Just for the fun of it, during my last long ride of the fall I decided to do the obligatory "biker's wave" whenever I passed a fellow biker going in the opposite direction. This was the last really warm day of the season up here in New England and there were hundreds of people out getting in their last ride.
Sooo... I waved to every other biker I passed, and found an interesting phenomenon. Every biker on a Harley or a Harley look-alike refused to wave back. None of them. Every biker on a sport bike or "regular" street-bike gave me a friendly wave back. All of them. What gives? Was this some strange coincidence, or have others experienced the same thing?
I was thinking about this becuase the temp got up over 50 yesterday so (even with 12 inches of snow left on the ground?!?) I fired up the bike and went for a ride. I passed only one other bike on my ride ( a sport-bike) and he gave me a friendly wave, and it made me think of that ride last fall with the Harleys.
I usually find the same thing. though some times it doesn't matter what bike someone is on they don't wave when I do.
Maybe they don't have the skill to take one hand off the bars. maybe they don't realize that we are all motorcyclists. Either way I will continue to wave.
I generally give the biker wave to everyone and it's returned by about 90% of the people. Bike type generally doesn't matter, there are unfriendly and rude people on all bike types. Back in my cruiser/Harley days I got the same result, some waved some didn't. A lot of the "cool" Harley riders wouldn't wave unless you were on a Harley. It was always funny that the same person that would wave at me when I was on my Road King wouldn't wave at me when on the 1100 or VTX.
As far as brotherhood I feel it is earned and call very people brother. Just because someone is on two wheels doesn't make them my brother. I used to do charity rides with a few of the MC's and they take brotherhood very seriously. I don't know if anyone here has spent any time around MC's or MC members but it is a totally different lifestyle than what the average rider is used to. If anyone is interested here is a link that explains some of their culture and protocol. This is for educational purposes only and could come in handy down the road for some people here.
I was riding my GSX1100 in the WV hills last fall and there was a dude with a full dressed Electra Glide by the side of the road. He had the thing opened up and was standing there scratching his head with his pillion sitting on the roadside looking all bummed-out.
I have a few basic tools with me (English and Metric) so I tell the wife I'm going to swing around and offer to help.
The guy snarls at me and his passenger rolls her eyes. "We don't need no help. Somebody's comin'."
I did a Bugs Bunny double take (you know, yubba-yubba-yubba). I said "excuse me?"
"We don't need no help from YOU!" the pillion says.
I was mystified. Oh well.
But this episode tainted my wife's view of Harleys and their riders forever. Everytime we pass one and don't get a wave, I get an earful in the helmet-to-helmet about hog drivers....
Where I am in florida, there's an overwhelming number of cruisers. But oddly enough they almost all wave back. Maybe it's the age of these riders, they still may have some of the "I'm the coolest hog rider in the world" in em, but not enough to loose touch with the reality we're all on motorcycles. I'm guessing ofcourse, but they're friendly here. H
yea you cant really go by the bike in terms of whos gonna wave back at ya. I dont wave much especially those days where there are bikes crawling all over the place, my hands get tired lol I wave back when I am not in a precarious positon and I actually see the person waving.
I find that the real biker not the poser will generally wave. I've got waves from Harley riders that look like they would pull a knife on you, as long as they are not in a group. :) But there are sport bikers that won't wave at me either. I think sometimes they don't see you because they are looking in there mirrors checking the side traffic or just plodding along. Some just barely lift there hand off the handle bar to wave and that is sometimes hard to see. But me I don't take offense anymore if they don't wave they either didn't see me or they have a problem they would rather not discuss. :huh:
Riding around New England, I get the no-wave from most Harley riders. It doesn't bother me all that much though. I guess its the "bada$$" thing to do. Who knows, maybe its written in the Harley manual, no waving to non-Harleys.
When I am riding my Triumph Bonneville (2001), Harley drivers not only wave back but I have gotten many compliments from Harley riders how nice the bike is. On the VFR, I get no waves, no compliments. Now the previous owner put a lot of chrome parts on the Bonnie, so I think it may be the "Chrome factor" Just a matter of taste.
