Ok, as a new rider.. explain to me the proper way of doing the wave and when and who to do it to.  It seems no harley riders will do it to a "ricer".. SOME Honda cruisers will do it, and most other "Ricers" will do it to me on the GS500..

Whats the proper etiquette and technique here?  I don't fully understand the correct way to do it when I do and I can't find any website who show pictures!!!!

HELP! hehehe.

Simple answer?  Wave to anybody on two wheels!  OK, maybe not bicyclists (they don't seem to be in the know) but I even find myself waving at scooters.

I have to (partially) take it back about bicyclists.  When I'm riding cross-country and meet up with a cyclist in the middle of nowhere, they are just about always willing to acknowledge a fellow traveler.

I wave to sportbikes and and cruisers but NEVER harley davidsons.  I used to wave to harley's at one time, I got a dirty look instead of a wave one too many times.  Now the only wave I give harleys is a big fat middle finger.


When I wave I just stick my left arm out and stick my two fingers out, with my thumb up.  If I'm using the clutch or I'm lazy I just nod at the other bike.

On twisty back roads in the country, I give the thumbs up meaning "No cops" or thumbs down meaning "cops!".  If I see a cop I might also shake my index finger back and forth as if to say "no, no, no, slow down".

If I see debris in their lane I'll point at the ground as I wave or stick my leg out.


I also don't wave to posers.  Guys on R1's with shorts, no shirt and sandles.  They get a dirty look from me.


You'll find some guys on the city streets wont' wave to you, they are most likey too "cool" or too "bad ass" to wave.  They are known as the posers or banker bikers.  On the back roads and twisties, it seems EVERYBODY waves to each other.

Whats the proper way to wave also?  Do the full hand-off pointed 45 degrees down with palm forward?  Or just raising the 4 fingers?  Or 2?

Well, I think you are right about the Harley's snubbing riceburners, I think they see non-harleys as anti-American.   Kind of like driving a Toyota onto a GMC Plant's parking lot, not a good thing to do during strikes.

Anyways, I usually wave to any fellow biker regarless of make, model, nationality(of the bike) or how may cylinders it is running on.

Quote from: CrimsonWhats the proper way to wave also?  Do the full hand-off pointed 45 degrees down with palm forward?  Or just raising the 4 fingers?  Or 2?

I think you're over thinking this one man.  I never evaluate the way another rider waves to me.  My attention is usually on the road and I can only see their hand out, out of the corner of my eye.

But, to answer your question.  Most of the time I get the two fingers from people.  Sort of like a horizontal 'peace' symbol.

http://www.drizzle.com/~spittlev/reen/rig.html


scroll down, this gal has some good waves and a bit about ettiquet(spelling?)

The first thing you do to wave is Raise your right hand.... Sorry couldent help it.


I wave by Raising my left hand maybe 3-4 inches back and above my handlebar and use my middle finger and pointer finger and basically point at them and nod.  If I am at an intersection usually a NOD because my hand is on the clutch.

Quote from: CrimsonWhats the proper way to wave also?  Do the full hand-off pointed 45 degrees down with palm forward?  Or just raising the 4 fingers?  Or 2?

The trick is to be yourself.  Some of the waves I see make me chuckle, but I guess they work for those that use them.  Personally, the below-the-bar wave doesn't work for me.  So I tend to do a casual multi-finger "Hiya!" at about shoulder height.

But again, try a few and settle on something that feels right.  Better yet, don't SETTLE on a single wave - use what feels right at the time!

It's so funny to see a new rider wave to you.  They wave like they are on a ocean liner headed out to sea.  Hand straight up in the air, flopping back and forth. LoL too funny.

I guess If you think about it, we aren't really waving.  More like just sticking out hands out and acknowledging another biker.

Harley riders aren't snobbish.  They just don't want the handlebars to vibrate off.   :mrgreen:

Or they are too busy studying the road...so they know where to start looking for missing parts.   :nana:

I promise I won't hijack this thread with antiHarley rhetoric I do agree that they get the middle finger, it's not like they can catch you anyway.

