Shark Helmets | How 35 years of innovation at the top level filters down to all riders

Paid partnership with Shark Helmets

Top-flight racing has long been a proving ground for new tech that eventually filters through to the bikes we ride on the road. From electronic rider aids to carbon wheels and, more recently, aero wings, innovations designed to give a winning edge on the track find their way onto the bikes we buy for the road.

And that’s no different for the kit worn by the racers, either. Shark Helmets, for example, are constantly pushing the boundaries of design and safety for riders on the track and then sharing that innovation with racer at all levels – and riders on the road.

Take the French firm’s latest Aeron GP model, for example, which was developed in collaboration with MotoGP rider Johan Zarco. It uses patented adaptive aero technology called A2S that reduces flag effect by 80%, turbulence by 50% and drag by 5% – as well as being a world first.

The design uses mobile flaps at the sides of the rear spoiler to deflect the airflow and adapt to the rider’s hump.

Options for everyone

You don’t have to be a top racer or dominating the fast group at your local trackday to take advantage of Shark’s racing tech. Road-biased options like the Spartan GT Pro and Ridill 2 bring racing tech into the hands of everyday riders, too.

The Spartan GT Pro’s double spoiler limits aero drag, not for lap times, but for longer days in the saddle without getting tired. And the anti-scratch optical class 1 visor, used on models such as the Spartan GT Pro and Spartan RS, is directly derived from the one used in the top-spec Aeron GP.

Even the material used for the lining of the Aeron GP –  sanitised-labelled Alveotech fabric with anti-microbial properties – can be found on the Spartan GT PRO, Spartan RS and Skwal i3.

At the entry-level, Shark’s expertise in designing comfortable helmets with maximum protection means that accessible helmets like the Ridill 2 are awarded top marks in MCN’s product reviews.

Innovating beyond the track

Not all of Shark’s boundary-pushing happens on circuit, though, as demonstrated by the Skwal i3 with its integrated LEDs and a brake light at the rear.

By using clever accelerometers, the Skwal i3 can detect when the rider is slowing down (you don’t even necessarily need to touch the brakes) and flashes a red light on the rear of the helmet.

The light flashes three times per second under steady braking and five times per second under heavy braking when it’s even more important for traffic behind you to pay attention. There are also white LEDs on the front of the helmet that can be on, flashing, or off depending on rider preference.

The Skwal i3 and Aeron GP represent the latest world firsts from Shark, but they’ve been taking bold steps for decades. From the XRC Carbon worn by Carl Fogarty and Raymond Roche in 1990, to the dual-homologated Evoline in 2007 and the first Race R Pro in 2011, Shark have been relying on motorcycle racing to boost brand development ever since its creation.

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