In what’s really Part Two of an international takeover deal, Troy Lee Designs is now going to distribute Shark motorcycle helmets throughout North America.

This distribution deal was just announced, but the story goes all the way back to March 2022, when 2Ride Group bought Troy Lee Designs. 2Ride Group is not a North American household name, but it is a major player in Europe’s moto scene, owned by Eurazeo, which claims to be “the largest private equity fund based in France.” There’s some big money behind this play.

But wait. Why would Troy Lee Designs, best-known for its work in the motocross world, get hooked up with Shark, a French company that only sells street helmets? When you realize that Shark is a part of the 2Ride Group’s existing portfolio, then the whole thing makes since. Nolan is also part of that portfolio, so don’t get surprised if it’s added to the Troy Lee Designs distribution deal.

If you like Shark’s quirky designs, this is good news. Shark helmets were available in the US and Canada before the deal, but you didn’t see many of them, and they never brought the whole lineup to North America. Too bad—Shark made sensible roadracing helmets (the company was started by a couple of former racers), but branched off into weirdo convertible modulars and jet helmets that were unlike anything else on the market at their introduction. Now, you can see other manufacturers starting to copy those ideas, but Shark still has distinctive looking helmets, even if they aren’t for everyone.