Review of the HJC CL-17 Redline

[sorkyah]

I first started riding at 16 on a Harley Sportster 883. I'm one of those rare folks that decided full face helmets on a Harley would be fine.
My first, second and third helmets were all CL-15's with different graphics and finishes. I loved the helmet, for its relative lightness and ventilation in Arizona summers.
So, when I bought the FZ in Aug of 2014 I knew I would want a new helmet not only to match the bike in color and styling, but also fit a college student's budget.
 
After serious consideration I purchased an HJC CL-17 Redline in Red/black to match the bike color.

http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/hjc-cl-17-redline-helmet
 
With it's ECE, DOT, and Snell approval, the decision to purchase a revamped version of my old helmet was a no brainer.
 
Getting into the details of the helmet, its not as cheaply made as the price would lead you to believe. A close friend lent me a brand new Arai Profile for a cross country trip several years ago, (he ordered the wrong size and didn't feel like returning it) I loved the helmet but couldn't justify the price on my budget.
 
The CL-17 reminds me a lot of that Arai. Quiet at speed, excellent ventilation, removable liner and cheek-pads. BUT unlike the Arai, it's less than US$200.
 
I use this helmet every day to commute to work, school, and wherever else I need to go. From the 30°F winter mornings to the +120°F summer evening here in Arizona, it has served me well for over a year now.

I mean sure it's got some wear and tear after a year of wearing the helmet day in day out, but what helmet wouldn't?
 
After removing the guts from the helmet we get a good look at how easy it is to do.
 
 
Quick Change shield mechanism

open the face shield all the way, press 2 levers back and the shield pops free
 
 
Liners

 
 
The top liner is held in with 3 snaps to the brow of the helmet shell
 
and in the rear held in by the 2 center snaps
 

 
 
The cheek pads are held by three snaps a piece and a small clip inserted between the shell and foam

 
Cheek pads are perhaps the hardest pieces of this helmet to remove, but still a 1 on a 1-10 scale of difficulty as with everything else on the helmet.
 
All in all this is an excellent helmet,
comfortable, mostly quiet(with all 4 vents open i can get loud at speed), and relatively lightweight. oh and I can't forget the part where it looks awesome!!!
 
Oh, another plus…. parts for it are cheap in the event you’re like me and want to open your shield with the lock on. or smack the brow vent with a tree branch because you forgot to duck.