Mekarium puts a sharp-edged, technical-looking graphic across the Ridill 2's shell — grey and red breaking up the black in angular panels rather than a soft gradient — on the model Shark positions as its route into full-face riding for under 210 euro. It's the same certified structure sold under the plain colours, dressed for riders who want the price of an entry helmet without the look of one.

Why ECE 22.06 matters here

Every Ridill 2 clears ECE 22.06, in force across the EU for newly homologated helmets since January 2024 and a genuine step up from ECE 22.05. The earlier standard hit five points on a shell; this one hits eighteen, over several impact speeds rather than a single fixed one, and folds in an oblique-impact test that drags the helmet across an abrasive surface to check for twisting and glancing forces a straight drop can't reveal. A rotational injury measurement now runs beside the classic linear one, and the whole rig — visor down, Pinlock and comms fitted where relevant — gets tested as worn. What's stamped on this shell is 2206, no FIM attached: road use, nothing else claimed.

What 1,470 grams feels like after three hours

Shark's published figure is 1,470 g, taken from the smaller of two shell moulds; a mid-size M on the larger shell generally adds a little to that. An independent Visordown test, on a size M sample, landed at 1,474 g — close enough to trust the manufacturer's number. None of that matters much in the showroom. It matters on a long ride, where the neck alone is holding the helmet up for hours without a break, and where a couple of hundred extra grams compounds into real fatigue. Weight across Shark's road-helmet catalogue generally runs from about 1,250 g to 1,800 g, and this one lands well under the midpoint.

Underneath: shell, EPS, buckle

Mekarium's graphic sits on the same thermoplastic build as every Ridill 2 — "Thermoplastique" on Shark's own spec sheet, described by independent reviewers as Lexan polycarbonate — moulded across two shell sizes so the range doesn't force small heads into an oversized shell with thick padding to compensate. Inside, a multi-density EPS liner grades its stiffness through the structure, and a micrometric ratchet buckle closes the strap: adjustable one-handed, gloves on, locking precisely to a chosen notch instead of being re-threaded like a double-D ring.

Ventilation, glove-tested

Independent testing counted three points of airflow — a chin intake, two crown intakes sharing one control, two rear exhausts — every one workable without removing gloves. The same test rated overall airflow "more than adequate" day to day, while noting the chin vent leans toward clearing the visor rather than cooling the rider's face directly, which is worth knowing if you're chasing airflow on your chin specifically.

Visor and the Pinlock 70 mount

Optical class 1, anti-scratch coated, no tools needed to remove it, and built to accept a Pinlock 70 insert that Shark sells separately — worth adding to the order for anyone riding outside dry, mild weather, since the bare visor can mist over with the vents shut and breathing heavy. Mekarium sits outside Shark's IRID photochromic line, which for now covers only the Aeron GP, Aeron and Race R Pro, so a self-darkening visor here would be an aftermarket addition.

Mekarium: reading the graphic against the name

The price list calls this "Black Anthracite Red", and the shell backs that up: a black base cut by hard-edged anthracite-grey panels, with a red accent line tracing along the lower chin bar and a small "AFAS" anti-fog/anti-scratch badge printed near the visor mechanism. It's a graphic that reads as technical rather than decorative — closer to a race-support-truck livery than an artistic print — and the gloss finish over it keeps the panel edges crisp and easy to wipe down, at the usual cost of showing fingerprints more than a matte shell.

Small things that add up day to day

An internal sun visor drops via a slider at the crown, useful heading home into low sun. The cheek pads are cut to clear glasses arms without pinching, the shell takes a Sharktooth- or SENA-style comms unit with no modification, and the outer visor comes off tool-free for cleaning or replacement.

Fit, across two shells and six sizes

XS through XXL are split across two distinct shell moulds instead of one shell padded up or down to fit every head, which is why the smallest sizes in the range don't feel bulky and the largest don't feel pinched. Visordown's own review, on a size M, described the fit as "very good" and "extremely comfortable", praised a wide opening that makes the helmet easy to get on and off, and found the cheek area snug without squeezing.

Ridill 2 against D-Skwal 3 and Skwal Cup

This decor costs 209.99 euro, the graphic tier of the Ridill 2, a step above the 189.99-euro plain colours but still the cheapest full-face line Shark currently sells. Next up, the D-Skwal 3 opens at 219.99 euro with a wind-tunnel-tested shell and a wider decor catalogue; above that, the Skwal Cup starts at 269.99 euro with a CFD-shaped rear spoiler for stability at speed. Comparing the real prices shows exactly what each step up is buying, instead of leaving "entry-level" to sound like a vague compromise.

Wind noise, without inventing a number

No decibel figure exists for this helmet, and making one up would only mislead. What's on record is Visordown's own impression from a real ride: "a quiet helmet to use at motorway speeds", earplugs still recommended for longer stints, and a small amount of buffeting at motorway pace the reviewer called "not horrendous". Take that for what it is — a rider's account, not a measured result, since no measured result for this helmet has been published anywhere.

Spares for later

Shark's spare-visor collection lists the Ridill 2 by name alongside the Skwal Cup, D-Skwal 3 and Skwal i3, with seven visor options from dark smoke to iridium tints to a clear Pinlock-ready screen. A worn visor is a spare part on that list, not a reason to buy a new helmet.

What's missing, stated plainly

No MIPS liner, no electronic quick-release, and the Pinlock insert isn't included — only the mount for it is. There's no chin skirt, so cold air at the neck will be more noticeable than on a touring-shaped helmet. SHARP has tested a "Ridill 2" and rated it four stars against ECE 22.06 in February 2025, the correct generation for this helmet, but that listing also states a retail price of 549 pounds that has no bearing on what this helmet costs anywhere — best treated as an error on SHARP's own page rather than a real figure. No FIM racing homologation, no rear spoiler: a road helmet, priced and built as one.

In the box

The helmet and Shark's five-year warranty documentation. The Pinlock 70 insert is sold separately.

Technical data

• Model — Ridill 2 Mekarium (Black Anthracite Red)
• Shell — Thermoplastic (Lexan), two shell sizes
• Weight — 1,470 g on the first, smallest shell
• Homologation — ECE 22.06
• Closure — Micrometric ratchet buckle
• Ventilation — Chin intake, 2 crown intakes (shared control), 2 rear exhausts, all glove-operable
• Visor — Optical class 1, prepped for Pinlock 70 (insert sold separately)
• Sun visor — Internal, drop-down, crown slider
• Interior — Removable liner and cheek pads
• Warranty — 5 years
• Country of origin — Portugal
• Sizes — XS to XXL, six sizes