Do you wave at Harley riders?

[dschult2]

Just wondering who waves at Harley riders. I used to wave at every rider I saw but I noticed that most Harley riders don't wave back and the ones that do only give me a little wiggle of their fingers. Seems like they think they're better than people on a Jap bike. So now I will gladly wave at them but only if they wave at me first. Tired of gettin' snubed I guess. Funny thing is it's only just the Harley riders.

 

[Flat_FZ6]

I only wave if they do it first. When I first started riding I waved at everyone, it didn't take long for me to realize that people on cruisers didn't really want to wave back.

 

[Erci]

Does it really matter if they *wave* back or not? Putting your hand out and towards the ground is a way of saying you recognize another rider. A fellow 2-wheel enthusiast. Don't even look at them to see if you get the *wave* back.. concentrate on the road.

I couldn't care less what sort of motorcycle the oncoming rider is on and if he waves back or not. I always put my hand out, if it's safe to do so.

P.S. there's no waving in Europe (unless things have changed in the last 10 years). Motorcyclist worry about riding, not collecting waves. :thumbup:

 

[Water Bear]

Motorcycle riding is probably much more utilitarian in Europe, more like riding a car is to us. Perhaps there is a notion that if everyone has to use a similar kind of transport, then there's no implied similarity between the users. In the US, riding a motorcycle is much more a personal statement, something you can share even with d-bags on 2 ton cruisers.

I wave at everybody. You never know if they're gonna wave back, so just keep wavin'. There are lots of people that either don't see me wave or are too cool to wave back, I try not to let that stop me even if I do feel stupid when they don't respond.

Their cool facade doesn't trick other motorcycle riders. We're all just geeks on bikes doin what we love. :thumbup:

 

[FZ09Bandit]

I try to wave at everyone screw em if they don't wave back. Sometimes even I missed a cruiser wave, probably the guy who started a poll on his cruiser website about waving at those punk assholes on jap bikes.

Now its those retards walking down the street that give me the wheelie wave or burnout wave that gets a giant.. Middle... Finger!!!!!

 

[Tagger]

P.S. there's no waving in Europe (unless things have changed in the last 10 years). Motorcyclist worry about riding, not collecting waves. :thumbup:

hmmm, we wave all the time.

 

[FIZZER6]

I'll wave most of the time to Harley riders if it's safe to do so. A simple drop of the hand off the bars and a quick open palm is all they get. If they don't wave back, who cares?

Harley riders do tend to follow the stereotype that they are the only real bikers and that makes them superior to every other rider on the roads. There are exceptions.

 

[sandctrev]

I rode my dads Harley Heritage last week. It was loud and superbly comfy on the rear. But the interestingly, my back was sore after riding it. But what I'm getting as is his ape hangers didn't realy give me the comfort level to lift a finger.

Oh... But when I got back on my bike it felt like a BMX. That was nice. I waved at everyone, since I was having so much fun .

 

[2006_FZ6]

I wave at everyone, even scooter riders! I'm with Erci, as long as it is safe and sometimes I don't bother to see if they wave back. If I can't wave, I'll nod in their direction. Lifes too short not to enjoy being out on two wheels, regardless of what you're riding! I don't care if they don't wave back. Their loss.

Most Harley riders around by me don't wave. Not even to each other. Other cruiser folks seem to get the idea and wave.

I know I miss some other riders waving too, but that's because I'm concentrating on staying alive with these cagers all around.

 

[deeptekkie]

I do wave at Hardly riders and they usually wave back but I'm usually ashamed of myself afterwards.

 

[chuckfz6ryder]

I usually wave to Harley riders, but I won't wave to scooter riders. My wife just picked up a sportster, so I'll have to take that out and see who waves to me.

 

[Jblk9695]

I wave at everybody, don't care what they are riding and if the don't wave back it's there loss. I give the 3 fingered wave with my arm up to tell them I'm riding a triple, well I know what it means. Just out having fun so why not wave:thumbup:

Jerry

 

[Carlos840]

Does it really matter if they *wave* back or not? Putting your hand out and towards the ground is a way of saying you recognize another rider. A fellow 2-wheel enthusiast. Don't even look at them to see if you get the *wave* back.. concentrate on the road.

I couldn't care less what sort of motorcycle the oncoming rider is on and if he waves back or not. I always put my hand out, if it's safe to do so.

P.S. there's no waving in Europe (unless things have changed in the last 10 years). Motorcyclist worry about riding, not collecting waves. :thumbup:

There actually is waving in Europe, at least in Belgium and France...

We even have a foot wave for cars that hold their right to let you overtake.

 

[kenh]

I wave at everybody, don't care what they are riding and if the don't wave back it's there loss. I give the 3 fingered wave with my arm up to tell them I'm riding a triple, well I know what it means. Just out having fun so why not wave:thumbup:

Jerry

Jerry, I could see your gesture getting more attention back in the old single cylinder days... But I am in agreement, I wave to everybody even if they do not wave back. The wave is a simple way to acknowledge other riders out there enjoying their passion.
I witnessed a situation a couple of months ago where I was waiting to pull out into traffic in my work van when the light turned green. In the line of vehicles waiting was a couple of cars, an older Harley rider and a middle aged guy on an older single cylinder motorcycle. When the light turned green the Harley started off and I pulled out behind the middle aged guy and noticed he was having trouble riding and almost hit a curb. I am not sure if it was skill level or mechanical trouble, but I suspect the former. When I cleared the intersection I thought about stopping, but noticed the Harley rider ahead must of been watching too and had pulled over to circle back to check on the middle aged guy and I thought this is what the wave gesture means. It is that bond that is forged by all who ride, regardless of what they are riding.
P.S. I even wave to scooters, it tends to catch them offguard sometimes. :thumbup:

 

[mxgolf]

I usually wave to every rider. I used to not wave to scooters but now days they make some big scooters it's hard to tell at speed. It's probably 50-50 Harley riders waving back to me anyway.

 

[MG-242]

Check out the story in the latest issue of Motorcycle Consumer News (good rag) by Fred Rau on waving. Pretty entertaining and he has some pretty stringent rules when it comes to waving like do you wave at all the bikes when a procession of them rides by?

I wave to everyone even the bicyclists and the kids in the back of mom's mini-van. She may hear them giggle and keep a better eye out for me! If they don't wave back, their loss not mine. I always think real bikers wave

The other side is that it takes two hands to handle a Harley <JK>

 

[FIZZER6]

I have noticed the the likeliness of another rider waving to you is directly related to how much gear they are wearing.

Squids in shorts and Harley riders wearing sleeveless T-shirts almost never wave.

Hell, if my skin was exposed I wouldn't want to take my hand off the bars either!:spank:

 

[crowelor]

I don't throw a wave for the purpose of getting one back. I throw a wave to acknowledge a person with a common bond through motorcycling. If I see them in time and it's safe to do so, I wave at every motorcycle I pass.

 

[Water Bear]

Check out the story in the latest issue of Motorcycle Consumer News (good rag) by Fred Rau on waving. Pretty entertaining and he has some pretty stringent rules when it comes to waving like do you wave at all the bikes when a procession of them rides by?

As a matter of fact I often do, but I wonder if they're like, 'why the heck is he still waving? We saw it already.'

Not sure what the best idea here is. Probably better to wave as the front of the line passes.

 

[Lefty]

True story..
Took a four day ride with Cali rider last month through NorCal. We both waved at everyone at the beginning of everyday. I kept a somewhat accurate count as to who/what they were riding waved back. Harley riders were too cool to acknowledge our waves about 90% of the time, :Flip: other riders, including scooters responded with a wave around 80% of the time. :rockon: