I need to learn how to wave!
 

I was out riding today and went by my first motorcycle and he did "the wave". I tried to do it back, but I know it didn't look too good! Any tips or suggestions? Thanks.

Re: I need to learn how to wave!
 

Yeah, don't wreck!!! LOL. Seriously, if you haven't been riding very long, the best thing to do is nod your head in response to the wave. Newbie inexperience+hand wave=Hospital stay and/or death.

Get used to riding and the bike your riding on, and then worry about looking cool and being nice and waving at other bikers.

Re: I need to learn how to wave!
 

:popcorn: well one tip, just stretch your arm to where his front wheel is going and you're set. Then, you could - a) point index finger or - b) stretch entire hand. Not necessary to make any waving motion. Hand down, hand back on the steering, that's it.

:rawk: :cool: :biggrin:

Re: I need to learn how to wave!
 

If you have passed LEO's on the way and he's heading to whence you came, tap your (clutch) hand to the top of your helmet.

Simplest wave is to simply drop your clutch hand and give a sideways peace sign at about knee level.

Re: I need to learn how to wave!
 

A word of caution. Never never just throw your arm out to say Hi. The wind will try to remove your arm or tear you off the bike. I did that on the highway and almost had a major mishap.

Re: I need to learn how to wave!
 

All good advice. Above all be safe. If you're busy with the clutch or negotiating traffic or something, just nod. Don't sweat the details, if you move your hand at all off the grip the other rider will notice, and it's all good.

Re: I need to learn how to wave!
 

about the cop thing, you wont need to worry about speeding on your gz at least! :biggrin:

Re: I need to learn how to wave!
 

Put your clutch hand out and down by your hip and give the peace sign. But really it's not important how you wave...just acknowledge a fellow two wheel rider with a nod or by hand. Ride safe.


:)

Re: I need to learn how to wave!
 

Mmmmmmmmmmm ..... Coupla years ago, I got a €100 ($150?) fine for going 6 MPH over the limit. Passed a hidden police car with a radar gun. They sure love those money making rackets. Although I hear they're not so nasty in America. :cry:

Re: I need to learn how to wave!
 

Well, now they're putting cameras out everywhere and snagging you for every little violation. Send you a picture and a fine in the mail. Neat, huh?


:)

Re: I need to learn how to wave!
 

Just as an aside. I don't do the traditional biker wave. I learned to ride off road on 3 wheeled atc's and enduro bikes. As such, one of the early rules is "Keep your hands on the bike all the time." Yes, experience did help hammer it in.
Now its not that I don't wave, I just pivot my left hand up, leaving the heal on the grip, and wave to the left and back.

Re: I need to learn how to wave!
 

Had a traffic policeman in Chicago tell me the rule of them for the Police is: they'll all give you 5 (miles per hour), most will give you 7, some will give you 9, but don't do 10 over. Its worked pretty well over the years. Except in downtown Chicago where the cars and the cabs are like those in Hong Kong, look out! The expressways are closer to 70 on the average than 55 and on the tollways the trucks move with traffic (at 70). Moral of the story; everybody's in a big hurry.

Re: I need to learn how to wave!
 

Just got my first wave as well!
I honestly didn't expect him to wave as he passed, I was just having my own private "I'm passing my first motorcycle!" moment when I saw him stick out his arm.
I just raised the fingers on my left hand and smiled back. Didn't think I ought to try leaping onto the seat and waving my arms in the air quite yet... :)

Re: I need to learn how to wave!
 

You'll start to notice some riders are super bikes snobs.
They won't wave back unless you're riding a particular brand of motorcycle.
You'll start to recognize them in advance, by the sound the engine makes.
They all sound the same; like expensive American pieces of crap.

I'm not bitter. ;)

Re: I need to learn how to wave!
 

In MD that kind is very rare. It happens more often that people don''t wave because
- they just need their left hand for the clutch right then and there
- they are afraid to remove their hand from the steering (usually newbies)
- (usually experienced Goldwing riders) they're kind of on autopilot and just caught up in something else, like adjusting the drip rate on the coffee maker, reprogramming the air conditioning, etc.

Re: I need to learn how to wave!
 

lol 5th

Re: I need to learn how to wave!
 

About speeding: I took my GPS on my last ride and found that 65 on the Shadow's speedometer is actually 61.6 mph. I thought the speedo would be more accurate than that since the bike uses a speed sensor instead of a cable running off the front wheel.

But now I know I can ride with the indicated speed a few mph above the posted speed and be OK..

Re: I need to learn how to wave!
 

That is actually good for a bike. Most are even more optimistic with their reading. Your is slightly below 5% of actual. My Vstrom is 7% at that speed. You will find thought that the odometer reading is very accurate on most bikes.

Re: I need to learn how to wave!
 

