The wave.

I have been meaning to write about this for a while now but was not really sure how to approach it without pissing anyone off. I guess I just decided I don't care if it does or not. Basically the purpose of this blog is to simply ask why some people on motorcycles wave and others do not. I am sure it must have to do with what you are riding as to whether or not you get a wave. My personal view of it is that I wave because I am on two wheels and so are you. It is funny at times when I wave at people on certain types of bikes and they almost refuse to wave back. I don't know about anyone else but when I wave and get nothing back I feel a bit annoyed. I don't go out of my way to wave or anything just really a small acknowledgement that we are both on motorcycles. I won't wave if I am making a turn from an intersection but will give a nod. I wish when you got your endorsement they had some sort of section on "wave ettiquette". that way when I wave at a guy on a BMW and he for whatever reason looks the other way and ignores me I at least should have known better. I am not trying to pick on BMW riders at all. Harley riders or in more general terms "baggers" sometimes ignore me too. When I see someone on another dual sport some of them seem to get a little too excited at seeing another of their kind on the road. Sometimes I laugh out loud at this ritual.
     I will admit there is one time of year that pretty much all bikers wave all the time. That is the first really nice day of the year when you see a hundred bikes on the road. I think the joy of finally getting the cover off the bike and the feeling of riding again makes everyone happy. No matter what you ride. Even the scooter riders get waved back too. I wave at the scooter guys myself but it is amusing to see baggers wave at them on the first nice day. About a month or two in to the riding season the waves begin to dissipitate. Must be that we are getting used to the novelty of two wheels again and loyalties become stronger.

What baggers usually mean when they wave to me.

     As the season goes on I find it interesting at who still waves at me. BMW guys must see the KLR and think I am a wannabe or something. Baggers are just too cool. Scooter guys are just happy and wave all the time. Metric cruiser people seem to be stuck in the middle. Sport bike riders tend to wave quite often if they see me as they go buy. Mostly because they saw a flash of a motorcycle and figured they should wave just in case. Other dual sport riders like the DR and XL, KLX-s almost seem like they know they will get a wave from me and wave more vigorously than others. I am sure some of these people have opinions of me for what I ride and that is fine. KLR riders are generally known to be slightly frugal or whatever your favorite term is for penny pinchers. Like I said I wave at them all and love to see the salute back. Makes me feel some comradery with people I will never know. I am sure many will read this and say what an idiot but oh well not the first time. When you boil it all down we are doing the same thing just in a different style. I would love to have a GS Adventure but can't afford one I would love to ride a HD V-Rod or Fat Boy in all black or the side of me that would love a Ducati 900 Monster. Hell I even wish for a scooter too because they look like a lot of fun to ride. I tend to drop my left hand and point two fingers out. Seems to be the general way of doing it. Occasionally I see someone almost do a parade wave and I usually don't wave back because I am trying to figure out the point of it and realize they have passed. Everyone has their own way of doing it in their own style that is what is great about riding motorcycles. We are doing the same thing but in our own way. Let's keep the fun in motorcycling and remember we are all doing it because it makes us feel free. It is the one thing that puts me in complete control and gives me a grin every time. Like in a picture on Lady Riders blog you never see a motorcycle parked in front of a psychiatrists office. As a closing when I see someone on two wheels I know they are enjoying some of the same things I am no matter what their lifestyle. That is what makes us different in the same kind of way.

Two wheels rule!

-Charlie-