Topic: the wave on a vintage bike vs others

[mikedialect]

Now that it's riding season again I've noticed something - something I'm sure has been discussed. When I'm out on the cbr I picked up the only wave returned is from those on sport bikes. I throw a hand out to almost everyone. It's one of the things I've always liked about biking here in MN is that most people will return the wave, but now that I'm on the cbr for my commute no one, but the sport folks waves back! Also, when I stop at a coffee shop everyone gives a bit of attitude towards the bike. In addition, the conversation about bikes is COMPLETELY different! Everyone wants to know if I've 'tricked out' the bike at all and universally they brush off further conversation when I bring up the babies back home in the garage. I guess my whole point is that I appreciate you vintage folks more now than ever! You folks are by and far the best group out there You always wave back

[azuredesign]

I've always liked being part of the community, and give the salute to other bikers I see. As I also ride a sports bike, I have to say that return responses seem to be more day to day than dependent on what I'm riding. Sometimes, the Harley guys ignore me, but that's much better than it used to be. A bunch of BMW guys ignored me one day, which surprised me, but I just wrote it off as a snotty group. Sport bikes almost always wave back!

[fuzzybutt]

i wave to EVERY rider, modern sport bikes to harleys

[kirkn]

ditto

[Jonesy]

In the town I live in, they have two bike nights, Wednesday being the cruiser night and Thursday the sport bike night. The crowd on Wednesdays is a bit older, but a lot more social. It's a friendlier bunch in general. With the sportbike crowd, if you haven't tricked the bike out to the max or own the latest and greatest crotch rocket, you're not worth thier time.

Needless to say, I head down on Wednesdays....

[mark]

i wave to EVERY rider, modern sport bikes to harleys

same here

[Gordon]

I think the main difference is that folks on vintage bikes actually know more about their bikes and enjoy working on and maintaining them, while the majority (not all, of course) of sport bike riders are just into riding.  Also, the majority of sport bike riders are younger and instinctively want to seclude themselves, away from everyone else, into their own clique.   

[nickjtc]

What they all said.

In my 'thesis of one' I've noticed that almost everyone waves at the start of the riding season (glad to be out there enjoying the rapture of the ride??), but as it progresses the waves back become fewer and fewer. I can't point fingers at any specific group that doesn't return the wave. What I can say is that most touring/sport touring/adventure touring types wave back, whatever the time of year. The sportbike crowd are often too busy trying to impress their friends (or us other riders??) to respond. Cruiser riders just need to hang on to the bars with two hands at all times.....??

Doesn't really bother me. Everyone gets a wave, and if they could see my face they would see the huge grin I always have when I ride................. If they choose not to wave back that's up to them.

[UnCrash]

I'm with nick,

Here in Maine, waving falls off as the Summer progresses and picks back up at the end of the riding season. 

[Gordon]

I wave whenever I can, which is generally out on the highway or back roads, and to anyone on two wheels.  In town, not only do I need both hands on the controls most of the time, but in Spring and Summer there are so many bikes around I might as well be waving constantly.

If someone gives me the wave in city traffic, I normally either return with a head nod or two fingers up from the hand-grip.  Out on the highway it's two fingers down and out.

[Gregorymoto]

I know this is might be rude but i don't wave at any one.

I ride allmost 300 days a year give or take. I've been on and around bikes my whole life.
I'm not going to go out of my way to wave at every Man Woman or Child on a bike because we are both riding similar bikes or for the simple fact that we both ride. That like saying hi to everyone that is wearing the same kind of boots as i, or something like that.

I'm happy that people like motorcycles and they ride, but i dontneed to wave at them as i ride by, vintage bike or not, i ride both.

[BobbyR]

I know this is might be rude but i don't wave at any one.

I ride allmost 300 days a year give or take. I've been on and around bikes my whole life.
I'm not going to go out of my way to wave at every Man Woman or Child on a bike because we are both riding similar bikes or for the simple fact that we both ride. That like saying hi to everyone that is wearing the same kind of boots as i, or something like that.

I'm happy that people like motorcycles and they ride, but i dontneed to wave at them as i ride by, vintage bike or not, i ride both.

You are giving the SOHCs a bad name. I wave since it allows me to shake my hand loose. 

[Gordon]

I know this is might be rude but i don't wave at any one.

