesser. MIY allows you to do that.
Scenario two. You like the fact that the Stormraider is a waterproof, breathable jacket. Something you intend using in the city during monsoons. But, you also want it to be an all-season jacket for your rides to the mountains, or on highways; torrential rains notwithstanding. Let’s also say you find the current inherent all-season jackets too heavy or bulky for daily use. Let’s finally say you also want to up the level of protection to the best you can get.
So, now you start building on the Stormraider’s Rs 8,750 base price. And what you see here is an MIY jacket with all options thrown in. If you are wondering why would one need a waterproof liner for a waterproof jacket? Well, one can never be too careful, especially if the rain layer isn’t exactly expensive. The total for my MIY Stormraider jacket you see here turned out to be a healthy Rs 14,874.
To put things in perspective, it’s still cheaper than the non-MIY Nirvik. Moreover, I got to choose the colour for my thermal and rain wear so I can wear them individually, without the jacket, off the bike. But more importantly, I got a lighter jacket for city use, but with Level 2 back protection, a step one over the Nirvik’s Level 1.
Not to say the Nirvik is a bad option; if fact, among the jackets I own, it is easily one of my favourites. But, MIY allows that additional bit of flexibility and customisation, which can help turn any jacket into something you need and want, instead of living with a compromise. And I really like that.
However, I would have liked some personalisation options too.
Let’s say the range available through MIY had velcro strips on the arms, on the chest, and at the back. These velcro bits could be covered with jacket coloured patches for those who didn’t want to customise their jacket.
But, for those like us, who would want to give the jackets a little more personal touch, there could be options to choose patches that could replace the stock ones. And it would have been as simple as pulling the stock patch off the velcro and putting the new one on! Hope RE looks at this as on option in the future.
But for now, the concept of an MIY jacket, much like with MIY helmets and T-shirts, is a really good one in my opinion.
Photography by Kaustubh Gandhi