I do the peace sign pointed towards the ground. Suppose to mean, keep the rubber side down.
I wave to everyone I see. Except when I am trying to navigate a tight turn or I do not see them until to late. So if someone does not wave I could care less. They may be snobs but I would rather give them the benifit of the doubt and figure they didn't see me or whatever. You know a cat can ride when they wave to you while in the middle of a huge lean. That is not me yet but I am working on it. to all riders :mrgreen:

wave at everyone-let them be the assholes that can't be bothered to wave. Don't stoop to their level.

Wave however is most comfortable in any given situation. I find the under the bars wave of most sportbikes to be hard to do-feels more comfortable to go up than down with my hand. Simple V with two fingers is what I do, subtlety is my goal (gotta look cool).

Gotta agree with pablo on that one. I usually go on rides with a buddy of mine who rides a dyna-glide, confuses the hell out of wannabe biker idiots when we both wave....be nice, and f&^k the people who can't be nice back! :kiss:

I wave depending on my mood.  When in a good mood I wave at most everyone.. or rather acknowledge everyone.  In a not so good mood, I wave to those who wave.  

In early spring I noticed that more harley folks waved.  Now thats its further into the season that does not seem to be the case.  Interesting.

:mrgreen:

I wave at most everyone...  The low - thumb-index- middle finger (index-middle together..) Kind of pointing/hanging  6 inches of the bar -not so much a wave.... Or If I'm busy with the bars I give them a good Nod or Horn beep..... If I'm at a light I use my right hand (left hand is busy with the clutch...) and maybe give em a "peace" sign dealio....

The briggs and davidson guys are hit and miss with the return waves...then my wave becomes the Finger if thy don't feel like waving...

it's all good...

"The other exception to the waving rule is Harley riders, except no one has really figured out just why they are an exception. Some say that it is because, having spent so much money on a bike, he and his tremendously expensive ride are holier than other bikes on the road and therefore do not have to wave. Some say it is because they are enjoying the ride so immensely that they are blinded by joyful tears. Still others say that the thousands of dollars in additional bolt-ons and chrome and chopped-out-forks have thrown the bike so far out of its natural balance that if the rider takes even a finger off the bars, the Hog will throw its rider into the ditch and wrap itself around the nearest tree.

Whatever the reason, Harley riders very seldom wave... even to other Harley riders. "

That link on waving is truly hilarious!

She is a Seattlite and a woman on a bike! I wish I were ghey and she were ghey!

She didn't mention MY favorite wave though, hand down, palm forward, thumb and two fingers out. "Yeah, I'm cool, you're cool, hi" ( or "I'm not afraid to let go, see?") So cool. The ones that really piss me off are the silly squid boys on gixxers who drive with their clutch hand on their thigh but still won't wave.  Jerks.

Those Harley riders are such jerks they usually actually turn their head the other way when I wave, but every once in a while they notice I'm a woman before they rememeber they're too cool to wave and I get 'em :lol:
-Becca

Quote from: Fly Nena

Those Harley riders are such jerks they usually actually turn their head the other way when I wave, but every once in a while they notice I'm a woman before they rememeber they're too cool to wave and I get 'em :lol:
-Becca

Next time, turn around and pass them on the inside in a tight curve.    :nana:

I wave when it's safe to do so.  If I can't wave I nod.  If, I'm in a middle lane and there's a m/c coming the other way, I don't want to scare the car in the fast lane, he may not see the other rider.  Also, I use the whole hand to wave, I don't want any misinterpretations.  A left hand on top of the helmet is another indication of police in the area.  Pumping an level palm down is an indication to slow down.  And, I wave to scooters, too.  

There's a website, do a search for will england I think, that has a link to the Goldwing's Road Captain's hand signals for group rides.  Check it out.