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Do you participate in "The Wave"?

  • Yes

    Votes: 66 76.7%
  • No

    Votes: 2 2.3%
  • Ony if someone else initiates "The Wave"

    Votes: 12 14.0%
  • Sometimes (But not to Boozer Cruisers)

    Votes: 6 7.0%

The Wave....

12K views 42 replies 33 participants last post by  Getsome122 
#1 ·
So being a somewhat new rider I'm a bit puzzled by "The Wave".

"The Wave" being that thing some people do when they see another rider on a motorcycle. You know.. where you wave at another person because you share something in common... two wheels and a motor.

What partially puzzles me is why it's done. I don't wave at other people driving Honda Civics (my four wheel transportation). I don't wave at people that shop at the same grocery store as me. I don't wave at people that are right handed. Not to mention using one hand to wave while operating a motor vehicle that should be operated with two hands seems somewhat unsafe.

I understand though that there is some camaraderie with other riders because we are all putting are lives on the line as we go out and battle to be seen by "cagers".

Now some things I have noticed:

- Harley riders tend to only wave at other Harley riders (not all, but most), and I'm okay with this.

- Anyone driving a 50cc Moped (we call them Boozer Cruisers round here) should NOT be waved at, and at all possible look the other direction.

- Most riders that participate in "The Wave" do so by extending their left hand at a downward angle. This confused me until I participated one time by raising my hand at an upward angle and nearly got my arm ripped off by the wind.

So that leads me to my poll. Do you participate in "The Wave"? Do you shun it?

I personally hardly ever initiate "The Wave". I will respond to someone else waving at me though (unless they are on a Boozer Cruiser of course). The few times I have initiated "The Wave" has been to other "Adventure" type riders and Dual-Sports. None of them returned the wave.

On to the poll!
 
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#11 ·
I do the "The wave" to anyone on a motorcycle, including scooters, unless It's dangerous to do so, heavy traffic, mid-corner, etc.
+1 I also typically wave to farmers, old folks on porches, cops on bikes or horseback or on foot, people out in their yards when I'm riding through their neighborhood, and most importantly KIDS. I sometimes toot the horn at kids, too. If a kid walks up to me when I'm parked with my bike, I always find a little time to say hello and wave to the parents to put them at ease. Never hurts to give people a reason to associate motorcycles with friendly people. Amish farmers are reliable wavers, so are guys riding on really cold days.

As far as the rationale behind the wave, I find people in some other vehicle types wave to each other: Miatas, Jeeps (CJ/Wrangler especially), antique cars in general (and people driving the same make or model in particular), etc. 30 years ago I had a buddy who drove an MG who waved at everyone else in an MG...they all waved back.

Here's an unscientific observation based on nearly three decades of riding motorcycles (and waving to my fellow riders): people wearing helmets, whether in states that require them or not, are much more likely to wave back than those without helmets. This is reliably the case with Harley riders. In Massachusetts, for example, (helmet law) I find Harley riders wave more often than not. Cross down into Connecticut or up into New Hampshire, however, (no helmet laws) and Harley wave rates plummet. Maybe they're feeling too badass to be friendly? Among Harley riders who do wave, I especially like the ones who "wave" by pointing one finger towards the ground. ("Yup, there's the road, I see it, too.")
 
#4 ·
I wave if safe to do so to all bikes & scooters too. A lot of times i get a glimpse of someone waving at me but i'm too focused on the idiots around me "LA Traffic" to wave back.
 
#5 ·
I wave and generally murmur "Hey man" in my helmet unless I'm busy and conditions don't permit. No biggie if they don't wave back....most do. It means a little more when it's to one of the few all year riders when it's really cold or really hot. See a yellow goldwing guy almost every morning and he and I wave like long lost friends though we've never met.

When I accidently wave to a scooter that looks like a goldwing or sportbike they generally don't wave as they're seemingly 'out on their own'.

I also helmet tap to give someone a head's up if there's radar/laser set-up and they're headed toward it. :cheers:
 
#6 ·
I generally initiate the wave to other motorcyclist except Harley and Gold Wing riders, providing conditions are appropriate and I see them.

From my experience about 5% of Harley guys wave or initiate the wave, I assume they have other bikes and enjoy the ride on a Harley from time to time. 0% of Gold Wing riders wave, so I don't even bother anymore.

I have a Jeep Wrangler and I do the Jeep wave as well.........sometimes when I'm in my Grand Cherokee I forget and wave at other Wranglers.
 
#7 ·
I wave at all bikes as long as it is safe. Most riders wave back out here. Even the guys on Harleys that really should keep both hands on the bars.

The best ones are the scooters. Not sure how many almost accidents I have caused by waving at a scooter. It really locks them up when they have no idea what to do.
 
