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Motorcycle journalist Chris Moss has been wearing Shark Helmets for the past 10 years! Here is his review on the new Shark Spartan helmet range for 2022.
One of the best things about being a bike journalist is being able to discover a huge amount of new stuff I’d previously had no access to.
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Before I was lucky enough to get into the business, I had relatively little experience of bikes, bike clothing, and a multitude of other aspects in the world of motorcycling.
Helmets are a good example of this, with the renowned French manufacturer SHARK being on my ‘no experience of’ list. Thankfully that ignorance began to be substituted by some experience of the brand well from over ten years ago. Since then, my appreciation of SHARK’s produce has grown exponentially and now it’s the only brand I wear – doing so more than happily. In saying that, it took time for me to realise just how huge the range of its helmets is. I am in part to blame for this, simply because I limited my early experience to the top of the range models famous racers wore!
Using CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamic) and ‘Reverse Engineering’ techniques has helped SHARK to give their helmets the most aerodynamic shell shapes and highest level of comfort. By reducing drag, the Spartans cut through the air with less buffeting and noise, also feeling lighter thanks to a lesser contest riding against the wind. I only wear lower-spec foam earplugs but they’re always good enough thanks to the basic quietness of all the Spartans. Fit is excellent, and with a choice of cheek pads, that fitment can be enhanced and tailored to suit all the more.
Other important features shared across the range include the soft, plush Aegis Microtech anti-bacterial interior lining, and very effective venting meaning even long rides in hot weather never feel sweaty and unpleasant. The lining is removable and can be machine-washed to boost comfort, hygiene, and restore that as-new feel.
Detailed design features include the super-useful, easy to access, drop-down sun visor which allows you to instantly cope with changing light levels, and the Easy Fit arrangement which facilitates wearing spectacles comfortably all day long. Both are also common to the Spartan range. So too are the premium Pinlock® Max Vision 120 anti-mist inserts, and very secure double D-ring strap arrangements. The visor on the GT and RS variants meet the distortion-free Class 1 Optical standard and all visors can be removed quickly and easily for cleaning more thoroughly.
On a more serious note, there’s no doubting helmets’ primary purpose is to protect the rider’s head in the event of a crash. I’ve been lucky enough not to test any of the Spartans I’ve worn in this regard. But heavy falls in others in the range having the same industry standard ECE 22.05 and, in the case of the Spartan RS, even higher ECE 22.06 protection levels, have shown me just how safe I am wearing them. When you learn more about the common hand-laid mixed aramid fibre shells and multi-density EPS (Expandable Polystyrene) liners, it’s hardly surprising the Spartans can boast some of the highest levels of protection you can buy. Underlining SHARK’s attention to detail when it comes to design consideration to reduce injury, all Spartans are equipped with an emergency cheek pad release system. It allows the helmet to be removed much more easily from a fallen rider, significantly reducing the chance of a neck injury while doing so.
The price and spec of the Spartans varies from the Spartan, Spartan GT and Spartan RS – with differing styles, multiple colours and design choices for each, there really is a SHARK Spartan to suit everyone.
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