The Ridill 2 is Shark's entry point into full-face riding: a helmet built to carry the brand's real safety and comfort engineering down to a price under 190 euro, rather than a cut-down version of something else. Blank Black is the plainest way to buy into that idea — no graphics, no finish premium, just the shell, the certification and the fit that the rest of the line is built around, in gloss black.

What ECE 22.06 actually tests

Every Ridill 2 is certified to ECE 22.06, mandatory for newly homologated helmets sold in the EU since January 2024, replacing ECE 22.05. The difference is not cosmetic: 22.05 struck a helmet at five fixed points; 22.06 strikes eighteen, across several impact speeds instead of one, and adds an oblique-impact test against an abrasive anvil that loads the shell with a twisting, glancing force rather than a straight drop. It also records a rotational Brain Injury Criterion, not only linear deceleration, with the whole test run visor-on and, where relevant, with a Pinlock insert and comms unit fitted. The certificate reads 2206 with no FIM suffix: a road approval, not a competition homologation.

Weight, and what it costs your neck over a day

Shark quotes 1,470 g for the Ridill 2 in its first, smallest shell size — not a mid-range M, which typically sits a little higher on the same shell, and independent testing by Visordown weighed a size M sample at 1,474 g, close enough to the manufacturer figure to trust it. A helmet is not held for a moment; it is held by the neck for the length of every ride, and a couple of hundred grams either way barely registers in the car park but adds up across a three-hour motorway stretch or a full day of stop-start town riding. At 1,470 g the Ridill 2 sits toward the lighter end of Shark's own street-helmet range, which mostly runs from roughly 1,250 g to 1,800 g depending on shell material and features — a useful number to know before assuming "cheap" also means "heavy".

Shell, EPS and the micrometric buckle

The shell is injection-moulded thermoplastic — Shark's own product page calls it "Thermoplastique", and independent press describes the same material as Lexan polycarbonate — built in two shell sizes so the smallest heads are not riding around inside an oversized moulding designed for XL. Inside, a multi-density EPS liner varies its firmness across the shell instead of using one uniform block of foam, and the helmet closes with a micrometric ratchet buckle rather than a double-D ring: quicker to adjust one-handed with gloves on, and it holds a chosen notch precisely instead of needing to be re-threaded every time.

Ventilation you can run with gloves on

Independent testing found three vents that all open and close with gloves on: one chin intake and two top intakes that share a single control, plus two exhaust ports at the back. The same review called the ventilation "more than adequate" in ordinary use, with one honest caveat — the chin vent directs air more toward the visor than at the rider's face, which helps keep the visor clear but means it is not the vent to rely on for cooling your chin on a hot day.

The visor and Pinlock 70

The visor is Optical class 1 with an anti-scratch coating and a tool-free release system, shipped ready for Shark's Pinlock 70 insert — sold separately, so budget for it in variable weather, since without it the visor can mist over with the vents closed. It is not on Shark's IRID photochromic list, which currently covers only the Aeron GP, Aeron and Race R Pro, so a light-reactive visor here means an aftermarket screen from the spares range below.

Blank Black: the finish itself

Blank Black carries nothing but the shell colour and Shark's own branding — a small "A" logo mark on the left temple and the SHARK wordmark low on the right side of the chin bar, both in a soft grey that does not fight with the gloss black paint. Gloss shows every fingerprint and micro-scratch more readily than a matte or graphic surface, which is the trade a plain colour always makes for a mirror-like shine straight out of the box; a microfibre wipe after each ride keeps it looking new. If black-on-black anonymity is the point — for a first helmet, a commuter machine, or simply because you do not want a helmet that shouts — this is the decor built for exactly that brief.

Sun visor and the small things that add up

An internal drop-down sun visor operates from a slider at the crown, useful for a low evening sun on the ride home without having to stop and swap visors. The interior is designed to leave room for glasses arms without pinching at the temple, the shell accepts a Sharktooth- or SENA-style intercom unit without modification, and the outer visor comes off without tools for cleaning or replacement.

Fit, across two shells and six sizes

Six sizes, XS to XXL, are built across those two shell sizes rather than one shell stretched with extra padding — the smallest size does not feel like a large helmet padded down, and the largest does not feel undersized. Visordown's reviewer, testing a size M, found the fit "very good" and "extremely comfortable", with a wide opening and cheek padding snug enough to feel secure without squashing the face.

Where the Ridill 2 sits against D-Skwal 3 and Skwal Cup

Blank Black, at 189.99 euro, is the cheapest full-face helmet in Shark's current line-up. One step up, the D-Skwal 3 starts at 219.99 euro with a wind-tunnel-tested shell and a broader decor range; above that, the Skwal Cup starts at 269.99 euro with a CFD-developed rear spoiler for stability at speed. That is not a criticism of the Ridill 2 — it shows what the extra money buys elsewhere in the same family, real numbers rather than a guess at what "entry-level" leaves out.

Wind noise, honestly

Nobody has published a decibel figure for the Ridill 2, and inventing one would be worse than saying nothing. What exists is a first-hand account from Visordown's own test ride: "a quiet helmet to use at motorway speeds", with the caveat that earplugs are still recommended for any longer ride, and a small amount of buffeting at motorway speeds that the reviewer described as "not horrendous". Read that as what it is — one rider's impression on one bike — rather than a lab measurement, because no lab measurement for this helmet exists.

Spare parts, later

Shark runs a dedicated spare-visor collection covering the Ridill 2 alongside the Skwal Cup, D-Skwal 3 and Skwal i3, with seven visor options including dark smoke, iridium tints and a clear Pinlock-ready screen. A scratched or fogged visor is a spare part on that list, not a reason to replace the whole helmet.

What this helmet does not have

Said plainly, because at this price the honest list matters more than marketing copy: no MIPS liner, no electronic quick-release. The Pinlock insert is not included — only the visor's readiness to take one. There is no chin skirt, so cold-weather draught is more noticeable than on a touring helmet. SHARP has tested a "Ridill 2" and awarded four stars against ECE 22.06 in February 2025, the correct generation; that same listing states an RRP of 549 pounds that plainly does not match this helmet's real price, best read as a data error on SHARP's page. No FIM homologation, no rear spoiler — a road helmet built to a budget.

In the box

The helmet itself and Shark's documentation for the five-year warranty. The Pinlock 70 insert is not included and is sold separately.

Technical data

• Model — Ridill 2 Blank
• Shell — Thermoplastic (Lexan), two shell sizes
• Weight — 1,470 g for the first, smallest shell size
• Homologation — ECE 22.06
• Closure — Micrometric buckle
• Ventilation — 1 chin intake, 2 crown intakes (shared control), 2 rear exhausts, glove-operable
• Visor — Optical class 1, Pinlock 70 ready (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-XXL (6 sizes)