The biker wave

[BlackCloudSalvage]

Piggy backing on another thread "riding with Norman Reedus". Never heard of it until then so I watched the Appalachian episode and heard him say something I'd never considered. He mentioned that he wasn't used to so many people exchanging the "motorcycle wave" where he was from. Is that a Southern thing? Motorcycle or not, I wave to people and say hello to passing strangers all the time just walking around here in the South. I remember when I got my first bike (72 cb350) my buddy told me to get ready to give the wave and didn't explain it but just said "you'll see". Also...anybody find themselves driving in the truck and accidentally giving the wave to a passing bike!!! Just wishing you were on yers. Or how about when u realize...too late...you waved at a moped!!! Or when you pull like a dumb and dumber (trucker horn signal scene) and your coming around a turn and you really need both hands and you pull it off anyways just to wave, them immediately rush it back on mid Squirrelly. The wave is silly, but, it's a beautiful thing.

[farmall]

It was common long ago. then sorta died out, now seems to be coming back. In the South courtesy isn't dead and on rural roads it's common for car drivers and pedestrians to exchange waves too.

If I need both hands on my controls I nod instead. I don't wave as a reflex.

Or when you pull like a dumb and dumber (trucker horn signal scene) and your coming around a turn and you really need both hands and you pull it off anyways just to wave, them immediately rush it back on mid Squirrelly

I don't do that but reflexes are fun to fuck with. Overseas everyone rode bicycles on base so when walking in groups we'd keep an eye out for young officers and salute them at inconvenient times.

[Sky]

The "wave" out here is ridiculous. They mostly look like they are signaling for a lane change . Pointing at the ground and shit.
If you want to give a friendly wave. It should look like a prom queen wave. Not throwing gang signs.
No wonder the cagers have no idea what a real turn signal gesture looks like.

Unless otherwise occupied I'll wave back. A big goofy retard wave. Throws 'em off guard.
Want to magic marker "fuck off" on the palm of my glove.

Always throw the horns back. no mistaking that one.

Now if I get a thumbs up from your teenaged daughter...

[Keeleyvision]

The wave has been common everywhere I have lived from northern MI to AZ, and all the places I have toured around including Mexico.

I noticed some of the hipster "chopper kids" around here not waving back to riders we would encounter on rides, I asked them why and got a response something like "I don't know them blah blah blah"
I explained to them that the wave was a sign of respect to others out there rolling the dice, and not returning that respect puts you in a special category of "fuck-boy"

[Keeleyvision]

The "wave" out here is ridiculous. They mostly look like they are signaling for a lane change . Pointing at the ground and shit.
If you want to give a friendly wave. It should look like a prom queen wave. Not throwing gang signs.
No wonder the cagers have no idea what a real turn signal gesture looks like.

Unless otherwise occupied I'll wave back. A big goofy retard wave. Throws 'em off guard.
Want to magic marker "fuck off" on the palm of my glove.

Always throw the horns back. no mistaking that one.

Now if I get a thumbs up from your teenaged daughter...

I do the "pistol finger"

[Sky]

The pistol finger makes me think something's wrong with my ride.
Headlights out, bungie cord dragging, or the like.
Maybe not if I was waving first...

If I see someone I actually know I'll throw the peace sign.
A good friend? I'll filp them off. They know it comes from a place of love.

[Keeleyvision]

A good friend? I'll filp them off. They know it comes from a place of love.

you and I are working the same program

[beat]

Always throw the horns back. no mistaking that one.

yeah, dunno why, but instinctually on a bike i will throw the devil horns.

dunno how/when/why the wave started, but lots of sub catagories of vehicles besides motorcycles will wave at each other.
classic cars/customs/hot rods
european roadsters.
jeeps(CJs & wranglers)
old VWs(air cooled)...i've heard of the new beetles, but havent seen it 1st hand.
tow truck drivers
delivery trucks like UPS/fedex

i'm sure theres others(cops)but none i can say ive seen

[None]

It's international too. Goes on across the UK and Europe. How it spread worldwide, in pre-internet days, interests me.

But it changed to a headlamp flash once the Japanese worked out how to make that reliable. Dates back to a time when there were far fewer on the road and bikes might not make it from one city to the next.

Part of the folk culture glue along with 'bikers always stopping for other broken down bikers' (does that still happen?). Died down when increasing more non-bikers started riding bikes.

For a while in New Jersey, it was the habit to make an 'up and down' like someone was giving you a head job. No idea where that one started.

I guess the more sure you are you will make it to where you are going, the much less you need to have a friendly community safety net. Did RUBies ever wave back? I bet Iron Horse probably did an editorial on that.

[Apehangin]

I guess being from jersey im in that speacial category of fuck boy that keeleyvision mentions. Guess it came from going to a Vietnam vet memorial run on the parkway a while back and i spit a masterlink and of course didnt have one on me so while getting a tan on the side of the GSP waiting for my bud to come back with one or his truck about 150 fuckin shitbags rode right on by me without stoppin for a look to see if i need a hand. So since that day i kinda feel like dont wave at me if you dont know me so fuck you and fuck NJ, but i will still always stop for a broke down dude .
But fuck your wave. On another note if i do receive any type of acknowledgement from what i assume to be someone of the professional persuasion i will return said acknowledgement but always with the dont speak till spoken to attitude.
Thanks keeley now imma have to make me a tshirt that says NJFB lmao. Thats awesome.

[djstar3]

Don't have a long complicated answer. If they wave I wave if I wave they don't I just laugh .

[OleDirtyDoc]

Piece sign pointed down.and I stop for a bike on the side of the road.period.

[DustyDave]

When I'm riding one of the Indians with a left hand throttle I really enjoy the looks when I wave right handed.
Dusty

[BuxBitza]

I wave when it is safe to do so. If I wave and it isn't returned, I presume that they did not see my wave or they are busy keeping the rubber side down.
I'll stop for a bike on the side if I see them in enough time to do it safely. But realistically, in this day of ubiquitous cell phones, it isn't as necessary or even as welcome as in days past.

[ContractKiller]

The "wave" out here is ridiculous. They mostly look like they are signaling for a lane change . Pointing at the ground and shit.
If you want to give a friendly wave. It should look like a prom queen wave. Not throwing gang signs.
No wonder the cagers have no idea what a real turn signal gesture looks like.

Unless otherwise occupied I'll wave back. A big goofy retard wave. Throws 'em off guard.
Want to magic marker "fuck off" on the palm of my glove.

Always throw the horns back. no mistaking that one.

Now if I get a thumbs up from your teenaged daughter...

Haha I do the horns sometimes but it's low and kinda casual so, probably looks to the other guy like I think I'm Spiderman or some shit.