The wave...

Alright, I have seen it for years, motorcyclists waving to other motorcyclists. And I am a Jeep Wrangler driver so I know all about the wave.

I should also add that as a newb letting go of the handlebars to wave seems very foreign to me. But here is what happened...

I was out this weekend, riding a little stretch of two lane, and got my first wave from a lady riding an unknown cruiser going in the opposite direction. Same road, going down a long straight section, and just a few minutes later I had two dudes on unknown crusiers go by and not wave. At first I thought they were both just DBs, and then I wondered if there was an unknown crusiers vs sportbikes issue.

Is there a cruiser vs sportbike issue? Or were those other two just DBs?

Eh, some people don't wave at dissimilar bikes, some people don't wave at all. I tend not to worry about it.

Besides, I'm on a scooter with 10" wheels, I'm not taking my hands off the handlebars unless I know for sertain the road is glass smooth. I usually just nod.

Just wave at everyone.

Some guys are too cool for school and won't wave back.

I try to do it in corners as much as possible to make the HD riders take their hands off the bars.

50% of the time I'll have people wave or point to the ground. If I'm in a place where I feel safe I'll reciprocate. I'll never wave or point first. In my experience most sport bike riders will not and most big twin Harley riders will not.

It's weird though I have yet to be approached at a gas stop by anyone else on any kind of bike. Usually the only people who will talk to me is old guys in pickup trucks that had sportsters back in the 60's and 70's. And I'm Ok with that.

A lot of the Harley guys won't like you. They seem to be one extreme or the other. There are a bunch of really great guys that are all about riding, then there are the dudebros. Guys on other types of cruisers tend to be nicer. I love it when a group of them is going slow in the mountains and try to keep you from passing. It almost looks like they're leading a parade or something.

Ranger drivers waive their jumper cables at each other.

Don't worry about it.

I find most riders wave regardless of what bike they're on or what bike I'm on. If they don't I don't care.

My buddy and I were out for a ride last week when his chain broke and wrapped around the rear hub. He left a crazy looking skid mark but managed to get it onto the shoulder. Every single biker stopped to make sure we were ok. He got a fair number of "nice save " comments. A few guys offered to go get their trucks and haul him home but we had it covered. In any case it was nice to see the community come together.

Proper etiquette is that it is OK to wave to a Jap bike if they wave first.

If I'm riding and cornering, etc., and someone waves at me, I'll be That Guy and not wave back. Sorry, my safety is more important.

Friend of mine does the Minivan Wave. When he's out in his Honduh minivan, he waves at other minivans.

Dr. Hess wrote: Proper etiquette is that it is OK to wave to a Jap bike if they wave first.

LAWL......I usually get waved at first by harley people. And safety is indeed much more important than acknowledging someone else.

When I rode my 78 Goldwing from IL to CO to AZ and back to IL this summer, most people waved and most bikes on the highways were Harleys. I also got approached several times at the gas station. I think the oldness of my bike helped though. I don't wave when taking off from a stop or in heavy traffic, I have more important things to do.

When I returned to my town in IL I noticed a lot fewer people wave. Maybe its because it is in town and maybe because it is a bunch of young sport bikers

No one stopped when I broke down several times though

I wave at anyone on two wheels if the conditions are decent. Bicycles, scooters, cruisers, anything. I ride an Interceptor. I don't understand this idea that motorcycling is for individuals just like me. This summer I got waves back just about everywhere save for NY state where there was some H-D festival going on. Never saw so many motorcycles on trailers before on the same highway, and no one is waving at the guy from KS.

Edit: Oh, and I wave like a normal person, not the "the ground is down there and I give it a peace sign" thing.

I'll always return a wave. I don't always initiate, though. Dudebros on Harleys, squids on crotch rockets and people wearing flip-flops on mopeds don't get a wave.

pre589 said: Edit: Oh, and I wave like a normal person, not the "the ground is down there and I give it a peace sign" thing.

I never understood this one at all. I assume it is some type of acknowledgement but just an odd one.

I will watch and see how things go, I wonder if it will confirm the cruiser stereotypes I already have. I also wonder if now that I am riding if it will confirm some sportbike stereotypes I already have.

At this point, (about 175 real road miles under me) I'm not taking my hands off for a wave unless I feel safe to do so. I did give head nods yesterday.

Pirate costumes will only wave to fellow pirate attired tools on paint-shakers.

Most normal looking people on all kinds of bikes wave around here. Except at scooter riders. berkeley those shiny happy people.

pres589 wrote: Edit: Oh, and I wave like a normal person, not the "the ground is down there and I give it a peace sign" thing.

I throw the metal horns.

I've seen guys laugh pretty hard.

There's all kinds of drama to the motorcycle wave, if you chose to be a drama queen yourself. Otherwise, wave if you wish, or not, and ride on.

foxtrapper said: There's all kinds of drama to the motorcycle wave, if you chose to be a drama queen yourself. Otherwise, wave if you wish, or not, and ride on.

So we should have called this thread "wave drama"? I like it.

I'm actually surprised how many people wave at me, though I get more on the V-Strom than I got on the KLR. Most Harley guys wave, but the no-helmet pirate costume guys with the huge back tires notoriously refuse to acknowledge the existence of anyone. And I'm okay with that. I generally don't wave first, unless it's a dual sport or some cool vintage bike. If I'm too busy shifting or braking I'll do a head nod so they at least know I'm not snubbing them.

Oh, and BMW guys are generally too self-important to wave at anyone either.

ddavidv wrote: I'm actually surprised how many people wave at me,

So are we, considering the way you do it.

I've been riding on the street for 23 years and for me waving all the time gets old, but I still do it. Some of you guys must ride full tilt on the street, or something, because I can't remember the last time I thought of a safety issue when waving and I don't baby my bikes.

Pretty much everyone waves around here except the hipsters....sometimes they even try, but get real close to spilling their coffees or dropping their cigarettes..

I think the two-fingered (peace-sign) wave stands for Two Wheels Down or something like that. My buddy is a hard-core sportbike guy, and he's always waving that way.

I'll wave if it's convenient, but not if I'm concentrating on a curve, traffic, or road hazard. Of course this doesn't apply during the biker events down here--- as the motorcycles are EVERYWHERE. I'd feel like the pope--- waving non-stop. Besides, the Harley pirates down here rarely wave at us Jap bike riders. It's hard to ride drunk with just one hand......

In reply to Cotton:

If I'm negotiating through heavy traffic or going through a busy intersection. Those are really the only times I don't wave back. Usually my head is on a swivel in those situations.

In reply to Nick_Comstock:

I'm the same way. I've t-boned a car pretty hard (not from waving), so I'm pretty cautious even thought that was a long time ago, but I think waving is almost second nature. I just don't notice it as an issue in day to day riding, and my bike is my DD year around. Now if I'm hard on the brakes because a little old lady pushed her shopping cart in front of me, sure I won't be waving.