Shark has announced a new helmet which will be the first production motorcycle helmet to use integrated brake lights.
The helmet is called the Shark Skwal i3, and, as might be expected, is homologated to ECE 22.06 standards.
A full-face helmet, the Skwal i3 features “two brand-new patented technologies,” Shark says in a press release, in addition to the integrated brake lights, which have been developed by Shark since it introduced the Skwal platform in 2015.
The operation of the helmet-integrated brake light is done without Bluetooth or any kind of connectivity. Instead, it uses a three-axis accelerometer to detect when braking is happening, and operates the light accordingly.
Rather than being constantly lit under braking, as is customary on motorcycles or cars, for example, the Skwal i3’s brake light will flash three times per second in what Shark describes as “steady braking,” and five times per second in “hard braking”.
There are also white LED lights on the front, for improved visibility to traffic which is in front of the rider, oncoming or otherwise. Three modes determine the way the front lights operate, but do not alter the patterns of the brake lights. The three modes are:
- White LEDs on front constantly on
- White LEDs on front flashing
- White LEDs on front off
Of course, to maintain the operation of the lights, the helmet needs to carry a battery. This can be charged in three hours via a USB-C cable, and doing so will grant 12 hours of usage. After two minutes of no movement, the helmet will enter “sleep mode” to conserve battery life, and if it is left switched on for 24 hours, it will turn itself off.
In terms of the features which make the Skwal i3 a helmet, its polycarbonate shell is Nexan-injected; Nexan being a particular type of polycarbonate resin thermoplastic, meaning the helmet’s solid shell can deform in extreme heat conditions.
The Skwal i3 also features a Shark-patented toolless visor removal system, the visor in question being an Optical Class 1 anti-scratch visor with Pinlock 70. To remove the visor, there are two buttons which need to be pressed while pushing the visor upwards.
Behind the main lens, there is an integrated sun visor, which has both anti-scratch and anti-fog properties, while there is also space for 40mm speakers in the helmet’s EPS, multi-density, padding, indicating its connectivity capabilities with regards to intercom systems.
Further, the Skwal i3 is the first helmet from Shark to use the brand’s new ‘Best Fit’ system “following a campaign of 3D head shape scans,” by Shark.
The Shark Skwal i3 is available in two shell sizes, and in the sizes XS-XXL, with 13 graphic options and a retail price of £239. To find your nearest Shark dealer, visit the Nevis website.