Others may disagree, but I don't consider it rude.  It's just a gesture.  Some do it and some don't, each for their own reasons.  I don't wave to force others to wave back, I do it because I feel like being social.  Sort of like opening a door for someone.

I have to admit, I got the wave "bug" when I had my VW bus.  Everyone in a VW bus waves at each other.  I think they're all just amazed that they're still on the road under their own power!

[gerhed]

In my Model A, I get many waves.
But I just wave back at the babes and honk
if that seems appropriate, of course.
<a href="http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u251/gearheaded_photos/FirstA.swf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u251/gearheaded_photos/FirstA.swf</a>

[Gregorymoto]

Ok if i had me an old model a ford i would wave back as well.. lol

[tramp]

i wave to EVERY rider, modern sport bikes to harleys

same same

[Shenanigans]

I don't wave but I always wave back. I think a lot of it has to do with the type of people that that ride around here. They only ride a few months out of the year (we have a 364 day a year riding season) I can count the times I have seen bikes other than a chrome wagon of a harley or a 2008 cbgxrr1000 with just one hand. A "rare" bike sighting for me is a new bonnie. I saw a speed triple once. I was over it when I would get the "too cool to be bothered" response back the majority of the time. That's not to say that there are not any other bikes out there or that every single rider is a douche nozzle, I just don't seem to encounter many that are not the one month a yeah 55000 dollar O.C.C. too cool to wave back, type people. I will wave back no matter what type of bike your on.

[azuredesign]

I know this is might be rude but i don't wave at any one.

Others may disagree, but I don't consider it rude.  It's just a gesture.  Some do it and some don't, each for their own reasons.  I don't wave to force others to wave back, I do it because I feel like being social.  Sort of like opening a door for someone.

I have to admit, I got the wave "bug" when I had my VW bus.  Everyone in a VW bus waves at each other.  I think they're all just amazed that they're still on the road under their own power!

I agree, it's not rude if you don't, and when there's a ton of bikes out, you might as well ride with one hand if you acknowledge everyone. I just love riding and figure waving kind of signifies a shared, cool experience.

[kghost]

I know this is might be rude but i don't wave at any one.

I ride allmost 300 days a year give or take. I've been on and around bikes my whole life.
I'm not going to go out of my way to wave at every Man Woman or Child on a bike because we are both riding similar bikes or for the simple fact that we both ride. That like saying hi to everyone that is wearing the same kind of boots as i, or something like that.

I'm happy that people like motorcycles and they ride, but i dontneed to wave at them as i ride by, vintage bike or not, i ride both.

I wave as a gesture of solidarity....

Kinda a "hello brother don't let the cellphone weilding car weenies kill ya" sort of thing

[6pkrunner]

When I first started riding in the late 60s everyone waved as you were a small slice of the population who had a lot in common. Bikes still had some of the "outlaw" tarnish on them and those that rode them were of the same mind pretty much. The wave was a symbol of brotherhood.
Today everyone has a bike and there really isn't a common bond (other than two wheels) that bind the biking population. Lawyers, engineers, housemoms, - name it - they're riding. The allure of then isn't universally applicable today. As an example there are three guys I work with that just decided "I'll get a bike." with as much forethought as getting a Big Mac or such. They could care less about other bikers or what they are riding.
Basically motorcycling has evolved or moved on from what it was. I'd sooner go back. But I'll wager the manufacturers would disagree.

[nickjtc]

Basically motorcycling has evolved or moved on from what it was. I'd sooner go back. But I'll wager the manufacturers would disagree.

I agree. As a rider who always has used a motorcycle primarily as transportation I can sense that the modern 'Wild Hogs' kind of rider is not in the same mindset as me. I like the comment about giving as much thought to buying a bike as buying a Big Mac. Several of my students have been 'mid-life crisis' guys, very wealthy, who happened to be in a (usually) Harley Davidson dealership, seen a bike they like the look of, bought it immediately, and then thought that it might be a good idea to learn how to ride it.

[azuredesign]

Today everyone has a bike and there really isn't a common bond (other than two wheels) that bind the biking population. Lawyers, engineers, housemoms, - name it - they're riding. The allure of then isn't universally applicable today.

I agree and have also been riding since '70. At least now, people don't automatically assume you're trouble when you show up on a bike. On second thought, maybe that's because as a kid I encouraged the confrontations I kind of remember fondly now. Anyhow, I still like waving...