Biker Hand Gestures

You know it dont matter what you ride its that you ride. I ride a harley and a yammy and I wave at ery body, even mopeds. we all take the same risks.

I dont understand the animosity of bike riders for each other. Personally I wave the peace sighn down lo to my side and its like a gift I give cuz I want to and if I dont get one back no big deal cuz it is my saying hello.

So just enjoy your ride and wave expecting nothing back and you wont be disapointed.

~RIDZ~ safe

 

I never thought of this.
English cars have the pedals reversed.
You shift with your left hand.
Why aren't the controls on the bikes switched also?

 

I think that the controls on a bike are basically set up for a right handed rider as opposed to which side of the road we ride on.

 

wait, so the gas os on the left, and the brake is on the right? trippy, i knew of the shifter, but i just figured everything was just moved to the other side, in the same assembly, weird, though your toilets flush the wrong way

 

No Schooter, our pedals are still clutch, brake and gas (from left to right) and our toilets also flush in the downward direction. :lol:

 

Schoot' you've got to get out more.

 

mmk, ill come over you your place so we can throw some shrimp on the barbie, and try to stop the dingoe's from eetaying all the baybees. naw, im just stupid when it comes to worldliness. btw wizard, get off ur butt and show us some mroe incredable restoring to that bike you bought... im tired of looking at all the old pictures for several hours...

 

I'm doing boring bits, Schoot', you don't want to see that.

 

here in Bakersfield CA, AKA BIKERSfield i get all reply's from all walks of life on the bikes from old Harley riders to the new crouch rocket riders and Ive only noticed that the newer riders just don't understand what it means to be a rider to throw up a hand or nod your head or the two finger but what makes me mad about the new riders they think that they can be dick because they belong to a group of knuckle heads i was on my SECA 550 and some guy flew right buy me and clipped me and the hit the back of my helmet

 

true steve, i've noticed that about the valley too. i'm over in the central coast and i cruise over there time to time. generally people are always willing to throw a "hello" gesture my way in some form, but on occasion i get a douche that thinks he's too cool to be a reasonable person.

over here in atascadero people always wave. harley guys, yamaha guys, crotch rocket, crotch stuffers, vintage, newbies (although much more eager!)

we all wave, especially on the morning commute! gotta give props to the daily riders! weekenders during the summer months can take a bit of a back seat to the reg's that i see on the road every day

 

Two fingers down by my left side usually does the trick. I either get that back or nothing at all. Even got a BMW rider to wave back!

 

Only two groups of riders won't wave in Oregon... Harley riders (most, not all) and scooter riders. Otherwise, its either an open left hand out and slightly down on the road, or a head nod at an intersection.
Cheers

 

Here in the south east almost everyone no matter the make of the bike gives a left hand down open,closed,one finger or two or even a nod. The one we always apreciate is the pat on the top of the helmet which means cops ahead so that we can act normal. :}

 

I'm new to riding and the only time I don't return a wave is if I need my hand for the clutch, or I didn't see the other rider. When I do wave, I wave back what was waved first. Whole hand gets a hand, two fingers down, likewise. If I need both hands on the bars, then I at least try to give a head nod.

Be safe all.

 

I am replying to this thread and resurrecting it since it may be helpful to other new riders. I've been riding for less than a month, took the Basic Riders Safety Course, which did not go over riding etiquette. I have found riders to be very generous and easy going. I have other riders wave every day I ride to work. I couldn't understand why folks would wave low, therefore the search for an answer. I would typically wave back or nod, depending how confident I was at the time (still getting comfortable with the bike).

 

AWave low is pretty much because that's where there is a lot less wind resistance for the arm

 

Thanks for the insight, Hogfiddles. There is a lot I have to learn about the culture of riders.

 

Actually, isn't it a low wave because otherwise you'd look like you were indicating a right turn using hand signals?

 

No, a left arm held parallel to the ground with the forearm held up vertical ( sort of like a left-hand version of a swearing-in) is the sign for a right turn. I just use my turn signals for that, though...

The 'low wave' is more like pointing at either the other riders toes, or pointing at your own kickstand, etc....

 

A parallel arm and vertical forearm is the correct way of making a right-turn signal, but you know no one is doing it that properly (if they do it at all). The layman's "right" looks just like the newbie's "hello."