• Welcome, Guest! We hope you enjoy the excellent technical knowledge, event information and discussions that the BMW MOA forum provides. Some forum content will be hidden from you if you remain logged out. If you want to view all content, please click the 'Log in' button above and enter your BMW MOA username and password.

    If you are not an MOA member, why not take the time to join the club, so you can enjoy posting on the forum, the BMW Owners News magazine, and all of the discounts and benefits the BMW MOA offers?

  • Beginning April 1st, and running through April 30th, there is a new 2024 BMW MOA Election discussion area within The Club section of the forum. Within this forum area is also a sticky post that provides the ground rules for participating in the Election forum area. Also, the candidates statements are provided. Please read before joining the conversation, because the rules are very specific to maintain civility.

    The Election forum is here: Election Forum

Is Waving To Fellow Bike Riders Still An Accepted Practice?

cookie

cookie

Jeff
My wife and I went for a nice country ride around the Sutter Buttes, (Northern California) over the weekend. I noticed the guys riding Harley Davidson's gave a return wave about half the time yet all other bike enthusiasts waved back with vigor.
Is there a new code of ethics discouraging Harley owners to give a return wave?
Are they just too cool or has this gesture of fellowship gone by the wayside?
I know there a lot of Harley converts in this forum so come on now you can be honest.
 
Your observations about the HD riders not waving is spot on.
I live/mostly ride in So. Calif. I'm on an RT for now, soon to be a S1000R.
Ive ridden on the street on and off for 45 years, and yes, the universal wave to fellow motorcyclists has changed in the last 5 years or so IMO. I've observed the same as you: HD riders wave maybe 40-50% of the time. Sportbike (and all others for that matter incuding sccooters) continue to wave enthusiastically/consistently. And again IMO, the HD crowd either thinks they're too cool to wave, or they are so inept at riding they can't remove on hand from the bars to wave? Or their chains or fringe stuff is caught on something on the bike and they can't move their hand to wave...I think I'll go with this one...LOL.
So here's the position I've taken: I only wave at HD riders if they wave first-Courteous return wave I think.
All other riders I wave at enthusiastically, no matter what machine theyre on (except HD of course), or wheter they wave or not.

Jim
R1200RT
 
I wave to everybody. Heck, I even wave to bicycle riders and people on lawn mowers. Don't really care if they wave back or not.
Jeff
 
All the cruiser bikes look the same, sometimes I can tell the Harleys from the Hondas by the costumes worn. So I just wave at everything on two or three wheels. Even the guys who look pissed the whole time there riding.
 
jeffd said:
I wave to everybody. Heck, I even wave to bicycle riders and people on lawn mowers. Don't really care if they wave back or not.
Jeff
Click to expand...

+1

I wave because it is polite. I am responsible for my manners and can't really do much about some other rider's - whom I have never met and may never meet except as bikes passing on the road.
 
My girlfriend Wendy is in charge of the wave duties. Thats the bonus of riding two up. I think she waves at every body and everything, including cows, horses and chickens. Thats just her nature, and that why I love her.:dance Some wave back and some don't,- motorcyclists that is, not chickens.

And we always give a little wave to the slower riders or cars that we overtake.
 
Here in Eastern Oklahoma only about 30% of the Harley riders will return a wave to a non-Harley rider. Most do not even acknowledge there is another bike on the road.

I grew up in the country and like others have said I tend to wave at everything including when I'm in my cage. It's just something we do out here in the sticks and I like it. Because I grew up with everyone waving at each other I get really irritated when a Hardley rider refuses to return a friendly gesture.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
I wave and agree with what Paul said - I can only be responsible for me. I think it is fun to wave to others that enjoy the sport or driving a motorcycle. After all we all have that in common.
 
sdpc2 said:
unless the are not respecting being a motorcyclist and riding in shorts, t-shirt and flip-flops. Then i can't condone their riding attire.
Click to expand...

Your sig line states "just enjoying the ride." I find that funny, in light of the above statement. May one assume your philosophy does not extend to these others? Pity.
 
Ontario waves - mostly

Some Harley riders don't wave, but many do, here in Ontario. Mostly everyone else too. I try to, but sometimes I am not looking at left side traffic and see a fellow rider when it's too late. Always makes me feel a bit ashamed.

In Quebec, there seems to be many more riders than I am accustomed to. On the north shore between Montreal and Quebec City, it was an almost continuous parade. I got tired riding with just my right hand, and noticed few oncoming riders waved back. They must have felt the same way. When traffic was "normal ", the waving resumed. So, I think waving is normal in Quebec also.

It recognizes we are looking out for each other and I find it very pleasant.
 
The wave.

I wave to everybody.

I think it is special when you get a return wave from someone in a boat or train.


Wayne Koppa
Grayling MI

71,449 Life
 
So... are we talkin' "high" wave, or "low" wave. Hight wave is pretty obvious, but low wave isn't so easy to spot, especially when there is a median strip between lanes.

What I'm seeing here in Central California is the head nod; just a hint mind you. Too much and you're not cool...

Growing up in southern Indiana, in the '60s, everybody waved at everybody regardless of whether you were on motorcycle or an International Harvester.
 
lmo1131 said:
So... are we talkin' "high" wave, or "low" wave. Hight wave is pretty obvious, but low wave isn't so easy to spot, especially when there is a median strip between lanes.
Click to expand...

And don't forget the "lift your fingers from the clutch lever" wave. I've been known to use that one when seeing another rider as I'm setting up for a curve where a downshift is in order.
 
I always wave if I'm not too busy with traffic.

The scooters love it and wave back pretty hard.
The mopeds are always surprised and don't know what to do.
I've had Harleys not wave but seldom.
I've been surprised myself a couple times when cagers wave but then I've almost waved a few times from the car so I think I know what's going on.

Every time I post, I'm waving to all you guys!
 
Wave, finger lift, or head nod...depends on where/when...I even wave to the cows when bored or they look interested:laugh


Snobbiest no wave group was a mix of V-twins and a LOT of K 1600 GT/L's about two weeks back passing thru our locale...I figured they were too cool to wave to a bright red GSA...not even a single pillion wave, which was odd:scratch.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

32232
Great Wave
Replies
2
Views
4K
tommcgee
tommcgee
osbornk
86th birthday present
Replies
6
Views
3K
dancogan
dancogan
1
My second big trip
Replies
0
Views
1K
157149
1
mika
Morning Reads: 09 September 2008
Replies
2
Views
4K
mika
mika
mika
Morning Reads: 6 October 2008
Replies
11
Views
9K
PAULBACH
PAULBACH
Back
Top