Better comraderie.....

[suzbnd12]

After taking a 12 year hiatus from motorcycling, it sure is good to be out there enjoying the hell out of it once again. You don't know what you are missing until you leave it for a while and come back.

One thing that I have noticed is how much more friendly all the riders are regardless of what brand of bike they are riding. It's like a true family scene at small grocery stores in little, out of the way towns with people talking and checking out each other's rides. Even the Harley guys wave back now. I remember when you were lucky to get the bird back when waving at an H-D person!!!

I'm glad to see this "evolution of brotherly acceptance" spreading. Makes you proud to say "Yeah, I ride".  

Bill
'05 B12S

[redbeard]

Welcome back to cycling, from a fellow 05 B12S rider. Enjoy yourself and be safe.
 

[Red01]

Glad to hear it's better in TX, the HD crowd still ignores everything else up here in WA 90% of the time.

[PitterB4]

I get the Harley Wave at least 90% of the time.  The cynic in me assumes it b/c of round headlight on the B4 - they think it's a cuiser from a distance.

[Slider]

Same up here in Beaver Land
HD guys RARELY wave back to peasants up here.

You get sorta good at recognizing their profile.
Trouble is, the odd one will wave back and if you haven't, you feel a little down. Then you wonder if he wasn't a Harley visual Clones, ie some of the Jap Vtwin cruisers.

What I have observed is that a troup of HD will pass. Past the middle of the group they start waving, particularly the gals on pillion, (2 up).

You figure it out.

By the by. It has been over 90F with 90% or so humidity for most of 8 weeks up here. Anybody care to comment? What's it like just south of the border?

Sweltering

Baked

[PeteSC]

It's hotter, Mike....

  I wave some of the time.

    I'm anal enough to be miffed when I wave at a cruiser dude, and you know they see you, but they don't wave back.

  I take a little comfort in  reminding myself that they probably aren't much of a rider, and need to totally concentrate on going in a straight line, at a slow speed, or they're worried that some of the flappy fringey stuff has fallen off........

[Kamzilla]

My theory on Harley guys who don't wave back goes like this:

They're probably guys who are having a mid-life crisis.  They went out, got a bike, and now ride with that Bad to the Bone song in their head.  

I've found the seasoned riders will wave back, no matter what they're on.  They ride to ride, not to pose.

[Old_n_Slow]

I don't sweat any respone. If I'm not concentrating on the cagers yacking on their cell phones oblivious to the traffic around them, I'll wave to any biker. If they don't wave back, I just figure their concentrating on the cell phoned brain dead cagers around them,and I just go back to enjoying my ride.

[chippi]

Poser suck!! We are all out riding! If you doen't have the control to flick your hand out or to nod your noodle then piss off....what makes you so great? OK OK I'm letting it go

  On the new ride I hope it is the ride your looking for, cause IMO that's what it's all about

[jfudo]

I find almost everyone waves back around here.

My wife and I ran into a VERY seasoned rider last year during a pit stop.  We sat and talked for probably 1/2 hour with him.  He had a mid-70's harley, leaking oil like there was not tomorrow, all beat to crap, his bike certainly wasn't polished every day.  Had the look too, long beard, tattered leathers, he was probably in his 60's.  Or maybe 40's, or even 80's.  I couldn't tell.  One thing was obvious, he has experienced a lot more than most people at any age .   I suppose he doesn't fit into the group we are talking about, it wasn't about image for him.

Riding really is his life.  That is all he does.  I forget exactly how far and how long he has been on that particular trip, but I remember how amazed I was.  It was weeks and thousands of miles at least.  He also asked about us and our bikes and was generally interested.

That is why I wave to everyone, because I don't want to miss my chance to pay respect to guys like this.

[Tundrahog]

Most people around here wave as well.  I'm just starting to see some of the "custom cruisers" (Jesse James Orange County ect).  None of those guys wave.  I figured it's just because the handling sucks so bad they're afraid to let go of the handlebars.  

[12sdrag]

some days I`ll get sick of waving. Other days no one waves back, the funny thing is when I ride with my buddy.He was a 800 vulcan (harley look a like) I`ve noticed that if he is a little in front or a little behind the H-D guys will wave to him and then put there hands back on the bars. I figure they just can`t keep one hand off the bars that long.   but I say 85% of the time everyone waves.

[scooter trash]

Here we go. Another, Let’s beat up on the Harley guys, theme.

Here is a little history lesson for you youngsters. Back before riding was cool (50’s and 60’s) and before everyone was jumping on two wheels there was a very tight knit group of individuals called “Bikers”. Most citizens feared them but to each other they were all family. It didn’t matter what you rode. Harley, Indian, Norton, Vincent, BMW, etc it just didn’t matter you always waved because it was you against the world that didn’t understand you and feared you.

Now introduce the Jap bikes. They were far superior in workmanship, reliable and inexpensive. Everyone wanted one. And those that bought them would make fun of the oil leaking, rattling, vibrating hunks of iron that ruled the roads. These Jap bike riders thought that they were much better than the others and would not wave. As a matter of fact they were to good to wave. They were riding on quality equipment. They also missed the point of riding and belonging to a family.

Now introduce the sport bikes. These guys are all squids and didn’t have a clue about riding and family.

Now introduce the custom choppers. These guys are way to cool for all of us. They spend more money on a bike than it cost to build a house when I started this story. These people think that they are much better than the others are and do not wave. As a matter of fact they are to good to wave. They were riding on quality equipment. They also missed the point of riding and belonging to a family.  Wait a minute doesn’t that sound familiar?? Has this thing gone full circle??

The roads are becoming more and more overrun with bikes. There are more and more of us but less and less camaraderie. Riding styles, image, cost, etc has tended to separate us into a dysfunctional family.

I own a Harley Davidson Springer Softail and a 1200 S Bandit and I wave. Not because of what I ride, but because I ride.

         

[chippi]

   Nicely said    

I own a Harley Davidson Springer Softail and a 1200 S Bandit and I wave. Not because of what I ride, but because I ride.

How do you choose what to ride? Dropped a Vulcan to join the Bandit family and just can't think of when I would choose to return to the Vulcan. I love it for round town, cause I can throw it around, leap out to front or drop back quickly (avoid). I love it for long rides you get the idea. I need to take the rest of my praise to another thread

Wave high or wave low
Nod your head or flick your hand
do what you can let us know
besides showing us your rear
that you understand
why we are all here

[scooter trash]

At times it's a tough choice. If I know there will be no high speed or twisties (just cruz'n) then it's the Springer. If we're headed for the mountains, Bandit. If it looks like rain, Bandit. No rain within two states, Springer. Need to hauls stuff, Bandit (it has Corbin bags). Need to run up to the hardware store for a couple washers, Springer.
But there are those times I'm on one and wish I had the other.
So many decisions, my life is utter turmoil.