Who does the motorcyclist wave?

I had to chuckle when I saw this thread. I just returned from a 7000 mile ride on my DUCATI, (and it didn't break down, by the way. It was perfect) I must have waved to 10000 bikers out there. All the sportbike riders responded but the Davidson guys were about 75%. You have to be fairly old and have a decent bank account to own a Davidson. I think a lot of these riders really don't understand why we ride. That is, they ride because they think it's cool or stylish. I think this is the case because these parade floats they ride are not at all like sportbikes. They don't have the horsepower, handling or brakes to tear up the twisties. So these guys really don't understand the exilleration of a fast, well handling bike. While out on my ride I dreaded getting stuck behind a Davidson as much as getting stuck behind a motorhome. Man, these things are sluggish. These dudes even ride slow in the mountains! So, riders wave, vanity queens do not........ and one more thing..... JEV, your Moms got a nice body on her ! really.

 

Me too. Sometimes they wave back sometimes they don't I'm cool with that.

 

LOL, no they're afraid if they let go, god knows what might happen.

I wave every now and then if I'm not to busy, it's a cool thing, I wave at 90% of em, what about folks on scooters and Cops? I waved at the law one time right when he launched to get some one speeding, funny thing was he gave me the head nod back, Cool.

 

I waved when I rode Harleys and I wave now on the VFR. Most people in IL seem to, with the possible exception of around Chicago. For those of you who don't get waves from Harleys, you figure it is because they think they are better than you? What about this statement?

"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."

Sounds like what you think the Harley guys do to you. I wave at everyone and don't get upset if they don't wave back. They might be a new rider that doesn't know about the wave or are too nervous to let go of the bars. If not, oh well. If they don't think I am worth their time, their opinion doesn't really matter anyway.

 

This non waving Hardley rider attitude isn't confined to the US either i've noticed. I've experienced this while i lived in the UK, and am now seeing this up here in Sweden. Of course it could be to do with the amount of biker gangs that are up here, all Hardley riders too busy riding round in their posses on business, but at least the sportsbike riders give the wave

 

I had borrowed a Harley 883 once of my girlfriend sister so we could go on this "harley" ride ...... I waved at all the sport bikes and none of the other Harley owners

 

Like your style. From now on though, I'll think that any Harley rider who waves/nods is really a 'normal' rider in disguise.
Cheers.

 

I do the same. It's to much effort to assess what the vehicle is coming at me, and what the probability that they'll wave back. I always figured the wave was just a mutual acknowlegement of possession of a secret that most people just can't figure out. If they don't wave back I figure they're not riding for the right reasons. (or at least not my reason)

On the way home from work a few weeks back I came across a guy riding a new gixxer who had this really cool helmet that was cleverly disguised as a shaved head. I waved to him and he responded by releasing his death grip on left bar, raising his outstreched hand about three inches off the grip and then immediately grabbing the grip again, while never diverting his stare from the ground about 6 feet in front of his front tire. I kinda felt guilty about making him take his hands off the bars.

 

Yeah i try to wave to them all unless preoccupied. SOME Harley guys tend to ignore me...but thats okay i still extend the courtesy of acknowledging a fellow rider.

 

Just to state that I DO wave at nearly every rider no matter what bike. I find its like my dad that wasn't much of a talker or use the L word. So I started saying it to him after we talked on the phone. At first it was just a grunt to acknowledge he heard me, but after a few other conversation and me saying "ok love you dad" at the end, he started saying it back..... So I figure that if I wave to the hard Harley rider, enough of them they will start to feel bad and maybe wave back next time...if they are alone that is

 

If I can manage it, I always throw my left arm out to the 8 o'clock position when I pass another bike. If I can't do that, I nod. Usually I get a response, except for a few Harley encounters. I agree that it is like being a part of some club. I feel a connection to other bike riders, especially those on sport bikes, even though I may not know who that person is.

 

I wave at everyone as well. I like getting dirty looks from the harley riders. The sport riders dig seeing other bikes on the road, so they all wave back. Nods work too.

 

I wave to them all, but not all of them wave back even the sport crowd. But i've noticed something kind of funny. When you get out of the towns and citys away from all the posers where the real motorcyclists go to ride everyone waves, even the Harley guys(and girls). Unlike the ones who mostly ride in town just to be seen looking cool.

 

But that's probably partly an isolation thing. You know, how you can pass by a thousand people in the city every day and none of them will look at you, let alone acknowledge your presence, but if you're out walking in the wilderness anyone you see will say hello and maybe even stop for a chat.

 

I think Harleys vibrate so hard, it could mean serious trouble for HD riders to wave back.... I have stopped waving at cruisers in general unless they wave first, all sportbikes get a V peace from the clutch.