The wave.

[lund]

The traditional wave to your fellow rider.
I personally wave at every type or style of bikes, including Moped, Scooters, even Cyclist. I doit because we are all vulnerable to cager type traffic and isn't it about getting out there and enjoying life with what ever means you prefer.
I have really noticed though that certain riders are more likely not to wave back, HD riders or I'm I mistaking this as BIKERS and not RIDERS or motorcyclist?
I found that well over 95% of riders wave or wave back while I finding with HD riders it is a 50/50 chance if they wave or wave back.
I also found that the wife on her Can-Am gets far less waves then I do when following and very few from HD dudes.
Just an observation but interesting.
BTW, HD dominate the roads around my area just in numbers, riding on a weekend you will encounter large groups regularly.

 

[Wymbly1971]

Same story here and I wave to pretty much everyone too.. Oddly enough I find it's gotten better in the past 30 years. When I started riding I could barely get a wave out of any Harley rider. I just always naively thought (...but actually knew better) that they're not very happy people...hence their problem, lol. It's ironic the number of Harley guys that are on YouTube wondering why nobody waves at THEM.

I attribute it to there being some fresh meat and way higher membership in the HD world; it's not such an "exclusive club" anymore.

Now if only we could do something about the drivers who insist on driving sub-speed limit on 2 lane, then speeding up to 2x the speed limit to prevent anyone from getting by them on the passing lanes....I find it a bit of an infuriating plague that is starting to spread eastward.

 

[~TABASCO~]

The traditional wave to your fellow rider.
I personally wave at every type or style of bikes, including Moped, Scooters, even Cyclist. I doit because we are all vulnerable to cager type traffic and isn't it about getting out there and enjoying life with what ever means you prefer.
I have really noticed though that certain riders are more likely not to wave back, HD riders or I'm I mistaking this as BIKERS and not RIDERS or motorcyclist?
I found that well over 95% of riders wave or wave back while I finding with HD riders it is a 50/50 chance if they wave or wave back.
I also found that the wife on her Can-Am gets far less waves then I do when following and very few from HD dudes.
Just an observation but interesting.
BTW, HD dominate the roads around my area just in numbers, riding on a weekend you will encounter large groups regularly.

I wave as much as possible..... NOT to get anything from the other rider, I do because I want to.......


Probably the most strange encounter happened to be when traveling back from Colorado last year and there were 25 HailsAngels riding back the same direction. We passed each other about 6-7 times throughout the day. The first time or so I waved I got the middle finger back. After that I ignored them and some of the guys in the very back would raise a finger as they passed... It was a bit awkward for sure...... One period of time during this day is when we (all) ran into a large thunder storm on the high way heading home. We had full gear on and rain was no issue going normal speed. We passed these guys once again because they had no helmets and T-Shirts and jeans on..... Once we passed the rain they passed us again doing 90-100........ LOL.

 

[Sierra1]

. . . . then speeding up to 2x the speed limit to prevent anyone from getting by them on the passing lanes....I find it a bit of an infuriating plague that is starting to spread eastward.

That started down here about 10 years ago. I just put it down to all the folks from the Northeast US moving to Texas and bringing their rudeness. (CT was always the worst) 'Cuz when I first got to Texas, I was amazed that when you overtook a vehicle, it would pull to the right, let you by, and waved. (with all 5 fingers) I had never seen that anywhere else that I had lived. That courtesy is now long gone.

But as far as waves from bikes go, Beemers are the worst. I never get one to wave. And contrary to y'all's experiences, the Harleys almost always wave. The few that don't are no surprise being obviously "hardcore" HD'ers.

And sorta in the same topic, the "Jeep wave". Jeep started that two fingered bullshit when the JL came out and everybody started "ducking" each other. They even market it as the Jeep wave. I have always waved, with five fingers, at other Jeeps. Nowadays, hardly any Jeep drivers wave back. And when I wave at a CJ/YJ, I get stereotyped in with the other "new" Jeepers and they don't wave. Seems like the more ducks on the dashboard, the bigger ego. I've been driving a Jeep for 27 years; zero ducks.

