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Armed With Sunglasses, Riding With Style

Ever since James Dean made the “bad boy-look” popular, wearing a tough-guy jacket and sunglasses, riding a motorbike, have been essential to every generation's young rebels. The "look" and the "attitude" are all-important in order to break away from society's impositions on clothing and behavior. The vehicle, of course, is a sign of independence, of being a lone wolf unafraid to venture into unknown territory with or without a "cause." The noticeable lack of a helmet speaks of apathy toward risk, while the noticeable presence of sunglasses speaks of the desire to look dangerous -- a real man of danger and intrigue.

But what people tend to miss is that sunglasses aren't simply decorative wear for the red-hot rider. Sunglasses protect the eyes from the head-on assault of wind, sand, dust and other things that could not only irritate the eyes, but even damage them. The sun is of course one of the biggest antagonists. The protagonist weaves down unexplored dirt paths while the sun distorts his vision, or sometimes blinding him at a fatal turn and putting his life at risk.

When choosing sunglasses for your "bad boy" gear, look into anti-glare, scratchproof lenses and frames. Anti-glare and UV protection are vital for the rider, so make sure your prospective sunglasses have these. Also, go for a lens surface that will adjust to the light and not simply reduce brightness, so that you can wear it indoors and out.

When choosing frames, pick a style that fits snugly along the sides of your head, without being tight enough to cause scratching or indentations. This is so your sunglasses won't just slip and fall off the edge of the road while you're in the fast lane. Some frames manage to hang on to a speed demon's head with slip-resistant ear socks, and this is often more comfortable than frames that simply hook around the ears.

Also, check up on the material. Something cool-looking and cheap and made of plastic just won't do -- unless you're willing to shell out money on a regular basis and keep a growing pile of scrap plastic in your room.

Advice to the self-confessed rebels out there: wear your helmet when riding a motorbike. But do away with the visor, because there's just another, cooler way to cruise. Break out the sunglasses, riding has never been this stylish.