HJC’s budget polycarbonate full face helmet

HJC are known for producing lower-priced motorcycle helmets that offer good value for money. And as we’ve seen with lots of their releases in the past (such as their awesome IS-17 and FG-ST), they often do a pretty good job of delivering!

The CS-15 is their entry-level full face. On the face of it, it’s another low-price polycarb helmet. And looking at the spec sheet, it’s very no-frills – meaning it’s not got many of the latest features on many of the latest features.

So, if you’re in the market for a new full face helmet with a hundred dollar bill burning a hole in your pocket, this is what the HJC CS-15 will give you for your money.

• Sports-tourer full face
• Polycarbonate shell
• SHARP 4 star safety rated
• Micrometric fastener
• Sizes XS-XXL
• Entry level helmet
  
• 3.2lbs (1.45Kg) weight (slightly lighter than avg)
• Expect to pay around $100

[xyz-ihs snippet=”HJC-quick-SBS-FCM-MI”]

Safety

As usual, to be on sale in the US, it will have to be DOT certified (so far, it’s only ECE 22.05 certified for sale in the EU) but we’re hopeful it’ll be released here soon.

Even though lots of HJC helmets have been Snell certified (there’s 10 M2015 certified HJCs at the time of writing – though no CS-15 as yet) their polycarbonate helmets have a mixed history when it comes to a SHARP safety rating.

Of their last three tested polycarbonate helmets, one scored four, another five (maximum) and another two stars. So we were struggling to second guess where the CS-15 will come in.

Well, second guess no more, because the testing bods at SHARP did get their paws on the CS-15 and they scored it an excellent 4 stars for safety (remember the max is 5 stars).

That’s an awesome score for an entry level, low-tech helmet and means it should give you excellent levels of protection. And let’s face it, that’s numero-uno requirement for a helmet, right?

There’s not a mass of other safety features incorporated into the HJC CS-15. But you’ll find it has a micrometric fastener (fabulously easy to use and safe as long as it feels nice and tight) and the helmet’s being produced in two shell sizes.

Micrometric fasteners are great while just two shell sizes aren’t ideal but are what you’d expect from a lower-priced helmet. Click the link to find out more info on why more shell sizes = better.

Ventilation

HJC do make a bit of a ‘thing’ about the ventilation on the CS-15.

It has a single chin vent and a pair of crown vents – all operated with a single (slightly small for gloved hands?) slider.

HJC call this ACS or Advanced Channeling Ventilation System – meaning the crown ventilation will channel air through the channels in the inner EPS lining, around the scalp, then out of the twin rear exhaust vents.

But even though the HJC blurb makes something of this ventilation config, this type of system is actually very common on most full face helmets these days, mainly because it’s an effective solution.

There’s not much information around the web on how well the ventilation of the CS-15 works; suffice to say we’ve yet to find an HJC helmet that isn’t somewhere from average to great when it comes to keeping your head cool and well vented, so there’s no reason to suspect the CS-15 won’t provide decent ventilation too.

Shield

The shield of the of the CS-15 is quick-release, Pinlock anti-fog ready (though there’s no Pinlock in the box) and is anti-fog treated. The fact that it comes already anti-fog treated but Pinlock-ready possibly points to HJC not being over-confident in the ability of the anti-fog treatment! A Pinlock will typically set you back around $40.

HJC shields are usually decent quality and work well. This one has the opening tab on the left hand side – which is just where you want it.

Comfort & Sizing

The CS-15 is made in two shell sizes with the smaller shell size covering fitment sizes XS-M and the larger shell sizes L-XXL.

It has a Nylax removable and washable lining. Nylax is a soft-touch brushed polyester which HJC have been using in quite a few of their helmets (such as the IS-Max II and CL-Y) for a few years now. It’s washable, comfortable and wears well.

The CS-15 also has glasses grooves in the sides of the lining to accommodate the stems of glasses and stopping them pressing into the side of the head.

Like any helmet, the key to getting a helmet that’s both comfortable and safe is buying one that fits correctly in the first place. Check our fitment guide to make sure you order the correct helmet – and always buy from a retailer that offers no-quibble returns.

Looks & Graphics

The HJC CS-15 comes in six graphics options as well as solid/plain gloss/matt black and gloss white.

Of the fancy graphics versions, there’s the Songton, Treague, Space, Sebka, Rafu and Velenta – and you can find examples of most of these up and down the page, though there’s usually at least a couple of color options available.

[xyz-ihs snippet=”HJC-mix-SBS-FCM-MI”]

HJC CS-15 Video

Here’s a quick 1m look around a solid matt black CS-15.

Other stuff – weight, glasses, chin curtain, warranty

The HJC CS-15 comes with a breath guard & chin curtain in the box.

HJC advertise that the size medium weighs in at 3.2lbs (1.45Kg) which is a good weight – especially for a polycarbonate full face helmet. In fact, it’s way lighter than the average polycarbonate helmet and just a smidge heavier than the average carbon fiber helmet (!) – so you shouldn’t have a problem with the helmet feeling heavy when riding.

Finally, it comes with HJCs paltry one year warranty which is a bit feeble. 5 year warranty’s are becoming the norm these days so click here to find a helmet that comes with a 5 year warranty.

Overall/Summary

The HJC CS-15 looks a decent – if basic – package. But then again, you can have one sitting in your garage for a reasonably basic amount of money!

When you buy an HJC, you typically get a good quality helmet at a low price. The CS-15 is aimed at riders who’re looking for an ‘all rounder’ helmet – one that’ll work if you’re head-down and going for it on the twisties or bimbling through town on your way to work. It doesn’t have anything fancy like a sun shield or Pinlock, but we’d expect the HJC CS-15 to be a decent helmet to live with, helped by that attractive buy price.

One particularly great feature of the CS-15 is that SHARP 4 star safety rating. As we always say, if you’ve gotta wear a helmet, you might as well one that’s going to give you the best protection.

And since it’s now been verified by SHARP that the CS-15 will do just that, then that makes it a much more desirable helmet in our eyes.

All in all, it’s a basic helmet but it covers those basic features well and is a great value full face helmet for anyone looking for a lower priced all-rounder helmet.

Alternatives to the HJC CS-15?

For alternatives, have a look at our budget helmets pages, or our safest helmets pages. Alternatively, you’ll find lots of top 10’s including our top10 full face helmets linked from the top menu and homepage.

[xyz-ihs snippet=”HJC-quick-SBS-FCM-MI”]

[xyz-ihs snippet=”Link-to-guides-page”]

[xyz-ihs snippet=”HJC-link-to-Category-Page”]