Most Harley riders are good guys .
 

I stopped the other day to pull something out of my tank bag and a fella on a Harley Road King pulled up to see if I was OK , a couple of days before I was filling the tank at a gas station and 3 guys rode in on new 1200 GS's [with brand new BMW Rallye 2 clown suits] and they steadfastly ignored me when I raised my hand to say Hi .

I always wave to bikers on the road and I reckon about 95% wave back .

Good thread this one. I too have been trying to work out who does and who doesn't and I'm not sure it's geographical or bike related. There are simply just too many miserable buggers in the UK.

I think more leg waving and thumbs ups (one hand only) are needed particularly for the bikes you really like. The nod is too British, too reserved, too subtle.

We should have a HUBBER wave like the freemason handshake but without wiggling your little finger.

I suggest making a circular motion with your hand, just like Obi Wan Kenobi in the star wars bar, ' these are not the bikers you looking for ' :thumbup1:


One motto for the nod / wave / footwave is always to treat others like you would like to be treated yourself.

:clap:[/QUOTE]

My god,

Your beginning to sound like this is a bloody movie like " Wild Hogs"!! And you all know how pathetic that was!!!

Please don't expect me to nod or foot wave but I will help if you on the side of the road and have a beer with you in the pub! Just stay out of the Latte scene!

Cheers

LATTE !!!!!

I will have a cappucino any day thank you very much....


I will still nod / wave / move foot etc to anyone on a bike.


:nono:

No chance! I set off at the start of the year to test the theory that BMW and Harley riders never wave or nod. It just isn't true. Now the guy on the 2 week old GS1200 hanging on for dear life because the ****** thing is too big but still desperate to be like Ewan or Charlie is unlikely to wave, as is the Dentist on the Harley who'll only wave to people who earn more than he does. However, the same GS or UltraHeavyGlide might be ridden by the bloke you saw yesterday on the battered MZ who will wave.

The only part of my theory that works anything like is that waving and nodding as a proportion increases in the winter. Once all the weekend warriors are off the scene more real bikers are left who'll acknowledge you.

The Dales are a magnet for the "my 1900cc 2008 Yamazuki is 3 grammes lighter than your 2007 (even though my race leathers are reinforced to keep the pies in)" Brigade, so you will find a more odd stares and looks away that decent waves I'm afraid. We all nod in Leeds.

Sidecarists will of course give you a massive wave :clap:

Andy

"(even though my race leathers are reinforced to keep the pies in)"

Pies or piles?

waving
 

Hi, in my corner of the U.S. the wave is the way.Low hand beneath the plane of the bars if you're cool,above if you're enthusiastic. Nods seemto be reserved for in corner passing or in town when the wave seems a little over the top.
I reserve the foot action to point out splattered animals or other on the road debris to those following me.Or to signal I'm entering the pits on my rare race days.
Non wavers I put in differant catagories,numb-nut elitest be they BMW,Hog or fake hog riders along with some pubesant sport bikers who think its about chillin'.

Try Freebird then :rockon:

J

Dividing up the bikers
 

I'd never really noticed all the subdivisions in biker before, but this thread set me watching them all today as they rolled into the local biker spot.

The Harley riders are all in denim, they're usually in their fifties and all seem to have attracted trophy blondes (is it the throbbing). They hang round together and definately don't talk to the ...

Goldwing riders who are about the same age, but still married and wear matching flip fronts and black fabric jackets, the wives won't let them talk to the Harley riders, but they're allowed with close supervision to talk to the...

Supertourists, who seem to ride solo but with significant others on their own smaller engined bikes, they're in touring gear and in their 30's to 40's. But the male of the species isn't certain about talking to the Goldwingers as they're worried that's what they'll become. They will talk to the Harley riders, but ...

.......No-one talks to the sportsbikers, because they're leathers are covered in neon vomit.

I was on a 125 Derbi Terra so of course everyone talked to me (I think it was my helmet).

Been out today. Out of about 20 bikes coming towards me, 3 nodded or waved before me or at the same time. About 6 acknowledged me back and the rest didn't including 1 Harley rider riding a similar bike to mine!
I don't think it's anything to do with the kind of bike you ride or where you are. Just like some people shake hands when you meet or always say hello when they enter a room or office, others don't.
I do agree with the comment above about bikers being more friendly in the winter though. Kindred spirits easily recognized when you're both riding in sub-zero temperatures.

I was out today, I was impressed most people waved/nodded back there was a couple on big sports bikes that didnt but then perhaps they are still learning how to ride and find it all a struggle. Dont get me wrong on this comment Ive nothing against Sports Bikes its just that the seem to attract some dumb riders who think that you can go out and buy a 1000cc bike to learn on. Previous expirience was sitting behind the car in fronts bumper in lane 3 of the M1 and then wondering why they crashed.

A few random ruminations on nodding etc
 

When I was riding the periphique a couple of years ago I nearly fell off when a lady of maturity and experience (even more so than I!) passed me (I ride like an old woman for the first day or two on the "wrong" side of the road) and shook her leg, complete with sensible shoes and thick stockings, at me.

I'll nod to anyone, and if they don't nod back, so what?

Last spring we were in East Anglia on the first (and last) day of decent weather. Mrs MarkE thought I'd developed Tourettes.

There's I guy I see several times a week on my current commute and he always gives a good clear wave, with his arm well above the touring fairing. I tend to prefer nodding in the UK as you can't always see my left hand through the fairing, but his answer works better, if you're extrovert enough.

On the Harley/cruiser thing; I used to commute to Milton Keynes and every day I saw a guy on a Drag Star. When I was in the car because it was a bit chilly or wet or whatever, I'd see him go past in the opposite direction. Even the snow that brought the country to a stop for two days didn't stop him. Mind you he didn't stop when my Trophy died on the way home one day.

For the first little while after I passed my test I was so enamoured with the wave/nod thing that I waved like a hyperactive child at everyone I saw on two wheels. (Got some funny looks from people on bicycles). When people; usually guys on Harleys (sorry Harleyrider-just my experience! I know you're not like that!) or BMW 1200GSs; didn't return the courtesy I got quite offended. However, I have worked out the best way to remain freindly and yet unoffended. Wave at everyone except guys on Harleys and BMW 1200GSs. Of course, if Mr. Davidson or Obergruppenfeurer 1200 wave first, then return the wave and grin to encourage them to continue to do so in the future!

In my experience old guys on old bikes wave the most.

Matt :)

Now why do i think you are talking about me? :clap:

Andy

I loved my stripped-down Lambretta. No fairings. No helmet. The wind in me mullet.:scooter: