The HJC CL-17 ‘Rebel’ Graphic helmet is a successor to the CL-16. It has an upgraded silhouette which appears to be more aerodynamic than the previous CL-16. There are a few functional updates too, which bring the CL-17 up to the mark in today’s competition in the sub-premium category.
The helmet is DOT and SNELL rated, which means some extra weight by virtue of additional materials with increased density in the manufacturing process. Still, it is not too bad and does not give your neck a workout.
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What Would You Love?
The CL-17 has a nice fairing on the chin guard and around the edges of helmet.
The rebel graphic looks marvelous in a blaze of golden color adorned on a matte black finish. ‘Performance’, ‘Race’, ‘Full Throttle’, ‘Wide Ride’, ‘1971’ and similar words are interspersed with a creature which seems to be a combination of an angel with Santa beard, holding a death scythe and having hooves instead of feet.
This graphic is also available in a grey color, but it does not catch the eye quite as quickly as the golden one does.
The Top Features to Look Out For
The CL-17 is a very good lid from HJC and gives the impression of a really great beginner helmet. But does it have the features that HJC touts so proudly? Let’s have a look.
Shell
HJC has used polycarbonate to manufacture the CL-17. Weighing in at 3 lbs. 14 oz., it puts itself somewhere between light and heavy.
The shape of the helmet is neutral round or round oval shape. This means that people with ‘earth’ shaped heads are going to have a super comfortable ride, while those with intermediate to long oval are going to have to deal with pressure points or wobbling at the worst.
Visors
A face shield with a 3D design gives 95% UV protection and is PinLock lens ready. The PinLock lens is not provided, but you can see the mounts clearly on the visor. Installation should be quick and simple.
A RapidFire shield replacement mechanism operates by just moving a lever under the mounts. This tool free system is fantastic and makes replacing the face shield a breeze.
There are fewer detents with only three positions. No city or ‘cracked open’ position available. Still, the locking mechanism fits snug on the gasket, getting you a sealed in position to keep that rain water and other gook and stuff out.
Ventilation
The CL-17 features an improved ventilation scheme. In addition to the standard toggle-on chin vent, there are brow vents in the helmets and two chimney vents instead of one. A couple of inlets have also been provided on either side of the chin vent for added airflow along your lower jaw and neck.
The chimney vents can be closed or opened independently with the help of sliders right on top.
Passive dual exhaust scheme based on Venturi effect sucks out the stale air from the inside. The front vents connect to two parallel air channels in the EPS and route the air back to the exhausts. These are supposed to be flushing out the heat and humidity.
But the air channels in the EPS are a bit shallow. Whether this is by intention or flawed design is not known. They are usually deeper as found in some of the premium helmets. What does happen is that the incoming air has a tendency to keep circulating near the top of your scalp instead of being sucked out and replaced by fresh incoming air. This does not seem to be a decent ventilation setup, even with a fancy acronym. It’s called ACS or Advanced Channeling Ventilation System. When you see some of the premium lids and their venting schemes out there, you kinda begin to think this is just a marketing gimmick.
We have worked closely with RevZilla, Amazon and 2Wheel over the years to provide our testers with products to review. They are all great partners and unique in their own ways, so make sure to check out their prices. Please don’t forget we may get a commission if you buy from them.
Padding and Lining
Cheek pads are removable quite easily with pop out mounts. These are contoured really nice and the design is appealing, but the nice thing here is that they can be replaced with different sized cheek pads. The comfort liner, along with the pads has a very smooth sweat-wicking fabric. And, it has been given an anti-bacterial treatment as well, which is a nice addition considering the price point of this helmet.
The comfort liner has cut-aways instead of mesh to remove any interruption in the ventilation channels in the EPS. It has brow fit mounts and rear snap mounts near the occipital ridge to prevent any pressure points from popping their heads up.
Customer Reviews
Since this is a budget helmet aimed at the beginners to the world of riding, you are definitely going to find compromises in the features set. There have been reports of the cheek pads not fitting properly and the aerodynamic design failure at higher speeds (lift) among others.
But they are all praises about the safety of this helmet, some of them having tested it on road in actual accidents. Not that you should do the same…
We have worked closely with RevZilla, Amazon and 2Wheel over the years to provide our testers with products to review. They are all great partners and unique in their own ways, so make sure to check out their prices. Please don’t forget we may get a commission if you buy from them.
Bottom Line
If safety is what you are looking for at a value for money price point, then the HJC CL-17 should work fine for you.
It has about 60% features and comfort of a premium helmet. Not bad if you are just a newbie to the world of sports riding on your mid-powered SBKs in the 300cc to 600cc category.