I have found the trip odometer to read slightly higher than my GPS as well. I don't remember the difference, at the time it seemed consistant with the speedo error, but I didn't do the math. I was wearing the GPS, so when I made a couple stops to go into convenience stores, my movement was recorded even though the bike was still.

The next time I go for a long ride, I will make it a point to check my GPS reading when the bike's trip odometer hits 100 miles, just out of curiosity.

ADDED A COUPLE DAYS LATER: I went for a ride, my tripmeter shows 66.7 miles, my gps shows 65.7 miles.

Re: I need to learn how to wave!
 

I dont wave when on the interstate, only local roads and highways. Never in a corner or after dark.

I try to wave but it just doesnt happen if Im busy or trying to dodge that road kill.

Re: I need to learn how to wave!
 

I actually find it easier to wave on the interstate than surface streets - less distractions like red lights, pedestrians and stopped cars. Of course, I'm almost always on the interstate, so that could explain it, too.

Apart from that, been practicing waving for about 7 months now and I still feel like I can't do it right. :P

Re: I need to learn how to wave!
 

There is not really a wrong way to wave. There is some caution involved though. Never just throw your whole arm out into the wind in a manner that might unbalance you. It will make for exciting times.

Re: I need to learn how to wave!
 

Heheh, yeah I think I remember doing just that very thing the first time.
Good times.
:whistle: :crackup

Re: I need to learn how to wave!
 

Ive been riding for a year now, and i just give the peace sign with my fingers pointing slightly downward with my arm extended, I used to be afraid to let the handlebars go with my one hand. Now, phsssshh, no problem. Or, just give a head nod.

Re: I need to learn how to wave!
 

Sometimes I just hold my hand a little bit off the clutch side and point. It doesn't matter. You'll see all kinds of waves and sometimes just head nods. I wave at all bikes, even Harley owners who don't wave back. They're not the only ones who wont wave. I used to pass a Suzuki every day on my way to work who would never wave. I waved every time. Just cuz I have a GZ doesn't mean anything. I've been riding for15 years, I just like to spend less on gas for now. I respect all riders as we all should. I don't wave on the interstate however. There is too much going on. Get used to your bike and wave when you feel up for it.

Re: I need to learn how to wave!
 

I like to lay the heel of my clutch hand on my thigh and rotate a peace sign out toward the other biker. At a red light when my clutch hand is busy I like to salute off the brim of my helmit. Old military throwback!

Re: I need to learn how to wave!
 

Well, yesterday, I gave my first wave! (And got a wave back :) )

I work at a campground near DC, so we've been getting lots of people from Rolling Thunder coming in, passed one of them on my way out and couldn't resist giving it a shot. :)

Re: I need to learn how to wave!
 

Everybody except scooters wave when I pass. Even some of the deputies who ignore my LEO tag on my car wave at me on the bike.
Had a discussion with a HD rider the other day.. asked when I was going to get a real bike. I said, your bike does 65 - so does mine.. that's the speed limit right? He says yeah. What kind of mpg you get? He says, 35-42 depending... So, I can go anywhere you can at the same speed and I get 70-75 mpg doing it. Why do I need to buy a "REAL" bike

Re: I need to learn how to wave!
 

One of the only reasons to buy a "Real Bike" is abundant dealers anywhere you go. Well, that and they also sell a life style like no other in the world.

Re: I need to learn how to wave!
 

I don't get it, either, but I do tend to expect it now. Just had a visit with an uncle the other day who rides a big 1100 Honda, but dreams of a Harley, and the first thing out of his mouth was when was I going to "move up."

I think it comes from how they define the word biker. They want to look like a biker from a gang, like in the movies, and until they do, they just don't feel like a biker. Maybe we need a new word, because it seems like, "biker" will forever be associated with leather vests, spiked knuckles and Harleys.

Re: I need to learn how to wave!
 

"Rider" is the word. Biker is more of a life style to me.

Re: I need to learn how to wave!
 

I wear a leather vest on my gz, and off my gz. Cause im cool like that.

Re: I need to learn how to wave!
 

Very cool.

http://images.halloweencostumeideas.com/biker-vest.jpg

Re: I need to learn how to wave!
 

Oh yeah, he looks like a real biker.............................not.

Re: I need to learn how to wave!
 

http://images.halloweencostumeideas.com/biker-vest.jpg


Maybe some biker's old lady. :twisted: sorry

Re: I need to learn how to wave!
 

:/

Re: I need to learn how to wave!
 

Oh boy a leather studded necklace.

Re: I need to learn how to wave!
 

HE must be one of the dancers in The Blue Oyster Bar from Police Acadamy movie... ;)
Proctor's brother.... :)

Re: I need to learn how to wave!
 

I'd like to see that walk into a biker bar!

Re: I need to learn how to wave!
 

Ah yes, the old death wish syndrome.