Motorcycles have changed and so have the mirrors that adorn them. Now these motorcycle accessories are more than just artifacts with which to comply with the law. These mirrors have even become a manner through which motorcycle owners express themselves artistically.

This is how you declare to the world who you perceive yourself to be - with a pair of customized motorcycle mirrors. The range is endless and there are certain points to take into consideration before you take the leap. This particular kind of motorbike accessory provides a small field of (rear) vision. "There's also the question of choosing flat ("plane") mirrors, which offer a narrower angle of rear view versus reduced-image convex glass." (motorcycle cruiser . com) You decide.

The difference between these two types of motorbike mirrors is pretty basic. Flat glass will give you a more realistic idea as to the distance of objects behind you whereas convex motorbike mirrors will provide you with a larger rear view but the objects will become smaller making them appear farther away.

Convex motorbike mirrors have two advantages - they provide you with a wider field of vision and they decrease distortions caused by the bike's vibrations. (motorcycle cruiser .com)

This snazzy lil motorbike mirror is literally attached to your helmet with 3M double-sided adhesive tape. The sportbike mirrors used are regular, therefore, the image you see is exactly as it should be and at the proper distance. "Curvecrazy", a member of a snowmobile forum describes his experience, ".All you do is turn your head about 10 degrees to the side to see everything behind you in real life size. This is easily more effective than OEM (original equipment manufacturer) motorcycle mounted mirrors IMO (in my opinion). It will retain its adjusted position to 110mph, whereupon it will fold back to the helmet. The mirror can be moved back out when you slow down to highway speed."

(Photo courtesy of st machine . com.)

A motorbike accessory with this name has got to be special. This particular model of motorcycle mirrors' main attraction is the LED illumination capability. In bold colors such as red, green and blue, the Pig Spotter 2 also allows for more rear visibility than a stock mirror. Each mirror houses four LED lights and depending on how you decide to wire the lights they may be used as either turn signals or running lights. (to be fast .com) The best place to mount The Pig Spotter 2 motorcycle mirrors are on your windshield. As if all this were not enough, you may also purchase them with very cool airbrushed designs.

(Video courtesy of completeaudio, YouTube.com.)

It is also important to know that these motorcycle accessories will fit on almost all motorcycle models.

(Photo courtesy of Second Life Resident Torley Olmstead. Visit Japan Fancy Island, Flickr.)

Another snazzy design in motorcycle mirrors is the Teardrop. These mirrors are also manufactured of brushed aluminum and have a slightly longer stem. Your first inclination would make you want to mount this motorbike accessory with the teardrop end pointing outward. In actuality, the end goes pointing down with the actual "teardrop" at the top.

Yep, polarization has even hit these motorcycle accessories. Naturally, expect to pay more to have this option. The technology involves polarized convex mirrors and, the motorbike mirrors are designed to fit most big name motorbikes and cruisers. (cgi.ebay .com)

Ever come out of anywhere to get on your bike and you notice that the mirrors are either lopsided or bent? The solution to that are the folding motorbike mirrors. Also referred to as "dual sport" mirrors, for under $20 bucks you will be able to mount these on your bike and, when off-road (or parked) just fold them down. David from Cypress, TX best describes them, "I am very pleased with the Bike Master folding mirror. It looks great, and when I go into the trails, I just fold it down out of the way with no worry of having a tree limb breaking it off." (motorcycle - superstore .com)

(Photo courtesy of Enrico Gori, Flickr.)

It doesn't stop there. The manufacturers ST Machine and Kuryakyn have developed a pair of sportbike mirrors which when seen from oncoming traffic appear as a running light and a turn signal. The best part of these motorcycle mirrors is that the glare of the LED lights will not blind the rider. (cruiser customizing .com) Also, there's no need to worry about the life of the light's battery. It is advertised as lasting longer than regular incandescent bulbs.