Shark Spartan motorcycle helmet review

Shark Spartan carbon skin DDR
Shark Spartan carbon skin DDR

Review of Shark’s full face streetbike motorcycle helmet, the Shark Spartan

The Spartan is Shark’s aggressive streetbike full face helmet that comes in both fibreglass and fibreglass/carbon versions.

The Spartan comes in two flavours – there’s a light weight carbon fibre version and a slightly heavier fibreglass version of the helmet, both aimed at your typical streetbike rider.

Having said that, the carbon version is actually a fibreglass and carbon composite – though Shark does quote a weight saving of 100g for the carbon helmet over the fibreglass.

It’s available for around £250 upwards, but what exactly do you get for your money? And, importantly, what do owners of the Shark Spartan think about their helmets, so you know if it’s worth getting one?

  • Carbon or fibreglass composite shell
  • Street-focused full face
  • SHARP 4 star safety rated
  • Integral sun visor
  • Pinlock Max Vision included
  • Double-d ring fastener
  • Weight:
    • 1.39 Kg (fibreglass)
    • 1.29 Kg (carbon)
  • Size XS-XXL
  • 5 year warranty
  • Expect to pay:
    • around £259-£309 (fibreglass)
    • around £349-409 (carbon version)

      Shark-Spartan-motorcycle-helmet-rear-view
      Split rear spoiler showing on plain carbon version

Best places to buy a Shark Spartan?

Please click below to visit the Shark Spartan helmets pages at our recommended stores. And if you buy from one, we get a small sum from the sale at no extra cost to you – a massive THANKS! (it’s how we finance the site).

Buy from SportsBikeShop

Safety

Shark Spartan Droze motorcycle crash helmet front view
This one’s the Spartan Droze – showing both top vent and sun visor sliders on the top of the helmet

Shark is our joint second safest helmet brand at the moment and, so far, all their composite and carbon fibre crash helmets have scored either four or five stars in the SHARP crash helmet safety test.

SHARP has tested both the fibreglass and carbon fibre versions of the Spartan.

The original fibreglass version was rated at three stars, whereas the full carbon fibre version got them back on track by scoring four stars, out of a maximum five.

But from June 2017, the fibreglass version’s score was changed to four stars too. Here’s the note from the SHARP website as to why:

“Helmets produced with Type Approval + production numbers before E11/050569/P-165603, tested in June 2017, were fitted with an early type of shell and achieved a safety rating of 3-stars. Helmets with production numbers P-165603 onward have achieved a safety rating of 4-stars.”

Shark spartan 8_5ms sharp test result 2
Shark Spartan fibreglass and carbon SHARP 8.5m/s impact test results courtesy of sharp.dft.gov.uk

So if you like the look of a Spartan and want to max out on the protection, now you can go for either versions.

But beyond the SHARP rating, there’s a heap of other features that will – hopefully – help you along the way to a safer ride.

The main visor comes with a Pinlock Max Vision anti-fog insert in the box. That should keep your vision fog free in pretty well all conditions.

And there’s also a drop down sun visor to keep the sun out of your eyes and keep you from being dazzled when the sun drops low and catches you out.

All that’s finished off with a double-d ring strap – they’re safe as houses and mean that you have to readjust the strap every trip. Again, that’s great for having a secure helmet that shouldn’t come off in an accident.

Helmet Noise

Full face helmets are broadly quieter than all other types.

But even though Shark has paid a great deal of attention to the aerodynamics of the helmet (they say they used computational fluid dynamics to make for a slippery shape), based on the range of opinions we found across the web, the Shark Spartan is only seen as about average for noise suppression by owners.

Shark Spartan Kraken motorcycle helmet side view
Shark Spartan Kraken

In addition to the careful aero design, they’ve used a plush and comfortable lining too; but that can only go so far towards making a quiet helmet, and with all those spoilers and protruding vents, it seems they create a bit of noise for some folks (but far from everyone) with one or two complaining of an annoying whistling coming from the back of their Spartans.

But because there’s a broad range of feeling about how quiet the Spartan is from owners – with opinions ranging from really noisy to very quiet – expect it to be about average if you buy one, and expect to need to wear ear plugs.

Ventilation

The Spartan’s venting system relies on a single chin vent and single crown vent to allow air into the helmet and onto the back of the visor. Up top, that air is routed through the helmet shell into channels in the polystyrene shock liner where it’s then pushed onto the head.

The chin vent is a two-position panel-switch that lets you either open or close it; whereas the top vent uses a two-position slider.

Owners report that both are easy to find and work well, even in gloves. And importantly, they almost all agree that the ventilation’s very good – despite the fact that there isn’t a rear exhaust vent to let the air out of the helmet.

