We were in the 80's this weekend and I was able to get all four bikes on the road, totaling about 500 miles between them. My final ride this afternoon, however, left me the most impressed. On a favorite curvy mountain loop that's popular among local motorcyclists, I found myself behind two noisy, scrappy-looking HD's. Doo-rags, rat tails, you know the look. But on this particular twisty road, they were riding really well and it was all I could do to keep them in sight. What impressed me most, however, was watching them wave at every single oncoming motorcycle, whether it was a KLR, Goldwing, BMW, UJM, or another HD. I didn't expect to see that and it gave me a renewed sense of the brotherhood we all share, regardless of what we ride or how we want to be perceived. Good stuff.
Don't worry. That feeling won't last long. Just until you see two others do something stupid or mean. Around these parts they wouldn't waste a wave to a Honda.
Most bikers here use the V sign to acknowledge each other. I think it is a carry over from the 60s peace movement. I find most on coming bikers will respond no matter what the bike. It's a little hard at speed to tell the difference anyway.
When riding enthusiastically in tight corners, I am always leery of encouraging an on oncoming biker to remove his hand from the handlebar. So I usually just nod.
I don't usually ride the back roads on the weekends as there is too much cottage traffic. But worse is meeting a cruiser club of 30 or more bikes. Riding one handed for a minute or so in tight corners is uncomfortable, if not dangerous.
I don't have a problem talking with Harley riders when I stop. Most are old farts like me, and they are mature enough to appreciate all motorcycles. I think my gray hair and retro riding gear lets them know I have been riding for a while, and they respect that.
I find sport bike riders in colourful head to toe leathers tend to ignore other bikers. That's fine with me. I like the twisties too, but I can talk about something more than the center stripe because I also see the scenery.
I have a cure for the waving. Don't wave at all! I got tired of always waving every time I encountered another rider. I don't wave at other drivers when I drive my car, why should I wave if I'm on my bike?? Now don't get me wrong. I'm really a pretty friendly guy, but if I'm out for a ride I just don't feel its necessary to acknowledge other riders. I'm riding my bike and your riding yours, big deal. If someone see's me stopped and wants to chat about motorcycles, I'm all for it. I'm just tired of the whole waving thing.
KC
I don't get tired of the waving. I don't get annoyed when riders don't wave back. I DO wave at people in my car (it's a Jeep thing). I have said here before that the wave, in my opinion is for the benefit of the waver more so than for the benefit of the waved to. It makes me feel good to acknowledge my fellow riders. It makes me feel good to be waved at, too, but that does not mean that I feel bad when someone fails to wave; I figure they didn't see me, are too focused on the task at hand, or just don't feel like waving -- Except the BMW Riders: they don't wave because the smugness they wear on their sleeves makes it too hard to lift their arms.
When I lived in Franklin ,N.C. all the car and truck drivers waved , but only on the backroads. I waved because it was just a little more than lifting 2 or 3 fingers from the steering wheel ( never just ONE finger !)
My V-Strom 1000 has hand guards that wrap around the ends. It's a bit of a pita to release the grip . withdraw from the enclosure , wave and then do reverse order. Most of my buddies have quit waving just because they are tired of doing it. When I wave now it feels strange to be the only one in our group waving. It worked for a long time , but I'm with KC ..."just tired of the whole thing" . Really hope knuckle bumps go out like high fives , too.
Lol I have for the most part become a "wave backer".... Wave at me, I'll wave back. If the oncoming rider isn't interested in waving, I'm ok with that, neither of us have to wave.
I'd rather pay attention to the road ahead rather than look at the approaching bike, determine the possible type of bike, or its rider is a type that may or may not appreciate a wave, do the wave, then regrab the bars. I know I'm overstating it, but it is a bit of a distraction.
These discussions remind me of the time I happened to be on the same NJ highway just a bit earlier than when a newbie rider was on the same stretch and waved to another rider, lost control of his bike, and crossed the center grass median and was killed under a vehicle traveling in the opposite direction. Freaky and not very likely I know, but it happened.
If I am on a busy road, I lift my left fingers and nod at the rider(s) going in the other direction. But I wave to even Harleys and they wave back, except for the grumpy ones who still think I ride a "Jap" bike. Stone age!
(03-20-2017, 06:53 AM)The ferret_imp Wrote: [ -> ]Lol I have for the most part become a "wave backer".... Wave at me, I'll wave back. If the oncoming rider isn't interested in waving, I'm ok with that, neither of us have to wave.
Same here. It's a long standing tradition going back many decades.
Do it or don't, it's up to you.