A Noobs Introduction to the Motorcycle Salute

[StrikeJollyRoger]

I'm a new rider as of last Friday.  Like a male rabbit mistakingly placed with the females, after I straddled my Monster they had a hard time prying me off.  Over the long weekend I logged about 18-20 hours of riding and about four tanks of fuel.  Being a new rider and being without friends who ride I was a bit confused when some other riders would stick their hands down toward their bikes when they passed me.  My first thought was that their seemingly self-referential gesture was similar to a friend telling another friend that their fly was down, or they had food on their face.  Pulling over to the side I determined there was no mechanical problem with my Monster, nor was my fly down.  After a few others passed by and made the same gesture I started returning it, not really understanding what I was doing but simply mimicking the Romans. 

I began to understand that it was a recognition of sorts, of the fun but also the danger that you share with the similar experience.  I felt happy to be a part of this so when I saw another rider, lacking the cool composure of other riders, I began excitedly thrusting my opened palm down and away from me with a straight face but a huge smile inside eagerly awaiting a salute in return.  Within the first hour of the first ride on my bike, when the only fellow Monster I saw that weekend passed by, I instinctively sat upright on my bike, gushed a huge smile and waved exuberantly like a small child would wave while watching a parade.  The older more experienced rider smiled back pleasantly, a bit amused at my gawking and returned my unrefined wave in a far more mature fashion.  I instantly felt as if he were a good friend.

Over the next couple of days I realized that the salute isn't quite universal.  Cruisers and sports bikes might not salute.  Harleys in New Hampshire seldom returned my salute.  BMW touring bikes saluted nobody.  Although these observations seem to only be stereotypical (with the exception of the BMWs who might be the Siamese cats to which I'm a Dalmation) after feeling so thrilled at being welcomed into the family of riders with the tradition of this salute I was a bit disappointed to see this sort of overshadowing of clicks.

In the limited three days of riding I've had, I've been cut off by a short distance twice, had two cars invade my lane on the highway and push me off to the side, had a car quickly squeeze past me into a parking spot which I was backing my bike into and have been tailgated constantly.  Wrapped into the wave for me along with the message, "Isn't this great," is the message, "I know your troubles."


I'm sure that most of you folks have been riding for a long time and maybe have had this discussion before but I'd like to hear what, if anything, the wave means to you guys or whatever other thoughts you might have about it.


While writing this post I've searched briefly about the subject and came up with these links which you might enjoy checking out.

This link has a nice little run down of five of the most common hand gestures the author recognizes (my wave to the fellow Monster was definitely style #5) :
http://www.viewfromthecloud.com/2006/08/secret-motorcycle-hand-greetings.html

This link describes a little more in depth the history of the wave and discusses a bit of the surrounding sociology.  After the initial post are a few funny Letterman style "Top Ten" lists of why particular types of riders don't wave (I found the Goldwing riders list by far the funniest):
http://motorcycle.meetup.com/19/messages/boards/thread/4217619

This link was my favorite.  The author does a nice job of telling his personal experience of being introduced to the wave and what it means to him.
http://www.1000rr.net/forums/showthread.php?t=46444


-SJR
 

[factorPlayer]

ah the wave - it's like "you're in the club now dude"
I always enjoyed this inclusive little aspect of motorcyling culture, it's cool
most riders here regardless of type will give you a wave - 'cept scooters for some reason
I try to be cool to the scoots, it's like, hey you're on two motorised wheels, it's all good - wave - and no wave back....  so i don't wave to scoots 

After the initial post are a few funny Letterman style "Top Ten" lists of why particular types of riders don't wave

BMW riders : afraid hand  will freeze if taken from heated grip  (my fave)

[Big Troubled Bear]

The most commonly used wave in South Africa are the " bird " Always given to inconsidered motorcar drivers

[TiNi]

<waves to STR>
[moto]

nice write up

alwayz keep watch out for those cars...
they are all trying to kill you 

have fun!

[roy-nexus-6]

In the limited three days of riding I've had, I've been cut off by a short distance twice, had two cars invade my lane on the highway and push me off to the side, had a car quickly squeeze past me into a parking spot which I was backing my bike into and have been tailgated constantly.  Wrapped into the wave for me along with the message, "Isn't this great," is the message, "I know your troubles."

Welcome to the club, man.

However, I can't help but noticing there are NO pics in the thread? I searched on your name - couldn't find a post with a pic of your bike in it!

Funnily enough, in Australia the 'wave' doesn't exist per se - we see more of the 'nod' here. It always kind of annoys me when other riders don't nod - we ALL ride, and we're all in this together! 

ps: just worked out why we don't wave - we drive on the left!

<waves to STR>
[moto]

nice write up

alwayz keep watch out for those cars...
they are all trying to kill you 

have fun!

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ that is excellent advice = it is 100% true. 

