Who does the motorcyclist wave?

[derstuka]

Ok, who does the friendly "motorcyclist wave", or whatever you might call it where you reside? I am talking about making a friendly signal to a fellow rider as you pass them. This includes (but is not limited to), holding your hand out, or nodding if you are occupied.

Do you wave at everybody on a bike, including harley riders?

How about you international folks (non-US), do you give a friendly wave at fellow riders as they pass?

I generally always wave (depending on what I am doing) or I nod if occupied. I usually wait until a harley rider waves first, as I get stiffed on waves to them many times. I am just curious what other people think about the wave and if they participate.

[SCraig]

I always wave, even to Harley and Gold Wing guys ;)

[brdbluz]

The "wave" is a simple way to reinforce the fact that we are all members of the brotherhood/sisterhood of motorcyclists! Besides, waving to each other is just a nice thing to do even if the Harley riders hardly ever wave back.

[XRayHound]

I do. People who aren't involved don't understand the camaraderie of making a targeted minority out of oneself by choice. I've always been involved in three... hobbies is the only word I can come up with, though it doesn't seem strong enough... those being old cars, guns, and bikes, and for the most part one's fellow in any of those three hobbies are the best people you could ask for. I've seen guys take the shirt off their back to wipe the mud off a stranger's car after they accidentally dirtied it up, I've seen guys at a match take a part off their own gun to keep someone else in it, and I've seen complete strangers drop their bikes in the grass to help someone else pick theirs up.

So yeah, I wave to all of them, even the guys on scooters. They're my family.

[Faith7]

I'm new to street riding,but the first thing you notice is that there is a connection between you and the motorcyclist you pass. I've wondered what is was and my conclusion is that you risk a great deal to do something you love to do and therefore there is a respect for one another. The answer is I wave to the other riders, oddly enough I wave at the liqueur-sicle as well.

[reg71]

mostly unless it's difficult to release the bars at the time, but usually I'll at least raise my fingers... I will add, though, that I am not offended if someone doesn't wave. I usually figure either they didn't see me or they couldn't wave at the time...or maybe they waved just after I was looking...

[BJ Sim]

I think waving is always good (or the head nod if busy). I'm one to wave at everyone, it's polite and builds a sense of (as brdbluz put it) brotherhood.

One time the girl I was giving a ride to (her first motorcycle ride) asked if I was nodding at the other motorcycles passing by (2up I don't take the hands off for a wave). I told her yes. She wanted to know why and I told her because "it's what we do". The very next hill we came to over comes another motorcycle and bom, he waves clear as day. I could hear her say "ok, that's cool".

[Shinigami]

Heck, I low-wave or nod as needed at anyone on two wheels and the occasional horseback rider- and 95% of the time I get one back (except for our brothers on the Harleys).

There's nothing wrong with making a friendly impression, even if the general population around here sees me as some sort of black leather clad demon on a "bullet bike" (god I hate that term...)

Impressions and stereotypes are formed one person at a time.

[whittecar05]

Yeah, I wave or nod at all two wheelers. Gotta give 'em acknowledgement, at the very least for taking a four wheeler off the road.

[MarkH]

Over here in the UK I nod at most other bike riders - the guys on cruisers don't usually bother. What p*sses me off is the fact that they will all nod at me but most of them ignore my wife just because she has L-plates (learner) on her bike.

[Rtech]

When I was riding in the US, in and around Nashville to be precise, there weren't too many bikers around, so the two finger lift or a raised arm was shown to any of them.

Back here in India, we have about a million people on bikes in the city (100cc bikes that is), so it goes without saying, no waves! lol

[Mac]

The wave thing...
I recently completed my journey through crusierdom. I waved at everybody on two wheels, better than 90% waved back. Now, on theVFR, I still wave at everybody....but get less response from from the crusier crowd. Haven't really got the handle on that one yet.
One thing that hasn't changed in recent memory,... a pack of ducatti pass you on the road like your standing still, within twenty miles, you catch up to them. They are pulled over on the side of the road tinkering with one of the bikes. Some things never change.
Mac

[Joey_Dude]

Yeah I do the wave. Only times I don't do it is if it's too dangerous for me to take the hand off like in the middle of a curve or "sailing" on the highway. For those times I just do the nod.

I generally don't wave at scooters because I noticed pretty much all them don't wave back. Figures, it's probably multi-cylinder envy.

[John451]

Originally Posted by derstuka

Ok, who does the friendly "motorcyclist wave",

I do every time when practical to wave when passing or nod when oncoming especially make an effort to new Learner riders as a sign of encouragment, don't wave to scooter riders or like Joey or Outlaw bikies.

[Stonewall72]

I always wave as well unless I cant take my hand off the bar and then I just nod. I ussually don't get waves from the Harley guys but I did have a Harley rider stop and help me get the bike push started when I was having battery problems(battery was dieing). So that was a real reward. And so now I always wav at them.

[derstuka]

Originally Posted by reg71

I usually figure either they didn't see me or they couldn't wave at the time...or maybe they waved just after I was looking...

I try and think this way Reg, however, when I know that the person(s) was looking at me (most time HOG riders) and can see my wave in plain sight, it just kinda burns me a little....I know I shouldn't let it get to me, but I do a little. I mostly wave to everyone, but sometimes cruiser riders I hesitate, and sometimes I wave to them all the time until I get fed up with getting stiffed once again.

[Longerfellow]

Originally Posted by derstuka

I try and think this way Reg, however, when I know that the person(s) was looking at me (most time HOG riders) and can see my wave in plain sight, it just kinda burns me a little....I know I shouldn't let it get to me, but I do a little. I mostly wave to everyone, but sometimes cruiser riders I hesitate, and sometimes I wave to them all the time until I get fed up with getting stiffed once again.

I feel the same way. I just feel that if they don't wave back it's more their problem than mine. Maybe a perceived happiness thing. I will admit if I see a bike with ape hangers coming toward me, I make certain assumptions and don't bother waving. A wave to you all! Ya know... except you "apers".

[jev]

I used to wave at everyone, but lately even the sportbikers don't wave back, so I now only wave when someone waves at me first. It just got to the point that 1 out of 10 people never waved back, and it gripes me when they don't. It also bothers me when I pass someone on my VFR and don't get a wave, then I pass that same person on the same afternoon on a cruiser and they wave, burns me up.

[Gears]

I wave. Most bikes get the low wave, left hand dropped off grip.
BUT... VFRs get the BIG WAVE... left arm high in the air !

[Taz]

Sure I wave, & even pull over to offer help if a bike is on the side of the road, but guy's on Goldwings & BMW's don't because all the gadgetry takes up all there attention & often have to rely on the Auto wave mechanism that often breaks.

Originally Posted by Mac

a pack of ducati pass you on the road like your standing still, within twenty miles, you catch up to them. They are pulled over on the side of the road tinkering with one of the bikes. Some things never change.
Mac

Hmmm Ducati = is a slang word for Mechanics wanted

(oh & Duc owners, I can say that because I've owned 3 of them )