 

[thughes317]

Probably the most strange encounter happened to be when traveling back from Colorado last year and there were 25 HailsAngels riding back the same direction. We passed each other about 6-7 times throughout the day. The first time or so I waved I got the middle finger back. After that I ignored them and some of the guys in the very back would raise a finger as they passed... It was a bit awkward for sure...... One period of time during this day is when we (all) ran into a large thunder storm on the high way heading home. We had full gear on and rain was no issue going normal speed. We passed these guys once again because they had no helmets and T-Shirts and jeans on..... Once we passed the rain they passed us again doing 90-100........ LOL.

Regardless of my feelings on the matter, there is an etiquette to passing a club. I assume you are aware of that.....so I have to ask if you humored them with their "protocol" or just blew by the rolling roadblock like most of would?

BTW: I wave to everybody, and most wave back. I've missed responding to waves from fellow riders when I was zoning out, concentrating on something else, or otherwise distracted, so I never take it personally if someone doesn't wave back. As an ex used to constantly remind me: "It ain't all about you".

 

[Sierra1]

And some riders have a death grip on the bars 'cuz they're afraid of falling over. As if.

 

[Scott F]

I view initiating a wave while riding exactly like I view forgiving somebody - it is a gift you give yourself not something you give the other person. I wave at everyone on a bike while on both my S10 and my Ultra; living in central TN I get WAY more return waves from other bikes on the road while I am on my HD. Makes me chuckle every time.

I now live in Germany but my S10 wont arrive here for another month or so. My HD is garaged for the next 3 years back home. Looking forward to seeing if these folks return waves over here.

Sent from my SM-S102DL using Tapatalk

 

[Longdog Cymru]

Hey, Scott F, have you visited Nordlingen yet? It’s about 115kms from you in Stuttgard and it’s well worth a visit as the town is built inside the crater caused by a meteorite.

Nordlingen - The town inside a meteorite crater

www.amusingplanet.com

 

[Scott F]

Hey, Scott F, have you visited Nordlingen yet? It’s about 115kms from you in Stuttgard and it’s well worth a visit as the town is built inside the crater caused by a meteorite.

Nordlingen - The town inside a meteorite crater

www.amusingplanet.com

Not yet - but thanks for the recommendation, I will certainly go visit.

I just got here and my bike wont arrive until around mid-September. It is still on a boat with out household goods...
I retired from the Marine Corps some years ago but my wife is still on active duty so we got stationed here in Germany. I can already say that having been here for about 1 week, we are going to love it!

Oh, and in keeping with the thread subject, I vow to wave at every bike I pass. I'll give a report of what I experienced when the time is right. Hopefully they'll understand what the "2 fingers down" of the left hand means over here.

Sent from my SM-S906B using Tapatalk

 

[Dshane]

That started down here about 10 years ago. I just put it down to all the folks from the Northeast US moving to Texas and bringing their rudeness. (CT was always the worst) 'Cuz when I first got to Texas, I was amazed that when you overtook a vehicle, it would pull to the right, let you by, and waved. (with all 5 fingers) I had never seen that anywhere else that I had lived. That courtesy is now long gone.

But as far as waves from bikes go, Beemers are the worst. I never get one to wave. And contrary to y'all's experiences, the Harleys almost always wave. The few that don't are no surprise being obviously "hardcore" HD'ers.

And sorta in the same topic, the "Jeep wave". Jeep started that two fingered bullshit when the JL came out and everybody started "ducking" each other. They even market it as the Jeep wave. I have always waved, with five fingers, at other Jeeps. Nowadays, hardly any Jeep drivers wave back. And when I wave at a CJ/YJ, I get stereotyped in with the other "new" Jeepers and they don't wave. Seems like the more ducks on the dashboard, the bigger ego. I've been driving a Jeep for 27 years; zero ducks.

