Hevik Neptune HVJ409 summer motorcycle jacket

Straight answer: two air intakes on the chest are covered by two fabric flaps, and those flaps are held shut by a magnet system rather than a zip or hook-and-loop.

It sounds small and it changes the habit entirely. A zipped vent means stopping, pulling a glove off, working the zip and gloving up again. Three minutes a time, and the result is that most riders open theirs once at the start and leave them that way all day, whether it warms up or cools down.

A magnetic flap flicks open. Rolling up to a red light, one hand still on the bar, the other flips the chest flap down and air comes in. To close, press it back and the magnet finds itself; there is no zip track to line up.

Magnets also outlast hook-and-loop. Velcro is the first thing to die on riding gear, because road dust packs into the hooks and the grip fades within months. A magnet has no mechanical part to wear.

Worth knowing: the magnet holds the flap well enough to block draughts, not as a hard lock. At very high speed the flap can flutter slightly, which is simply how this closure behaves.

Straight answer: the jacket has intakes at the front and wide exhaust vents at the back. Those two only work as a pair.

This is where many jackets stop halfway. Some cut generous chest vents and leave the back sealed. Air comes in with nowhere to go, gathers into a pocket of warm damp air inside the jacket, and the wearer feels it balloon rather than cool.

Rear exhausts work on pressure. A moving bike leaves a low pressure zone behind the rider's back, and that zone draws air out of the jacket. The wider the exhaust, the more air is pulled through, taking the heat and moisture off your back with it.

What that means in practice: to feel cool you must open both ends. Open the chest and forget the back and you will barely notice a difference. That is worth saying plainly rather than leaving a buyer to guess.

Straight answer: four level 2 protectors are fitted at both shoulders and both elbows, of the flexible type and adjustable in position. The back has a pocket with nothing in it.

Level 2 at shoulder and elbow is notable at this price. The European scale for limb armour has two tiers, and tier 2 lets less force through the pad than tier 1. Plenty of jackets at this money carry tier 1, or nothing more than foam.

The back protector is the HPB04, rated level 2, sold separately. The back pocket is sewn to that piece's dimensions, so it drops in with no alteration. Anyone riding distance or carrying weight on the rear should add it early, since the back holds the spine and is the contact point in a fall backwards.

Set the elbow pads on day one. Put the jacket on, sit on the bike and take the bars, then check the pad covers the point of your elbow. Adjusting while standing with your arms down is almost always wrong, because bending the elbow moves the pad.

Straight answer: the main fabric is 60 percent polyester, 37 percent cotton and 3 percent spandex. The hood comes off and goes back on.

That blend matters if you buy the set. The matching Neptune HVT409 trousers run the opposite way, mostly cotton. The jacket leans on polyester, so it is lighter, takes on less water and dries faster than the trousers. After rain, the jacket is dry first.

The three percent spandex handles the reach. A riding position asks both arms forward and slightly bent, and without stretch every reach drags the back of the jacket upward. A little spandex is enough to hold the hem where it belongs.

The hood is a matter of taste. Some keep it for stops in drizzle or a windy walk. Others remove it entirely because a hood behind the neck catches air at speed. Either is fine, and that is exactly why the maker made it detachable rather than sewn in.

Take the HVJ409 if you want one jacket that covers a hot day and a cool evening leg, want to dial the airflow yourself, and want level 2 shoulder and elbow armour in the box.

Matching trousers: the Hevik Neptune HVT409, same line, same Italian brand.

For the coolest option in midday traffic take the Komine JK-176 Enigma Light Mesh Parka, whose mesh body breathes even at a standstill.

For days of riding in rain take the RS Taichi RSJ729 Drymaster Kompass with its waterproof membrane.

If you want a chest plate in the box look at the RS Taichi RSJ342 Quick Dry Racer.

Buying at BigBike: genuine stock, a 12-month warranty on manufacturing faults, nationwide delivery with cash on delivery.