Excuuuse Me!

[smellthat?]

Funny encounter recently on a run up to South Lake Tahoe. With a mixed bag of riding buddies, me, a BMW, Triumph, a few Harleys, and a Kawasaki. We ran a day trip up to Virginia City and places beyond. While on the road, and stopped for some pics of the scenery, some Harley guys ride past and give us a little wave. We got underway shortly and sure enough ended up parking next to them in Virginia City.

Stood there shooting the breeze while I pretended to be interested in their rattle traps when one of them says, "You know I wasn't waving to you Jap bikers, just the Harley guys." I laughed appropriately assuming he was trying to be witty. He didn't find it funny since he was dead serious.

That got me thinking for the next few days on our day trips - who waves and who doesn't? I noticed getting "blanked" more by Harley riders than us metrics (I was lead most days so I waved to every biker that passed.) Not a completely accurate survey, but I did find that it was rare for a non-Harley rider to not acknowledge the wave.

I don't have a point other than I thought it hilarious that a Harley drone would go out of his way to make sure I knew he had no respect for non-Harley riders.

 

[Cowcop]

A little consideration please! Those who ride the Hardley Drivables have had their brainwaves shaken , shook and slammed due to no suspension, too much vibration and all that that power robbing noise! :dribble: How do you expect them to act civilized and stop trying to live their lives by being rude?

PS... the Nipponese types have their losers too!

 

[Spud]

In this part of the country its the BMW guys that take the prize. I get waves from Harleys all the time, but I'm convinced the only BMW riders that wave back mistakenly think I'm on a K bike. Just my experience...

 

[mferriter]

HOGs don't wave around here either.

I've gotten quite proficient at spotting a Harley from a great distance so I don't make the mistake of waving. It also helps that you can here them coming long before you see them. It's really cool to have really loud exhaust. If they want all that attention, it seems like they'd be waving to everyone.

 

[Burnspot]

I've found that I usually get a wave from most casual HD riders and riders in general. Those HD riders who are "living the dream", with the full crusty getup, tend to not wave much, if at all. Guess I'm not cool enough or something, lol.

 

[mferriter]

I've found that I usually get a wave from most casual HD riders and riders in general. Those HD riders who are "living the dream", with the full crusty getup, tend to not wave much, if at all. Guess I'm not cool enough or something, lol.

Maybe I should swap out my sidecases for leather bags with fringes and wear a small rice-bowl on my head instead of my full-face helmet.

That would me me cooler.

 

[wheatonFJR]

who gives a rip...

I wave if someone waves at me...unless it's toward the end of the day and I'm getting tired and cranky.

The waving thing doesn't mean so much to me anymore...the stopping for the distressed rider...more so.

 

[smellthat?]

who gives a rip...

I wave if someone waves at me...unless it's toward the end of the day and I'm getting tired and cranky.

The waving thing doesn't mean so much to me anymore...the stopping for the distressed rider...more so.

I'm not talking about whether to wave or not - I don't care either - I just thought it funny this fat, balding accountant (no really) went out of his way to make sure I knew he wouldn't wave to Jap riders. Pretty funny shit I thought.

 

[Roger55]

I have had similar experiences. When I was riding my V-Star I would wave to just about everyone and noticed most responded (I guess it looked more like a Harley). Now that I have been riding the FJR I do notice that Harley riders are less likely to wave. Hey we are all two wheelers first (sometimes 3) There are ass holes on all types of bikes. I try to be friendly and wave. If they don't want to wave back, that's there problem. As far as the comment "You know I wasn't waving to you Jap bikers, just the Harley guys." I learned long ago, never argue with an idiot.

 

[CAJW]

It takes all kinds. Just when I was ready to write off Hardly riders (ref: J&K Excellent adventure Ride Report) recently the Mrs. and I were approaching a 3 way stop at a T intersection. At about 100 yards out, I noticed a herd (20 or so) of Hardly riders in full Pirate regalia already at their stop sign to my left. Much to my surprise, the leader held the entire group of swashbucklers back and waved me on through! Like I said, it takes all kinds and I'm at about 50% on return waves, but I don't give it a thought if the gesture isn't recognized.

 

[rushes]

Waving is stupid.

Keep both hands properly positioned on the bars at ALL times...

Is that rude?

Watch fer shit that can kill ya.

Prepare to make evasive maneuvers...