[johnster]

In the limited three days of riding I've had, I've been cut off by a short distance twice, had two cars invade my lane on the highway and push me off to the side, had a car quickly squeeze past me into a parking spot which I was backing my bike into and have been tailgated constantly. 

Fun, isn't it??     Just remember - EVERYBODY'S TRYING TO KILL YOU....and you'll be alright...

Welcome to the addiction, though!!   

-If I'm not mistaken, you said you were from the Boston area... Me too, and I love riding with new people, especially new riders...  PM me and we can meet up, go for a ride, and maybe practice some techniques and whatnot...

-john

[psycledelic]

Living 10 minutes from the 2nd largest Harley dealership in the states, this topic hits close to home.  I have found that most real Harley guys will wave now and again.  It is the posers that refuse.  You know the guys that go to the dealership to by a Sportster and walk out with a Softail Classic with the full chrome package and leather side bags.  (Along with the full leather kit pasted with HD logos and a black half helmet layered with stickered quotes like, "10 miles and $10,000 don't make you a biker" and " Don't trust anything that bled for 7 days and hasn't died yet").  Those guys are my favorite.  I work with quite a few.  They are just as arrogant off the bike as on.  I find it kind of funny.  I ride year around and they always have smart a** comments when they see my bike in the parking lot and it 30 degrees.  One guy told me that, "You ain't provin nothin to nobody".  My reply was, "I can't help you bought a bike that won't crank under 65 degrees, why don't you trailer it to work and push over (to the motorcycle parking)".  Talk about stirring up the Wild Hogs.  He was ready to rumble!  Sorry, back on subject. 
I think that Monsters kind of confuse these wanna be gang members.  They see the round headlight and think that it is one of their brothers until they get up close and see the full face helmet and legs tucked up neatly next to the bike.  I particularly like the ones that give the wave and then try to take it back.  Some of which shouldn't be letting go of their handlebars in the first place. 
But by far, the most arrogant seem to be the Gold Wings.  They are to busy fiddling with their 6 disc changers.

[Count Desmo]

I usually wave to everyone, whether it's returned or not.  The major exception is when I'm workin' in the twisties.

[johnster]

I usually wave to everyone, whether it's returned or not.  The major exception is when I'm workin' in the twisties.

As do I.... I'll usually just give a nod if I'm in the middle of downshifting or something.... I really don;t pay attention to who rides what, and I find it comical that people will wave based solely on what make of bike you ride...

[mmakay]

I've had a couple of cool conversations with grizzled old Harley guys that tell me about how they used to own Duc's "back in the day" and what good bikes they are.  A gray beard is normally a good indication of a good Harley rider versus a yuppy douche.   

[somegirl]

I wave to everyone, and in CA most of them wave back (even got a wave back from CHP once!).  If someone doesn't wave back, then I generally assume that it's a bad moment for them to wave, or they didn't see me in time.  If it's a bad moment for me, sometimes I will just nod or lift my left fingers.

In Germany (riding a BMW) I found that the BMWs and sportbikes all waved back, but none of the cruiser riders did.

I had wondered about the UK/Australia thing and discovered that they nod instead of waving.

It's been a totally different experience on a bicycle - in CA, there is lots of snobbery among the road bikers, and I almost never get a wave back unless I am on my road bike.  In Ireland I found every bicyclist waves back.

Sometimes I will even cross over, wave to motos when I'm on my bicycle, or to bicycles when I'm on my Duc, but I think that usually just confuses them.

[AndrewNS]

I even wave back to little kids on the side of the road when they stop to stare! 

[IowaS4r]

Sometimes waving reminds me of the movie Night at Roxbury when they go around bobbing their heads saying "what's up" to every woman they see.  I think sometimes it can be overdone a bit.  Maybe a slight nod of the head, high beam flash or beep of the horn would help to break up the routine.  Especially in traffic, I would rather keep my eyes on driving and hands on the bars than exchaging pleasantries.  

What I would like to know, is proper ettiquette in passing a fellow biker driving in the same direction.  Sometimes they drive slower or their exhaust causes deafness and I want to get past them.  Sometimes the oil spray from the Hardley Drivensomes will spot my windscreen.  In any event, it seems weird to go out into the other lane to pass, but splitting the lane also seems weird.  Either way it is awquard to me.  I have been passed both ways, and I dont really care much, but then again not a whole lot bothers me.  

As for the little kids, I always pull the clutch and rev the motor and toot the horn.  Maybe a little wheelie too.  I pull the air horn when I drive a truck, too.  I get more of a kick out of it then the kids, I think.

[onederer]

I even wave back to little kids on the side of the road when they stop to stare! 

yep...i love it when little kids stare or jump and wave to me.
I rarely initiate a wave , but will try and return one dependant on whether it is prudent to do so at that moment.
I usually just give a nod or a finger wave from the clutch side.

[sugarcrook]

I even wave back to little kids on the side of the road when they stop to stare! 

Sometimes I pull in my clutch and blast the throttle.  Even better if it happens to set off a car alarm.