I know what you mean Jimmy when you are on a popular motorcycle road. It's like if you wanted to wave at every rider you would be better just keeping your hand out Sometimes I bypass the wave when there are just too many bikes, but for the most part I try to wave to everyone.  I usually ride with my left hand just dangling to the side on Laura's calf, so it's really just a matter of lifting my hand a bit.


Hell I even hit my hand on my truck door occasionally when I pass I bike 'cause I forget I'm not on my bike!

If they don't wave back put four of your five fingers down.. hahaha

I usually wave, but when conditions that do not allow it, well I don't !
.... otherwise, I live a/b 35miles north of downtown New Orleans....and it's a bit rurual.....people generally wave whether you're on a bike or driving p/up truck....
In the city...they might as well run over you than wave ! LOL!

If it is safe for me to wave I do, if not I give them a head nod.

Its all changed here in UK now.....No-one waves anymore, mainly because they are all europeans and they dont bother waving to us English...I have to admit that here now I only wave to those I know...still make sure that someone on the side of the road is ok before continuing on, no matter who they are, but waving...naaaaa, it died, like the heart of England, it died as soon as they opened up to Europe.....

3 of my bro's from over the years are with Patriots mate, one of them is now legless (still has his legs but pretty damn useless) and has got himself a Harley Trike with air-shift gears.....he is still out there doing what he does.....A real good friend he is too...Always one of the best.....


At a late in the year party I was yelling at him "Get out the way ya cripple or I will run you over!", you should have seen his whole bunch he was with come running out from their bivvy ready to sort me out...lol...good job they know we are buds from years before...lol...I could have been VERY painful that day otherwise.....


Love the Patriots mate, a great bunch.....Not sure which chapters of them you know but his nick is "Hobbit" as he is just a little guy.....from the South Coast areas of England.....

Ok, riding yesterday I just started thinking (I do a lot of that when I ride), how is the wave done in countries where you ride/drive on the left side of the road. 

When you pass a riding coming from the other direction who is on your right, how do you wave to them so they can see it??? 

Honey, it must be way different where you are, but here in London its all foreigners now...to give you an idea.....when the ace cafe re-opened a few years ago ALL Bikers from all over, especially the ones who went to the place before it shut down all those years ago, and then it was a tyre fitting workshop...but when it re-opened as it is now the owner decided to turn his back bit by bit on all the people who helped him get it back open again by having "Theme Days" ...yeah....but most of them were for cars and vans and sports car clubs etc.....so gradually ALL the locals who got him back on the map drifted away and wont go back no matter what he does...the only bikes there on a friday night now is EASTERN EUROPEANS!!!  and hey, no way am I going to keep going anywhere that treats its regulars as crap ..... thing he didnt bargain for...these EASTERN EUROPEANS dont buy their food or drink there...they buy in a gas station across the junction...so he even has TRANSIT VAN DAY...lol...That got changed to WORKING VAN DAY...lol...and that has been dropped now...2 year ago he got 2 vans who left when they saw it wasnt busy...last year there was 3 came in together, they  bought a coffee or tea each, drank it quick and left.....EASTERN EUROPEANS are stealing bikes all over London and stripping the parts to make up their own free rides...no way will I bother nodding or waving anymore...Unless, I know who I am nodding or waving at...LONDON IS FU...! ..SCRE...! ...Not a good place anymore!!!

.....And anyhow.....

I did a run from Warrington to Manchester to Nottingham and then back to Warrington via Long Eaton and A50 and as leader of the ride, we saw hundreds on the way through who didnt.....maybe it was because there was just over 40 of us...lol...and we werent taking prisoners...it was a run...

Following day we did Cat and Fiddle on way through to Squire's Cafe...I had overseas visitors who were along for the ride...we were hosted by various clubs along the way there and back on what was a fun half week of serious dragging.....

Good question!

Beemers riders don't wave.  They're also somewhat snooty.  I used to ride a  older Triumph Bonneville and the Harly riders would always return a wave.  The beemer women look annoyed if you talk to them.

Most folk in Ireland just nod the head...but if a wave is given its with the left hand high...in the US I noticed most kinda point down to road...we point up !