Shark Spartan Rughed motorcycle helmet rearview
Rear view of the Spartan Rughed showing rear spoilers

Visor

There’s a few useful features when it comes to the Shark Spartan’s main visor.

First off, it’s both Pinlock ready and comes with a Pinlock Max Vision insert in the box. That’s going to keep your vision nice and fog-free in most conditions and is the best way we know to keep your visor clear.

Secondly, the Spartan has an innovative – and really fast – quick release system. Quick release visors have become really popular in recent years because they let you quickly whip off the visor to clean or change it, usually without the need for any tools. Usually, you have to open the visor, push a button or lever, and the visor will pull away.

But the Spartan takes this a step further. With the Spartan, you simply have to open the visor and tug the visor free from the pivot. Owners love its simplicity and say it works well – and we reckon more manufacturers are probably going to start to copy it.

Shark Spartan carbon skin DRR motorcycle helmet front view
Front view of the Spartan DDR

Sun Visor

The Spartan’s also got a drop down sun visor.

It works using a large slider at the top of the helmet. These sort of sliders are probably the least convenient to use for the rider because, until you really get the hang of it, they can be a bit tricky to locate and use.

Having said that, owners of the Spartan seem to reckon that the sun visor itself is really good. Even though it can be prone to fogging (it’s not anti-fog treated) they reckon it’s nice and dark and drops down low – two things not all sun visors manage to do.

The last thing to say about the sun visor is that it works using friction – meaning you can push the slider a little bit and that’ll drop the sun visor down a little bit, where it’ll stay put. Some sun visors are either fully up or fully down affairs – often using return springs to quickly withdraw the sun visor – but it’s personal preference which works best for you.

Comfort & Sizing

The Shark Spartan is available in sizes XS-XXL and should fit people with all but the roundest heads because it’s a medium oval fitment.

Inside the Spartan you’ll find a fully removable and washable interior. Owners reckon it’s really plush and comfortable and feels high quality.

Shark-Spartan-motorcycle-helmet-side-view
Plain Carbon version of the Spartan

Looks & Graphics

Lots of folks buy the Shark Spartan because of its super aggressive looks.

That particularly goes for the Spartan Carbons which are available in either plain carbon or carbon with a variety of colour/design options – all showing that carbon fibre weave but with other graphics overlaid.

If you decide to go for a fibreglass version of the Spartan, there’s loads of graphics to choose from with an immense array of mean and moody looking designs. We’ve grabbed as many as we can to put on this page but for the whole range – and to see their latest deals – please click through to our recommended retailers using the links below.

Best places to buy a Shark Spartan?

Please click below to visit the Shark Spartan helmets pages at our recommended stores. And if you buy from one, we get a small sum from the sale at no extra cost to you – a massive THANKS! (it’s how we finance the site).

Buy from SportsBikeShop

Shark Spartan Video

A 3m look around the Spartan.

Other stuff – audio, weight, glasses, buffeting, chin curtain, warranty

The Shark Spartan is designed for Shark’s Sharktooth bluetooth headset. But if you’ve got a different communicator, word is there’s decent-sized cutaways for headphones and room for a mic in there too.

Shark-Spartan-carbon-skin-EDWS-motorcycle-helmet-side-view
Shark Spartan carbon EDWS

If you’re looking for a light weight helmet, both the fibreglass and the carbon fibre versions of the Spartan make it into our lightweight helmets category because both come in under 1.4Kg which is our cut off point. The fibreglass version is 1.39Kg while the carbon/fibreglass version is 1.29Kg so is particularly light weight.

Glasses wearers are catered for too because the Spartan has a glasses groove to stop your glasses’ stems digging into your head.

The Spartan comes with both a fog guard and innovative chin curtain as standard. The chin curtain is particularly cool because it’s retractable so you can pull it out if things get cold and push it totally away when it warms up again. Well handy that and new on the scene.

And to top off the package, the Shark Spartan comes with a very generous 5 year warranty.

Overall/Summary

The Shark Spartan is a really attractive package. Naked and streetfighter owners will love its aggressive looks – particularly the full carbon versions. But even if you’re just after a competent helmet at a decent price point, the Spartan appeals. With it’s super-quick-release visor with included Pinlock anti-mist visor, great drop down sun visor and with great ventilation and a quality build, the Spartan should be a good helmet to live with too.

In fact, there were very few bad points mentioned by the owners we came across. Owners seem to love the way their Spartan’s look and the way they’re super comfortable.

And now both versions have scored excellent SHARP 4 star safety ratings (out of max 5 stars) you can choose from either – both are lightweight so the only real choice is between graphics and price.

All in all, owners reckon the Spartan is a great all-rounder that’s well worth the money and they’re highly recommended.

Good Alternatives to the Shark Spartan?

If you’re looking for a decent streetbike helmet that won’t break the bank, then there’s some sensational helmets out there.

