French Helmet manufacturer, Shark, is on the hunt and is eager to take a bite out of the sport-touring segment. Equipped with a drop-down sun visor, seamless comms integration, aggressive but questionably “retro” looks, and an ECE 22.06 homologation, I’m telling you now that this is a helmet that is, at the very least, worth checking out.
Prior to me owning this helmet, I never really paid attention to Shark. It was only after my local distributor hooked me up that I got acquainted with the brand. Up until this point, HJC was my brand of choice. However, with the Spartan RS Carbon Skin in my collection, I found myself reaching for it more than I expected.
Being the first ECE 22.06-approved helmet with a drop-down sun visor, the Spartan RS line of Shark piqued my interest, so I gladly installed my Cardo Packtalk Bold and hit the road, and it was only after the first ride that I did my research on this lid, whose price is kind of all over the place.
Some online retailers are pricing this helmet at about $350 USD or less. There are some deals out there, but my local distributor pinned it at around the $450 USD mark for this matte finish Carbon Skin variant of the Spartan RS. As it stands, there are four notable variants of the Spartan RS in my book which include solids with some popping accent colors, graphics (there’s a Zarco replica graphic that’s quite nice), then a glossy carbon, and finally a matte carbon which is the one that I have with me.
Modern-Retro Toothiness
If there is one design element that sticks out, it’s the chin of this helmet. I find that it is either a love-it-or-hate-it kind of design wherein it seems a little too aggressive and-or fashion-forward compared to most lids. Then again, it stands out and the design doesn’t look borrowed from any other helmet. On the Carbon Skin variants and the graphic options of the Spartan RS, the chin’s design is not so conspicuous, but on the standard colorways, it tends to stick out, with the accent colors contrasting against whatever color you choose. If I were to pick a non-carbon variant, it would have to be the white and the silver just because it looks so classy. Otherwise, carbon would be my number-one pick. It’s also important to note that the carbon variant of the Spartan RS has some very subtle graphics and Shark logos aside from the ones on the forehead and the back. They’re painted in black so you don’t really see them unless you get close.
The design is neo-retro according to Shark, but perhaps it’s not the type of “retro” that most people come to expect from a helmet. Perhaps the era that Shark was going for with the Spartan RS’ design was the 90s. I find that it shares common ground with the often perplexing design of Suzuki’s Katana. I had a chance to put this helmet next to a Katana and was convinced that the two matched up well. That’s not to say that the Spartan RS doesn’t match with any other bike, however. The overall style has a very street look about it, going well with the aggressiveness of modern sport-naked motorcycles. The design is definitely not for everyone, and the styling is definitely a very “toothy” one, but I’ve come to appreciate its uniqueness.
Other good things about this helmet include the flat side that accommodates comms systems really well like a Cardo Packtalk Edge or Bold. The helmet is relatively light for a sport-touring lid, coming in at 1,485 grams (3.27 pounds). Going for the carbon version means that you will shave about 50 grams (about 0.11 pounds) off the standard version’s weight so going for the carbon version isn’t a must unless you want the look. Its Achilles heel, however, is the fact that there are only two shell sizes for the lineup with the split being at the medium. Shark should have made at least three shell sizes for the Spartan RS but it’s not a total deal breaker, just a bit of a letdown.
Sport-touring with an extra pinch of sport
After slapping on a Cardo and hitting the road, I rode around with the Spartan RS on my head almost every day since I got it for about a month and a half. I’m normally a medium when it comes to helmets with an intermediate oval shape, but the Spartan RS is more round, so my short oval/round head was able to fit snugly in the small of the Spartan RS. My slim face coupled with my round head shape fits snuggly in the lid. It’s important to note that the pads of the Spartan RS lean more towards the sportier side of things, offering a tight fit, similar to my single-visor sport lids. I’m a fan of the snugness of this helmet, but your mileage may vary. You may have to size up if your head is more intermediate-oval in shape or if your cheeks are rather plump.
The sporty fit results in a helmet that feels very stable on your head at high speeds. Wind noise does start to creep in past the 80-mile-per-hour mark, but at about regular speeds, the helmet remained a comfy-quiet piece of kit. I feel that the helmet would be quieter if Shark added a neck roll similar to the Spartan GT or put deflectors near the opening of the lid, but as it stands, the Spartan RS offers decent performance against wind noise at high speed.
I found myself reaching for this helmet on colder days because of two things, the interior, and the venting scheme. There is a suede-like material that lines the cheek pads and parts of the comfort liner, with moisture-wicking Alveotech fabric placed in the sweatiest areas of your head. The result is an interior that is more insulated and plush compared to a true sport lid. Wearing the Spartan RS feels like you have a well-fitted sweater on, plush and cozy. The venting scheme is simple to use with just two switchable elements. The mohawk vent was very effective in keeping the top of my head cool, but f things got a little too cold, closing the vent is no problem whatsoever since you don’t have to fiddle with a million little vents just in case it’s too cold or if it starts raining. The chin vents were designed to defog the visor but not to shove a ton of air directly at your face. In short, the simple vent scheme is not too hot and not too cool, it’s just about right for most days on the saddle.
The main visor is optical class 1 and it comes with a Pinlock Max Vision 120 insert in the box. The second visor is a dark smoke-tinted lens that can be dropped down via a sliding switch located at the top, behind the mohawk vent switch. The location of the switch may take some getting used to. Otherwise, the helmet offers a nearly “infinite” number of detents for both the primary and secondary visor which allows you to fine-tune how low the sun visor falls on your face and how “cracked” you want the main visor to be. The visor latch was also easy to use, in which a well-placed swipe will open the main visor with a single smooth motion. The visor also locks with a reassuring click to let you know that you’re ready to ride. If you do get this helmet, I recommend that you consider investing in a light smoke visor for some added cool factor while retaining some low-light visibility. I feel that Shark’s light smoke VZ 300 visor is a happy medium in terms of practicality and style because it still allows the drop-down to be useful on the sunniest of days while allowing just enough light in after the sun sets. Do consider your ability to see when factoring in this extra purchase, otherwise, the stock clear visor is a safe bet.
Conclusion
Photo courtesy of @magicliwanag
Shark has done a good job with the Spartan RS Carbon Skin. It’s Shark’s first-ever ECE 22.06 homologated lid, the first 22.06 lid with a sun visor, and the first Shark that I’m legitimately impressed with. If you ask me, the interior is definitely my favorite part of the helmet. Even after long hours on the saddle, not once did I feel that the helmet was pinching me or creating a hot spot due to the pads being a little too thin or springy.
My chief reservations about this helmet are with regard to the chin vents and the fact that there are only two shell sizes. After getting used to sport lids and how well they vent in the front, I was expecting a little more airflow to reach my face while the main visor was down. Don’t get me wrong, they got the job done, but when temperatures would hover close to 100 degrees Fahrenheit, I’d gravitate to either my Arai Astro GX/Contour-X or my HJC RPHA 1N.
However, if I didn’t have a collection of helmets. I wouldn’t mind the Spartan RS being my only lid. If you can get past the more unique styling elements, or if you really like it, and get used to its quirks, it’s a solid choice. Fundamentally, the helmet is a decent performer in all areas and it punches above its weight for the price that you pay. It performs on par with other well-known brands in the sport-touring category, and as I said earlier, it’s definitely worth a look.
Gallery: Gear Review: Shark Spartan RS Carbon Skin