Kind of what I figured, thanks Neil ! Knowing me I would probably forget and just wave with my right hand and have someone run right up my rear fender :-)

When a biker waves with the right hand he/she is saying, "Look I have cruise control". LOL
When a biker waves with the left hand he/she is saying, "Howdy my friend"
Most of mine are left hand waves.

Yes I have been guilty of both...LOL LOL

Funny... saw a guy on Blue Ridge Parkway on sport bike... waved both hands AND both feet!

Nah Lucky...folk here would spot it and just go..." fecken Yankee"

glad i dont own a bmw lol

 Time for a repost

I wave.

Except when I pass Harley guys. I hate Harley guys. Hate, hate, hate. When they pass me on the highway, you know what I do? I don't wave. With their little tassel handlebars and the studded luggage and the half helmets - God, they drive me crazy.

You know who else I hate? BMW guys. Oh, do I hate those guys. I don't wave at them either. They think they're so great, sitting all upright, with their 180 degree German engines. God, I hate them.

They're almost as bad as those old bastards on their touring motorcycles. You know what I call those bikes? "Two wheeled couches!" Get it? Because they're so big. They drive around like they have got all day. Appreciate the scenery somewhere else, Grandpa.

Oh, and Ducati guys - I don't wave at them either. Why don't they spend a little more money on their bikes? "You can have it in any color as long as it is red." Aren't you cool! Like they even know what a Desmo-whatever engine is, anyway. Try finding the battery, you Italian-wannabe racers! I never, ever wave at those guys.

Suzuki guys aren't much better, which is why I never wave at them, either. God forbid they should ever wear any safety gear. They make me so mad. Sometimes they'll speed by and look over at me and you know what I do? I don't wave. I just keep going.

Please, don't get me started on Kawasaki guys. Ninjas? What are you, twelve years old? I never wave at Kawasaki guys.

I ride a Buell. I'll wave at Buell guys, but, even then, I'll never wave at a guy in full leathers. Never, never, never. Yeah, like you're going to get your knee down on I-285. Nice crotch, by the way. Guys in full leathers will never get a wave from me, and, by the way, neither will the guys in two piece leathers. And I'll tell you who else I'm not waving at - those guys with the helmets with loud paint jobs. Four pounds of paint on a two pound helmet - like I'm going to wave back at that! I'll also never wave at someone with a mirrored visor. Or helmet stickers. Or racing gloves. Or hiking boots.

To me, motorcycling is like a family, a close knit brotherhood of people who ride Buells, wear jeans and a leather jacket (not Icon) with regular gloves and a solid color helmet with a clear visor, no stickers, no racing gloves and regular boots (not Timberlands). And isn't that what really makes The Brotherhood of the Road so special?

this is just so copied

I like the above post!! lol Here is my two cents on the whole wave thing. I wave at everyone on two or three wheels and some on 4 to 18. I don't know what make they are riding or driving most times and don't care. I also don't give a fart in the wind if they wave back. I enjoy my ride and I am probably gonna be waving at you. I am 49 years old and when I am on my bike I am as giddy as a teenager so I wave at everything. I am just happy to be alive and able to ride. So I am waving at y'all whether you like it or whether you don't. Nobody is gonna piss in my wheaties by not waving back and I could give a crap what you ride. These days I will most likely be on my wide glide. when I get my old Virago tuned up I might be on her. Who knows, or better yet what business is it of yours what I ride or what business is it of mine what you ride?? We are riding! Be HAPPY and keep riding!! I am!!!

I try to wave to everyone on 2 or three wheels if it is safe to do so. I am friendly to everyone whos friendly to me. I think the above post says it very well. I don't care what kind of ride you ride. If your riding then we have something in common...the ride. I own 2 cruisers. One is a Harley and one is a Kawi. They are both bikes. After 21yrs in the army I get along with most everyone. I hope to meet old friends and new friends on the road. I waive to share the ride. I hope everyone enjoys their rides whatever it is that you ride.

When I rode with the Ol' Man I noticed NONE of the boys waved unless it was one of their own or an affiliate. The Ol Man would wave on occassion if we were riding solo. I guess its a club thing. I like waving.

We always wave :-)

I wave to everone, even if i see you on your porch i am waving!