 

[NMRoadRunner]

I think "Sport Bike Guy" is alot worse here than "Pirate Costume Guy". The pirates around here are pretty harmless. They mind their own business, ride the 25 miles up to the Line Shack in Madrid, take pictures in front of Maggie's Cafe. The sport bike A holes want to show you how fast they can go in the parking lot, do wheel stands, stoppies, weave in and out of traffic. You know the type, One gets wraped up on the freeway, or fallls off the twisties in the mountians, at least once a week. You do get the occational HD driving off the road into a concrete wall now and then, but they are weeding out the gender pool of "Sport Bike guy" pretty quickly.

 

[mferriter]

I have had similar experiences. When I was riding my V-Star I would wave to just about everyone and noticed most responded (I guess it looked more like a Harley). Now that I have been riding the FJR I do notice that Harley riders are less likely to wave. Hey we are all two wheelers first (sometimes 3) There are ass holes on all types of bikes. I try to be friendly and wave. If they don't want to wave back, that's there problem. As far as the comment "You know I wasn't waving to you Jap bikers, just the Harley guys." I learned long ago, never argue with an idiot.

I NEVER wave to ANYBODY on three wheels! That's a Trike, not a bike. If I ever get to that point in life, I'll just buy a convertible.

 

[SLK50]

"You know I wasn't waving to you Jap bikers, just the Harley guys."

I laughed appropriately assuming he was trying to be witty.

"That's OK, I wasn't waving back, I was giving you the finger."

He didn't find it funny......

 

[mcatrophy]

I love motorcycles and I love riding. Like many of you, what first drew me to bikes was not just the experience of riding, but the feeling that I'd become part of a special community--a brotherhood, really. Nothing calms me more than a long ride down the interstate, waving to the members of my beloved clan. 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, I do 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've got all day. Appreciate the scenery somewhere else Grampa, and while you're at it, I'm not waving to you.

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 colour you want, as long as it's 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. They always have those stupid helmets sitting on top of their stupid heads, and God forbid they should 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 on going. Please, don't get me started on Kawasaki guys. Ninjas? What are you, twelve years old? Team Green my ass. I never wave at Kawasaki guys.

I ride an FJR, and I'll only wave at FJR 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 the New York thruway. 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 the loud paintjobs. Four pounds of paint on a two pound helmet - like I'm going to wave back to 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 a like a family, a close-knit brotherhood of people who ride FJRs, wear jeans and a leather jacket (not Vanson) 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 riding so special?

(Shamelessly stolen from elsewhere.)

 

[rushes]

I love motorcycles and I love riding. Like many of you, what first drew me to bikes was not just the experience of riding, but the feeling that I'd become part of a special community--a brotherhood, really. Nothing calms me more than a long ride down the interstate, waving to the members of my beloved clan. 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, I do 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've got all day. Appreciate the scenery somewhere else Grampa, and while you're at it, I'm not waving to you.

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 colour you want, as long as it's 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. They always have those stupid helmets sitting on top of their stupid heads, and God forbid they should 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 on going. Please, don't get me started on Kawasaki guys. Ninjas? What are you, twelve years old? Team Green my ass. I never wave at Kawasaki guys.

I ride an FJR, and I'll only wave at FJR 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 the New York thruway. 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 the loud paintjobs. Four pounds of paint on a two pound helmet - like I'm going to wave back to 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 a like a family, a close-knit brotherhood of people who ride FJRs, wear jeans and a leather jacket (not Vanson) 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 riding so special?

(Shamelessly stolen from elsewhere.)

I bet you drink don't you?

It's all good....

:thumbsup:

 

[Cowcop]

I keep it simple. I wave and could care less if I get a return wave or not. That way I feel I was sociable and we can let GOD sort them out! :yahoo:

PS...Mcatrophy...you are funny!

 

[CAJW]

Mcatrophy's post is the "Blazing Saddles" of waving subject posts. It manages to offend every type of rider! Btw, great rant!

 

[kenporider]

I get almost no love from Harley's, BMW's and Goldwings around here. I go 10 minutes down the road into CT and it's a whole lot more friendly. Come to think of it, I've been blown off by a couple FJR's too...maybe my ex was right, I AM an asshole!

My all time favorite was some poser on his FXLHTCGDCXTKHL Custom (they're all custom) Badass Midnight Special actually shunned me! Looked right at me, I stuck my hand out and he turned his head all the way right.