Comfort, Style, Protection: The HJC CL-17 Fullface Helmet Has It All
HJC has been in the motorcycle helmet business for nearly half a
century and over that time they have continually developed and
refined their helmet offerings to meet the demands of the
motorcycle public. No matter what kind of motorcycle riding you are
into HJC has a helmet
that will suit your needs and preferences as they offer everything
from half helmets to motocross helmets and modular motorcycle
helmets. If there's one area where the company really shines, it's
with their extensive lineup of fullface helmets. From high-end,
race-oriented helmets to extremely budget friendly, HJC covers the
gamut. Actually, it's the company's more budget friendly CL-17 line
that is one of the most popular amongst the entire brand. The CL-17
helmet isn't popular just because it's one of the least expensive,
it's popular because it offers a ton of bang for the buck and
delivers just about everything a rider could want in a fullface
motorcycle helmet
When searching for a new fullface motorcycle helmet, there are a lot of features and characteristics that riders look for such as fit and comfort, styling, protection, and ease of use to name a few. The CL-17 scores high points for all those categories without scoring high on the price scale. The price ranges between $139.99 to about $174.99 depending on the color/graphic and size.
Fit and Comfort
One of the biggest (literally) draws to the CL-17 is that it can
comfortably fit a wide range of head shapes and sizes. This fact is
especially appealing to those who have really large heads and have
a hard time finding a helmet that they can slide into without
feeling like their head is in a vice. The CL-17 is available in
sizes XS all the way up 2XL and then the CL-17 Plus goes from 3XL
to 5XL. Yup you read that right 5XL! Not too many helmet
manufacturers cover that wide of range of sizes. In fact most only
offer up to 2X or 3XL and HJC goes two more sizes beyond. To put
that into better perspective, the typical 2XL helmet is for head
that measure about 63-64cm around while 3XL sizing is for 65-66cm
head shapes. HJC's 2XL and 3XL CL-17 helmets meets those same
dimensions and then the 4XL steps up to cover 67-68cm sized heads
and the 5XL is for heads that measure 69-70cm.
The CL-17 is comprised of an advanced polycarbonate composite shell that comes in three shell sizes to coordinate with the wide size range. Inside the shell is a multi-density liner that comes in two sizes. The EPS1 covers the XS to medium range and the EPS2 is for the large to 5XL helmets. There are different sized (thickness) liners and cheek pads that come with the different helmet sizes. Liner sizes are interchangeable only within the same EPS size. The cheek pads on the other hand vary in thickness from 40mm to 17mm and are interchangeable amongst all the EPS liners/helmet sizes. What does this mean for you the consumer? Basically, no matter what size your head is you can change out the internal padding to fine tune the CL-17 to better fit your head.
Aside from fitment, another aspect that makes a motorcycle
helmet comfortable is internal temperature regulation. The CL-17
has been designed to keep your head as cool as needed with easy to
reach and manipulate venting on the front of the helmet and exhaust
vents at the sides and rear to expel hot air. There's a chin vent
just below the center of the face shield that can be closed by
flipping the lever up or down with your thumb. At the center of the
brow is a forehead vent that can be slid left and right to open and
close the airflow. Just above that is a pair of large oval shaped
vents hidden under streamlined housings. These vents can easily be
manipulated by simply sliding your hand forward or backward across
the tops of the housings.
Along the cheekbone are two mesh vents and underneath the spoiler at the back are vents that are always open. These exhaust ports help draw air through the helmet to keep constant airflow so that the air in the helmet is always fresh.
Styling
The CL-17 has a very streamlined profile that helps give it a
nice overall look. It's not an extremely aggressive looking helmet
like some of the
outlaw style helmets that have become popular. It's also not
excessively bulky to where you'll look like Marvin the Martian when
wearing it. The spoiler on the rear of the helmet not only helps
with airflow but also give the helmet a race-oriented look.
When it comes to picking out a helmet in the CL-17 family you may find it extremely hard to make a decision. There six solid color options and more than 15 graphics/colorways to choose from including a handful of Marvel comic characters such as Captain America, Hulk, and Punisher.
Protection
The CL-17 is DOT and Snell M2015 approved. The advanced polycarbonate shell helps keep the helmet rather lightweight but also does a great job of protecting you upon initial impact. It should be noted that the CL-17 Plus helmets (3XL-5XL) are only DOT approved. The face shield is extremely durable to withstand flying debris and prevent scratching. It also blocks 95% of UV rays to help keep your eyes protected from harmful light. To prevent the face shield from creeping up when riding at high speeds the CL-17 has a shield lock that you simply flip with your finger to lock or unlock.
Speaking of lock, the face shield is Pinlock ready. All you have to do is purchase a Pinlock insert (sold separately), slip it onto the face shield, and you'll be riding fog free.
Ease of Use
Lastly, one great feature about the CL-17 is that the Rapid Fire Shield Replacement System makes it extremely easy to replace or swap out face shields. All you have to do is lift the shield to gain access to the triggers on each side and then give them a gentle push. The triggers unlocks the shield and it pops right out. Then to install a new shield you just line the shield up and push the sides in and the triggers lock it into place.
If everything mentioned here hasn't convinced you that the CL-17 may be a great budget option motorcycle helmet for you then please come visit us at Chaparral Motorsports and try one on. You'll be impressed.