I give the "wave" to any biker is see on the road. Those that don't return the "wave" i generally view as not worthy of further thought. :D I I guess i look at it as a tradition, something that i've always done, i guess just an achknowledgement of our uniqueness i suppose. :beer:
Cambelloni, Feb 16 2005, 03:28 PMRiding around New England, I get the no-wave from most Harley riders. It doesn't bother me all that much though. I guess its the "bada$$" thing to do. Who knows, maybe its written in the Harley manual, no waving to non-Harleys.
I grew up in new england and then moved to the south. Overall the people in the south are a little more laid back and a little nicer. When I go back to new england a visit relatives, there about the only ones who will talk to me. (I think the winters really screw them up tight) Most Harley guys wave down here.
I've been riding for 19 years, and I always thought the 'biker wave' was kind of funny - where the heck did this idea that you had to wave to other motorcyclists come from, anyway.
Here on the Eastern Shore of MD and DE most of the Harley riders wave back. Occasionally one of them waves first - very rare, though. Last night on the way home from work I passed a guy on a Harley, which surprised me since the temp was in the mid-40's, but when I waved he waved back. Cool. Most of 'em aren't too bad around here.
SAFE-T, Feb 16 2005, 01:04 PMI've been riding for 19 years, and I always thought the 'biker wave' was kind of funny - where the heck did this idea that you had to wave to other motorcyclists come from, anyway.
its called commaradery in a pursuit that we each love.....they must not do that in Canada :P
SAFE-T, Feb 16 2005, 11:04 AM I've been riding for 19 years, and I always thought the 'biker wave' was kind of funny - where the heck did this idea that you had to wave to other motorcyclists come from, anyway.
Tradition... going back when the first two motorcycles passed each other... motorcyclist should always happy to see another biker or rider to the point of a friendly wave...
767fixer, Feb 16 2005, 12:20 PMits called commaradery in a pursuit that we each love.....they must not do that in Canada :P
I have found a couple of wave stories. This one is told by a guy from the Bay area. This one is just funny. This onekind of gives the history and debunks the "we don't wave in Canada" myth...the writer is Canadian :wheel:
I don't think that you can or should stereotype about this too much. I've been waved at and not waved at by every type of bike/rider out there. Lots of people are friendly and courteous....unfortunately, there are still lots of egos and self centered people as well
Another "waving" thread?! :wacko: It's amazing......they all look exactly alike....but always manage to draw a large number of responses. I'e never figured it out. FWIW...I wave to everyone and I really don't care if they wave back or not. The important thing is..I'm riding. :D
Das Bone, Feb 16 2005, 01:48 PMI don't think that you can or should stereotype about this too much. I've been waved at and not waved at by every type of bike/rider out there. Lots of people are friendly and courteous....unfortunately, there are still lots of egos and self centered people as well
I understand the camaraderie and 'tradition' behind it, but where did it come from ? I want to know its etiology. Bicycle riders don't wave to each other, do they ? What about people in convertibles, or Lamborghinis ? :huh:
"Happy to meet ya, fellow driver of the great Italian prancing horse - great day to be out burning up the petrochemicals, eh? You have exquisite taste in four-wheeled transportation and I share your vibe, fine chap. Oh, and watch out for them wicked potholes" :lol:
i believe bicycle riders dont need to wave due to the fact they just say hello and can be heard. i also believe in the early years horse riders also waved to each other. its in the years of the automobile that people became enclosed and isolated from each other that the waving stopped for them.
SAFE-T, Feb 16 2005, 02:09 PMNow we are getting somewhere - maybe it's a 'friend or foe' kinda thing, because you could say 'hello' on a horse but by then you might be dead.
no...i just believe its human nature to greet eachother kindly......as least in the U.S. :P :D
767fixer, Feb 16 2005, 11:05 AMi believe bicycle riders dont need to wave due to the fact they just say hello and can be heard. i also believe in the early years horse riders also waved to each other. its in the years of the automobile that people became enclosed and isolated from each other that the waving stopped for them.
Yes little brother you were right on this one. I think it goes back to the crusades when aproaching horseback riders would show there right hand as a gesture to show the other that they were unarmed and were not going to do them harm. In the 50's and 60's the sportscar elite started the same thing with the little English sportscars they brought here to america.
Strange how what happens in New England is the same as in Old England except here we have the added entertainment of the riders pretending to be Americans.