#10 ·
You guys who ride on the right side of the road have it a little easier. With the throttle being on the right, you can wave, salute, put two fingers up or whatever with your left hand in view of the oncoming bike(s). Riding on the left side of the road genearally means a 'nod' is the way of acknowledging a fellow motorbicyclist..! I noticed this in France, Belgium and a Germany this year when I drove to the Nurburgring. But over here (in my experience at least) there's no point in giving the 'nod' to a Harley rider if you're on a Jap or Euro machine - they won't acknowledge you...! They're obviously on a higher plain than the rest of us...! :D
 
#27 ·
You guys who ride on the right side of the road have it a little easier. With the throttle being on the right, you can wave, salute, put two fingers up or whatever with your left hand in view of the oncoming bike(s). Riding on the left side of the road genearally means a 'nod' is the way of acknowledging a fellow motorbicyclist...:D

Only prove that your are riding on the wrong side of the road ...


Sorry, could'nt resist


LOP
 
#12 ·
I'm a waver... Sometimes I initiate the wave... sometimes I return the wave.
Just this afternoon I waved at a fat dude on a Razor electric scooter doing like 3mph on the paved shoulder headed my way...
He didn't wave back.
Must have had a sticker that says "My other bike is a Harley"

 
#14 ·
almost always do the wave or initiate it, but yeah, I've definetly noticed most harley riders only wave at other harley's.
 
#25 ·
+1. I've stopped trying to wave at Harley riders because I got tired of being blown off by them 99 percent of the time. Being ATGATT on a neon-green metric bike with a white helmet must be anathema to these cats, I guess. Squids, on the other hand, always initiate the wave or reciprocate the gesture...
 
#16 ·
When I see another V, I would wave or flash my head lamps and would certainly get a respond, if traffic conditions allow. Other big bikes, it depends on the mood and traffic condition. Most would wave back unless they are focusing in a tight traffic condition, like having to clutch up. Sometimes I can't wave with my left so I would nod my head. It works too.
 
#17 ·
Do you wave at cops in cop cars? I always wonder if they understand it is a friendly wave or if they wonder if I've just flipped them off.:eek: The last one I waved at turned around and followed me for about five miles before I got him off my butt.
 
#19 ·
If i see them look at me i wave. Most all of them have waved or nodded back.:)
 
#18 ·
Definitely a fan of the wave, unless I'm clutching, then you'll get a nod. The wave rocks because it is a connection, not just because you have two wheels and a motor, but because everyone is feeling the love of the ride. In my opinion, if someone can't acknowledge the awesomeness and bad-assery of pounding the pavement with his fellow riders, then he can get a bus pass. I love my bike, I love all the fellow riders I've met, and I love the feeling of brotherhood. In that case, I'm gonna wave an upside down peace sign at every rider I meet. Thanks for sharing the road with me, guys! It'd be lonely out there without ya!
 
#21 ·
I wave at all bikes, cops, farmers, etc. one day two years ago I waved at a couple on Harley's that had pulled over. About ten minutes later they were first on scene of my crash. That reminds me, we are supposed to go ride together this Summer. Should give them a ring.
 
#24 ·
So being a somewhat new rider I'm a bit puzzled by "The Wave".

"The Wave" being that thing some people do when they see another rider on a motorcycle. You know.. where you wave at another person because you share something in common... two wheels and a motor.

What partially puzzles me is why it's done.
“It all started, one day in 1904 when Arthur Davidson passed by William Harley and since they knew each other, they waved. Well, another biker saw the two "Kings of Motorcycles" doing this and thought this was a biker necessity and the tradition was born.” Hub Pages.

There ya go. :)
 
#30 ·
Wave...

I live in Mountain Home, Arkansas and there are 5 roads to this town. I also wave at all bikers except most harleys. I also ride a Yamaha Venture which looks like a full dress harley and love to pass Harley people and NOT wave.
When you get a few miles out of town almost all the men wave, farmers, truck drives, delivery vans and yes cops. I fine not too many ladies wave but some do.

Cb
 

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#31 · (Edited)
I wave to other motorcycles but not scooters Nothing against scooters, the truth is, around here, they tend to be more hardcore than the bikers. They ride in all weather, generally they just get the job done, but I don't wave to them because they don't wave back. Getting snubbed by a scooter is not cool.
Anyway, the wave isn't new to me, even during the many years that I didn't ride I had Jeeps and as anyone who has had a short wheelbase Jeep knows, there is a Jeep wave.
The wave is a way of saying "if I see you broke down on the side of the road I will stop to help". Riders and Jeepers tend to congregate or hang together, it's like a support group so they acknowledge one another as group members.

And, as most of the country boys on here have said, when you grow up in a small town, you just wave at people. I grew up waving at my neighbors and anyone else I passed on the road because I didn't pass many people, but it still goes back to "if I see you broke down on the side of the road, I will stop to help" because that's what you did in small towns.
 
#33 ·
Oh, just get it over with, and moon the Harley's.

Only when it's safe of course.

 
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