First up, there’s the HJC FG-ST. That’s a SHARP 5 star fibreglass helmet with drop down sun visor and Pinlock Max Vision in the box – all for slightly less money than the Shark.

Or there’s the X-Lite X-702 GT, that’s a light weight composite fibre helmet that’s available in a particularly wide range of sizes and scored maximum points when tested by SHARP. It’s also quiet, comfortable and has great ventilation.

Finally, it’s worth checking out the AGV K5S – a SHARP 4 star safety rated carbon composite helmet with sun visor and great aero and venting qualities.

Definitely want a Shark?

Here you'll find all our Shark crash helmet reviews and previews including full face, flip-up and open face helmets.

Best places to buy a Shark Spartan?

Please click below to visit the Shark Spartan helmets pages at our recommended stores. And if you buy from one, we get a small sum from the sale at no extra cost to you – a massive THANKS! (it’s how we finance the site).

Buy from SportsBikeShop

Star Ratings

  • MCN Rating (Spartan): Quality 4/5, Value 4/5
  • MCN Rating (Spartan GT): Quality 4/5, Value 5/5
REVIEW OVERVIEW
Safety
Comfort
Noise
Features
Value
Previous articleAll about motorcycle crash helmet noise: and quiet helmets
Next articleHow to buy the safest motorcycle crash helmet you can…
first-look-shark-spartan-carbon-motorcycle-helmetThe Shark Spartan is a great helmet. Not only does it look really cool and aggressive, but it's SHARP 4 star safety rated (carbon fibre version) and, according to owners, it works really well. It's comfortable, well ventilated, has a great visor and sun visor system and the build quality's excellent. Overall if you're after a do-it-all type helmet with attitude, then the Shark Spartan is great value and well worth a look.

9 COMMENTS

  1. I just bought a Sparta but wind noise is unbearable tries to remove screw on visor but threads stripped out because of poor quality. My helmet is totaled $500 down the drain. Pay a little extra and get quality components Shoei arai even HJC make a decent bucket…shark is struggling beware.

  2. I have the Shark Spartan GT, spent a while in the shop, getting the fit right etc. The fit is perfect for me (coming from a Shoei XR1100).

    However, I was skeptical over the naff looking little wings on the back of the head, and sure enough on my naked bike, there is a pronounced high pitched whistling noise when facing the wind straight on, it’s borderline unbearable, distracting at the least. Goes away when turning my head to the side a bit. It is different to normal wind noise, and it is definitely coming from those silly little fins, after some testing moving my hand around.

    I have tried every combination of vents to get rid of it, and am sadly a bit disappointed, as it makes a long trip particularly tiresome at best, and distractingly dangerous at worst.

    If anyone has found a way to resolve this issue, i’m all for it!

    • Ok here is my observations after purchasing this gt version and its dissapointing to say the least .The finish was superb on this helmet .
      Now for the bad bit the whistling at slow speeds was that bad it would have driven me mad if i had kept the helmet , it was nothing to do with the vents as i taped them up to see if it made any difference and it did not .It was the visor that was creating the wistling as i moved my head from the normal riding position it would dissapate slightly.I never installed the pinlok but the internal visor fogged up straight away
      I am gutted because i loved the graphics on the helmet but the noise was too much to live with even with good quality ear plugs fitted .I ordered a large as i am 59.5 and the helmet was ok but i suspect that i a short time it would have become a bit too slack !!!( Shark only do 2 shell sizes).
      Now to try something else Scorpion exo1400 carbon or maybe an HJC RPHA 70.

  3. The visor-locking system is pretty bad. The visor tabs tend to break after few weeks of use. Just happened to me today. Don’t take my word for it tho, read the comments under youtube videos on how to remove the visor…

  4. I’ve just brought a new Shark Spartan carbon helmet after much deliberation. Style fit comfort weight all excellent looks so good on my noggin. BUT on the first open road ride which it will mostly be used I discovered that it has a incredibly loud booming wind sock drumming sound coming into the helmet much like when some in the back of a car puts a window half down. Totally deafening even with ear plugs in. And the only way to lessen it is to have the visor fully open and put up with the resultant wind whistling in which is quieter then with the visor down. I love and plan to do multi 10hr day rides on my new Ducati Multistrada travelling thousands of ks a trip. But just can’t see it happening with this helmet very disappointed. Loz from Oz

  5. You mention in the article it doesn’t have rear vent ports… it does, look at the fins on the rear and where these are fixed to the helmet by the posts there are oblong cut outs on the hollow posts themselves where the air vents out to the rear.

      • Good spot – thanks Ivo. From the notes on SHARP’s page, it looks like they’ve retested it once Shark moved over from their pre-production shell and it now scores 4 stars like the carbon version. I’ll update the review and add the note. Nice one.

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