The Traditional Motorcycle Wave

[Richard. Wales UK]

Hi

Over here most bikes respond to a nod of the head.
Since we drive on the left a wave would involve letting go of the throttle so is not as practical as it is for you in the US who drive on the right and have a free hand.

Richard :wave4:

 

[Angelbymyside]

I have been riding since 1999. I started off on an 883 Sportster and rode it for about a year and a half. During that time period I became accustomed to give the "down-low" wave to everyone I met. In 2001, (after trying to straighten out a very sharp curve), I graduated to a beautiful 1999 Goldwing. I convinced Jeff Vey at MotorTrike that he just HAD to use the Harley color--Concord Grape, before I would consent to him turning my bike into a trike. Needless to say, I fell in love with everything about my new trike. BUT, sadly, I soon found that not everyone shared my love of the Goldwing trike. Even though I still gave the "wave" it was rarely returned. It was comical to watch riders "wave" at Tommy on his Harley Trike, but pull the hand up as though it was bit by a snake when they saw me wave. For a while I didn't know if it was me "as a girl" or me "on the Goldwing". Well, I've been in most of the lower 48 states, Nova Scotia, NewFoundland, British Colombia, Alberta, the Yukon, and even as far North as the Artic Circle North of Fairbanks.....AND I still give the "down-low" wave and don't give an owl's hootenanny if it's returned or not. I just ride and have fun.

 

[bustedwing]

Angel, I love your attitude, and confirm the same thing.

 

[87Trike1200]

Angel - Excellent! :Agree:

 

[GARYD]

Angel, maybe they can't see your "down low" wave. Unless I really look I can't see or even tell if another rider is "waving" or just pointing to an object on the ground especially across a divided highway. I don't know what color riding clothes you wear, but those that ride in black or darker colors make it even harder to see the "down low" wave. Try an experiment - next time you're out riding, try the high-5 wave and see if you get more waves back. Just a suggestion. If you get more waves-there's your problem. If you don't then it must be something else.

I'm old school, I will never do the "lazy wave" When I wave you know it.

It doesn't matter to me, I still wave to everyone - unless for some reason I
don't see them as I ride by, which does happen once in a while.

A friend of mine suggested the "high 5" wave became an embarrassement to the some riders that they started to do the perseived "manly down lo" wave so the driving public wouldn't see them waving like a school girl. :Shrug:

 

[jfingalls]

Like most of our friends on the forum, I wave all the time to all riders including the Police (safety permitting). I have noticed that the "locals" always wave (regardless of HD, GW or whatever). This is very apparent during bike week when we have hundreds of thousand of bikes visiting the area (I live in Ormond Beach, FL next beach up from the world famous Daytona Beach, FL) and they very seldom wave. Just saying

 

[GARYD]

Around big rallys - Sturgis - I don't wave. It's too dangerous to have your hand off the handlegrip for any length of time. It would be non stop waving.
All other times I do. :wave4:

 

[americanbadass]

Around big rallys - Sturgis - I don't wave. It's too dangerous to have your hand off the handlegrip for any length of time. It would be non stop waving.
All other times I do. :wave4:

I have to agree...I have found that during rallies like Sturgis, Laughlin, etc., most riders quit waving because you would be every two seconds.:10:

 

[jcolson]

Hey Americanbadass, I'm glad you agree with me. I was trying to be nice. I agree around Sturgis there's to many bikes to wave at. Jim

 

[haddont]

In SW Washington about everyone waves unless they are busy doing riding stuff at the time.