The wave

[officerbill]

Waving is something I do to every bike I see as I travel. Some riders wave back, that is nice. Some don?t, oh well.
Today while going home I met a few bikers. I frequently ride with my left on my knee in a relaxed fashion. I see two wheels and headlight coming, I wave.
The first bike was a rocket; the rider gave the ?I?m too cool for you? sideways peace sign.
The second rider was on a red and chromie thing most likely a HD. He extended his fingers on his left hand without letting go of the grip.
The next bikes I met were a pack of different bikes and riders. Some had the little ?I?m cool? wave but most took their left hand and waved back and forth like trads with jelly in their pockets (borrowed without permission from someone on this forum). Some waggled their feet and I think someone stood up on his pegs and waved with both hands. I laughed all the way home. Thought y?all would like this story too.
Bill

 

[GSX550]

I started riding in Toowoomba, a fairly large country town (about 100,000 people) but with a small town feel i guess. When riding every bike you pass would nod as a show of respect, hello, whatever. It was nice. It was like we were all looking out for each other no matter what we rode. Except scooter riders, they never nodded back. Too cool I guess.

Now that I am in Brisbane, a big(ish) city, not one person has nodded back. I'm kind of disappointed about that. It was one of the good things you could say about bike riders, that we were all one team.

Has anyone else found it like this?

 

[mriddle]

My experience is probably 5 of 6 return the wave. I wouldn't read too much into 'how' they wave. I suspect we all have our own little mannerisms. If I am meeting a bike close on a narrow road, I wave right above the left grip. Across several lanes or far away I usually extend my left arm straight out to better be seen.

 

[seuadr]

i guess i fall into the "i'm too cool" group.. that is how i wave. it's how most guys around here wave, so i just started doing it to. guess we are all too cool

 

[Baatfam]

i guess i fall into the "i'm too cool" group.. that is how i wave. it's how most guys around here wave, so i just started doing it to. guess we are all too cool

Me also...and very common in my parts...

I kinda always thought the peace sign was just, ah, the peace sign....
(Didn't know I was too cool)

 

[bonanzadave]

I kinda always thought the peace sign was just, ah, the peace sign....
(Didn't know I was too cool)

I took the peace sign as "two"...as in two wheels.

 

[Steve]

Around here, most will wave with the left hand extended to the side or down.

Supposedly started by opposing gang members showing an empty hand in a non-threatening position.

.

 

[MAdams450]

Around here we have a lot of Harley riders, so that's pretty much all I see, with the small mix of standards and sport bikes. From what I've noticed, about 3 out of 5 will wave back. They're the one's who ride because they like too, not for looks.

The sport bike guys seem like it's about the same ratio, and almost all standards wave.

About waving different ways, it all depends on the road and conditions. If its a fairly smooth relaxed road, I'll wave with my arm out straight slightly below my bars. (I have bar end mirrors)

On twisties it'll usually just be raising my fingers up or a quick wave just above the grip.

I've done the "peace/cool" sign and just an open palm. Its kinda random for me I guess.

 

[apogeecustom]

I couldn't imagine actually giving a full wave. I thought that was reserved for boaters

At first I thought it was kind of annoying that every biker gave me a wave and I felt obliged to wave back, but now I do it and it doesn't bother me at all. I do the too cool for school peace sign too. One day I'll start doing a hard point from 11 o'clock and follow on until 9 o'clock. That ought to get a chuckle or two.

 

[tkent02]

Can we please combine this wave thread with the other torture thread?
We don't need two separate ones.

 

[makenzie71]

To me waving is waving. I wave to all bikers, cops, firemen, soldiers, veterans, children, and anyone who waves at me...I usually even wave at bicyclists because I feel they're braver than I to be riding where I ride.

Something for the OP to keep in mind about that "I'm too cool for you sideways peace sign"...it's not about being too cool for you. It's possible no one taught the guy what it means, but it should be received the same. The peace sign from biker to biker has nothing to do with its origins. Two fingers for two wheels...and it means to keep them down and stay safe.

 

[makenzie71]

Supposedly started by opposing gang members showing an empty hand in a non-threatening position.

Parley goes far further back.

 

[officerbill]

I had not meant to make accusations with the “too cool” phrase. I should have said something to order of nonchalant or casual. The part of the story that hasn’t seemed to catch much attention is the biker group and their energetic waving style.
When I meet other bikers I like to say Hi, so I wave. That’s all this is about, welcoming other folks as we pass. I must admit if the road conditions warrant I don’t wave but I still nod or something.
I’ve wondered how to say hi to a biker after dark. What’s the approved way to "wave" in the dark?

 

[apogeecustom]

I had not meant to make accusations with the ?too cool? phrase. I should have said something to order of nonchalant or casual. The part of the story that hasn?t seemed to catch much attention is the biker group and their energetic waving style.
When I meet other bikers I like to say Hi, so I wave. That?s all this is about, welcoming other folks as we pass. I must admit if the road conditions warrant I don?t wave but I still nod or something.
I?ve wondered how to say hi to a biker after dark. What?s the approved way to wave in the dark?

$hIt, the only thing I'm waving at after dark is my headlight path.

 

[earlfor]

Two fingers for two wheels...and it means to keep them down and stay safe.

I always thought they were just giving me one finger twice.

Earl

 

[Skateguy50]

Best "wave" I ever saw was on the mass pike, a State trooper threw on the blues and passed a large group of bikers. When I caught up I saw he pulled over and saluted the entire group as they pass him. Then I caught up to the bikers and read the vest, Nam Knights.

He wasnt on a bike but think that counts as a wave

 

[Hornswaggle]

I am surprised at how many bikers will not wave back at me. I expected more from 'Minnesota Nice'! Most of the bikes I see are HD and I can only assume that their refusal to return a wave is because my bike doesn't have a v-twin. In my experience, probably 1 in 50 or fewer HD riders will return a wave, compared to 1 in 15 non-HD riders (not a scientific study, just a gut feeling...) The odds go up a lot if it is another UJM. Not really a dig on all HD riders though, I get the same response when driving my classic Mustang, other Mustang drivers of any vintage will almost always wave while classic cars from other brands are probably 1 in 20. I agree that a wave is a wave unless its a finger When I was first learning to ride I didn't want to take my hand off the grips so would just raise my fingers, it was all I felt comfortable doing.

 

[DMorris]

Long as I don't get the single digit salute, I'm happy.
I'm in the two fingers out and down school. As was written earlier, it means 'two wheels are best' to me.

 

[hillntx]

Although I like to periodically get a dig on my friends that ride Harley's, I'm generally of the opinion that you should ride what you like. However I was on the HD facebook page yesterday reading an announcement about an Evel Kneival(sp) exhibit at the Harley museum. It was comment after comment slamming anything other than Harleys and some of the worst comments came from women. So I'm feeling pretty safe in saying if an HD rider doesn't return the wave they're either not paying attention, or they're just an arrogant jerk, and it's probably the second one.

 

[frempath]

When I wave its with the two fingers keeping others on the grip. Two reasons for this: first is that it is how I learned to wave while driving. A habit passed down from parents. Second comes from learning to ride off road well before I could legally ride on road. Keep both hands on the bars at all times cause you don't know what is hidden beneath the tall grass.

frempath