When I first read the part about "folks from the Northeast US..." I thought what a thing to say about us. Then I thought about it and yep, you are correct! I'm a New Englander, lived in Massachusetts all my life up until a year ago when we moved to New Hampshire for family issues. We do have a reputation don't we? When I was younger I took a trip somewhere, don't remember where but we landed in Atlanta for a connecting flight and I couldn't believe how nice the people at the airport were to me. And each and every time since, whether I was in Savannah or on a ride in Virginia, that Southern hospitality is a real thing. If it wasn't for the heat, I would be living there.
When I tell people here in New Hampshire I lived in Mass, I tell them I was a Masshole but since I moved to New Hampshire I'm just an asshole now. .

As far as waving goes, I wave to all bikers except HD unless they wave first. It's a very small group of riders that don't wave but they are here, too.

 

[Madhatter]

I wave , but never do the low wave with hand pointing at pavement ... just raise my hand towards my head and back on the bars .
around here the Harley guys wave so I respond with the wave I've described previously , the salute is actually me pointing at my helmet , more 'why don't you have one " to them . the 1% riders always wear full coverage helmets here in Texas. but they don't wave.

 

[Scott F]

I wave , but never do the low wave with hand pointing at pavement ... just raise my hand towards my head and back on the bars .
around here the Harley guys wave so I respond with the wave I've described previously , the salute is actually me pointing at my helmet , more 'why don't you have one " to them . the 1% riders always wear full coverage helmets here in Texas. but they don't wave.

Patting your helmet means there is a cop up ahead, maybe they think you are warning them?

Sent from my SM-S906B using Tapatalk

 

[Sierra1]

When I first read the part about "folks from the Northeast US..." I thought what a thing to say about us. Then I thought about it and yep, you are correct! . . . .

Another example of the rudeness is when you hold a door open for someone, instead of just letting it close, and they don't even acknowledge your existence. Yeah, I wasn't trying to be mean. I've lived all over the country and have just made few observations.

 

[blitz11]

I do the "Highwayve" - i wave in big motions with my hand moving over my head. Go big or go home. (I do this riding my bicycle and motorcycles).

It's funny - most people are sort of shocked, then they'll raise their hands, too. Mostly with a smile on their face. Pillion riders always smile.

I even sometimes get trains to blow their air horns with this move.

This is supposed to be fun, right? The "well, I'll wave, but I don't want to not look cool" sort of sticking your hand out doesn't seem like fun. The Highwayve is fun for everyone.

 

[bikertrash2001]

I have noticed the HD guys have eased up over the years and even waved to me quite a bit when I had my FJR and I would think sportbikes are the mortal enemies of cruisers. I don't care, I've had every kind of bike out there but have noticed that HD guys have withheld the wave much more since I got the Tenere than any bike in recent years. Maybe with the auxiliary lights they think I'm on a BMW

 

[Sierra1]

Must be regional. I've seen more waves with the Tenere than before from the HD guys; 90% 'Wing guys are 50-50. Sport bikes are about 75%, and Beemers just stare, but don't wave.

 

[Madhatter]

I said pointing not patting

Patting

 

[RIVA]

Beemers just stare, but don't wave.

Probably concentrating while praying to The Lord "Please don't let me break down again".

 

[Sierra1]

Probably concentrating while praying to The Lord "Please don't let me break down again".

I was thinkin' it might be "is that one of those F'n Teneres".

 

[RCinNC]

I love a good wave thread, mainly because they're usually an indicator that Spring has arrived. This one's a little late.

I started riding a motorcycle when I lived in Germany, back in the 80's. That was my first experience with "the wave". There I am, riding around the streets of Ludwigsburg and all these guys on mopeds are waving to me, and I remember thinking "how on earth do these guys know me?".