Anthracite grey meets fluorescent yellow on this Mekarium Matte colourway — the brightest, most visible option Shark builds into the Ridill 2, and still priced no higher than any other graphic in the line.

The regulation behind every Ridill 2: ECE 22.06

Mandatory across the EU since January 2024 for anything newly homologated, ECE 22.06 replaced the older ECE 22.05 with a genuinely tougher test protocol. Strike points: five under the old rule, eighteen now. Speeds: one fixed value before, several today. New for this generation is an oblique-impact test, dragging the shell sideways across an abrasive surface to catch twisting loads a vertical drop simply misses, plus a rotational injury score recorded next to the standard linear one. Shark tests the helmet fully dressed — visor down, Pinlock and comms unit fitted if applicable. You'll find "2206" printed on the shell. Nothing else follows it; this is road homologation, full stop.

Why 1,470 g isn't just a number on a spec sheet

That figure comes from Shark, measured on the smaller of the Ridill 2's two shell sizes — a mid-range M typically adds a little on the larger shell. Visordown independently weighed a size-M sample at 1,474 g, which lines up closely enough to trust. Lift the helmet once and the weight tells you almost nothing. Wear it through a full riding day, and the story changes: the neck alone supports that mass hour after hour, with no relief. Shark's own street-helmet catalogue sits somewhere between roughly 1,250 g and 1,800 g depending on model, and this one falls well toward the lighter end.

Construction basics: shell, foam, buckle

Take the paint off in your mind and what's left is standard Ridill 2 engineering — thermoplastic construction, "Thermoplastique" per Shark's own documentation and Lexan polycarbonate according to independent press, produced in two separate shell sizes rather than a single mould stretched to fit everyone. A multi-density EPS liner steps its hardness through the shell instead of using one uniform block, and a micrometric ratchet handles the closure: quick to adjust with one hand, gloves on, and it locks onto a precise notch rather than requiring re-threading.

Airflow: three vents, no glove removal required

Independent testers logged a chin vent, two shared-control vents at the crown, and two rear exhausts — three separate airflow points, every one usable without pulling gloves off. The verdict on overall airflow: "more than adequate" for day-to-day riding. Worth flagging honestly: the chin vent sends most of its airflow toward the visor rather than the rider's face, which helps keep fog at bay but won't do much to cool your chin specifically.

Visor details: coating, release, Pinlock compatibility

You get Optical class 1 rating, an anti-scratch surface, and a release mechanism that needs no tools at all. It's Pinlock 70 compatible out of the box, though the insert itself is an extra purchase — get one if you're riding anywhere near cold or damp conditions, because a visor without it can fog fast when the vents are shut and you're working hard. One thing to know: this helmet has no place in Shark's IRID photochromic lineup, which right now only stretches to the Aeron GP, Aeron and Race R Pro. A light-adaptive visor here means buying aftermarket.

Anthracite Anthracite Yellow: what you actually get

That's the literal name on Shark's price sheet, and it's an accurate one — a dark anthracite-grey shell interrupted by hard-edged panels of properly fluorescent yellow, the kind designed to stand out in traffic rather than just look bright in a showroom. Of the two Mekarium Matte colourways, this is clearly the one built for visibility first, styling second. The matte surface underneath keeps reflections down and hides minor scuffing reasonably well, though a deep scratch will stay more visible here than it would disappear under a gloss clear-coat.

Convenience features

Sun visor: internal, drop-down, operated by a slider at the crown. Cheek pads: cut with clearance for glasses arms. Comms: ready for Sharktooth- or SENA-style units, zero modification needed. Outer visor: off in seconds without tools, for cleaning or replacement.

How the sizing actually works

Six sizes, XS through XXL, but only two physical shell sizes underneath them — not one shell reshaped with thicker or thinner padding for every head. That's the difference between a small helmet that looks proportionate and one that looks like a scaled-down XL. Visordown's own tester, in size M, rated the fit "very good" and "extremely comfortable", singled out the wide opening as making the helmet easy to put on, and found the cheek area snug without any pinching.

Comparing prices: Ridill 2, D-Skwal 3, Skwal Cup

This graphic decor costs 209.99 euro, one step above the 189.99-euro plain colours in the same line — and still cheaper than anything else in Shark's full-face catalogue. Step up to the D-Skwal 3 and prices start at 219.99 euro, buying a wind-tunnel-developed shell and a longer decor list. Step up again to the Skwal Cup and prices open at 269.99 euro, adding a CFD-engineered rear spoiler for stability at higher speeds. Put next to each other, those numbers tell you precisely what you're paying for at every level.

Being honest about wind noise

Nobody has run a decibel test on this helmet that's been made public, so quoting a number here would mean making one up — not something worth doing. What is on record: Visordown's own experience on the road, describing it as "a quiet helmet to use at motorway speeds" while still suggesting earplugs for longer rides, plus a small amount of buffeting at motorway speed that they called "not horrendous". Read that as a genuine rider's account, not a laboratory figure — because no laboratory figure exists for this particular helmet.

Replacement visors, whenever you need one

Shark's spare-parts range lists the Ridill 2 by name, grouped with the Skwal Cup, D-Skwal 3 and Skwal i3, and offers seven different visor finishes — dark smoke, several iridium tints, and a clear Pinlock-ready option among them. Scratched glass or a fogged-up screen is simply a replacement part, not grounds for a whole new helmet.

Honest limitations

No MIPS liner is fitted. There's no electronic quick-release mechanism. The Pinlock insert doesn't come with the helmet — you're buying the mount, not the insert itself. There's no chin skirt, meaning colder air at the neck than you'd get from a touring-oriented design. SHARP has rated a "Ridill 2": four stars, tested against ECE 22.06 in February 2025, which is the correct generation here — though that SHARP page also quotes a 549-pound retail price that simply doesn't match this helmet's actual cost anywhere; take that as an error on SHARP's part, not a genuine figure. There's no FIM racing certification and no rear spoiler fitted — a road-focused budget helmet, and it doesn't try to be anything else.

In the box

Just the helmet and Shark's paperwork for the five-year warranty. Buy the Pinlock 70 insert on its own.

Technical data

• Model — Ridill 2 Mekarium Matte (Anthracite Yellow)
• Shell — Thermoplastic (Lexan), 2 shell sizes
• Weight — 1,470 g, first/smallest shell
• Homologation — ECE 22.06
• Closure — Micrometric ratchet
• Ventilation — Chin vent, 2 crown vents (1 shared control), 2 rear exhausts — glove-friendly
• Visor — Optical class 1; Pinlock 70 compatible (insert extra)
• Sun visor — Internal, drop-down, crown slider
• Interior — Removable liner and cheek pads
• Warranty — 5 years
• Country of origin — Portugal
• Sizes — 6, XS-XXL