Riders Etiquette, "The Salute"

[larryd]

https://wingstuff.com/blog_detail/ri...20The%20Salute

[cruisinTX]

I don't recall who first told me this, but I always just point my left index finger toward the ground far enough from my body to be certain it can be clearly seen by approaching rider(s). The premise is twofold: 1. to acknowledge the commonality of riding and 2. to honor the fallen who are no longer with us. I've been doing it that way since the late 60s and plan to continue. The only time I don't wave is when my left hand is otherwise engaged with the clutch or switch gear.

[Tourer]

I wave to all motorcyclists. Lately, even the scooters. Down here in rural North Carolina, most people wave regardless of what they are driving. Thanks for the post.

[SkipH]

I don't do the Harley salute, I just raise my left hand off the grip about 18 inches. Good enough for all to see.

[ARtraveler]

An interesting vid on the subject of the "wave."

The vid says many styles are out there. As many, as there are riders, IMO.

Lot's of waves happen around our home turf. We get bikers from all over to visit out beautiful countryside and to enjoy the twisties and sites. We wave most of the time and get waves back, most of the time. There are always a few non-wavers.

We are careful to not give finger type waves. We don't want them to be confused with "flying the birdie." Other than that, we have pretty much seen them all.

[2dogs]

How many of you have gotten the one finger wave?

[CloverHillCrawler]

How many of you have gotten the one finger wave?

I have never received one yet but I have given out a few. And it wasn't to another cyclist.

[FrogmanDave]

Two fingers down is to say keep 2 wheels on the road. I have changed this to 3 fingers down since I started riding my Spyder.

[Peter Aawen]

This might be worth the read....

https://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/...ghlight=Salute

[Gwolf]

Always have waved with 2 fingers down. Main reason is at 80 MPH, with no windshield, the wind will try to slam your arm back if you hold it up and away from your body. Quick wave close in, and down, you don't feel the wind blast so much. Rode all kinds of sport bikes, as well as Harleys for many years. It is just habit now. Most people wave back, even after I switched to the Spyder a couple years ago. I wave at most all bikes, even the little scooters. They are out in the wind like all the other bikes.

[Saluda]

I get more waves from NH riders than from Mass riders.

[Mikey]

It's because most Mass riders are taught from a young age to drive with one hand on the wheel and one hand on the horn!! Did I say that out loud!! Sorry!!!

[SLICE]

It's because most Mass riders are taught from a young age to drive with one hand on the wheel and one hand on the horn!! Did I say that out loud!! Sorry!!!

i lived in Mass for the the first 55 years of my life and that's a bold face lie .
it's right hand on the wheel with cigarette.
left hand holding a dunkin great one or a beer while having the
cell phone wedged between shoulder and ear..
only time horn is used in mass is if you took more than a millisecond to move when the traffic light turned green

[Valkrocket]

i lived in Mass for the the first 55 years of my life and that's a bold face lie .
it's right hand on the wheel with cigarette.
left hand holding a dunkin great one or a beer while having the
cell phone wedged between shoulder and ear..
only time horn is used in mass is if you took more than a millisecond to move when the traffic light turned green

Agreed! Coming from a Mass motorcyclist for over 55 years.

[cravenfun]

My observation riding my HD behind my wife on her F3S. 2 wheels don't always wave to her, but they do to me if they wave. Especially the Hardley Ableson riders. Sporting bike riders, 50-50.
HD riders mostly are HD snobs. News flash, a HD is no big deal. 20 yrs. on my Road King, 40 yrs. total riding. Years ago you acknowledged the brotherhood of being in the wind no matter what the ride.
In a high density m/c riding area I don't expect waves, it gets to be too much but when in the few and far between I like to see the comradery.

[tntnj]

I rarely get waves back from the Harley riders in NJ. It used to bother me, but now I just smile and wave and know , I rode 950 miles in 1 day and I wonder what is the farthest they rode.

[UtahPete]

Why do you care? Ride for yourself, not for the approval of others.

[SLICE]

Why do you care? Ride for yourself, not for the approval of others.

i couldn't agree more, do these people expect me to spill my dunkin coffee just to appease them.

[Cirhere]

I don't know why people worry about this nonsense Who cares weather someone salutes you
People are always cry about it, Sometimes I don't wave because I'm busy other times I just don't feel like it
I just ride and not worry about simple stuff

[GoNoGo]

[vito1943]

I wave to everyone on 2 or 3 wheels, except to bicyclists. I have found that I get fewer return waves on my Spyder than I used to get on my Goldwing. But no matter.

[milryder]

I wave to everyone on 2 or 3 wheels, except to bicyclists. I have found that I get fewer return waves on my Spyder than I used to get on my Goldwing. But no matter.

I do a lot of cycling so I wave to bicyclists also as an approval of their activity. It reminds me I need to get some exercise also. Sometimes they wave back, probably thinking, damn, I wish I was on that machine.

[Peacekeeper6]

I raise my hands in the air, and wave them like I just don't care.

LOL

But seriously, I usually wait for the other rider to wave. If they wave, I give the open palm or the "hang loose" sign, depending on whatever I feel like doing. If I see another Spyder, I initiate the wave similar to when Forrest Gump sees Lieutenant Dan from his shrimp boat.

It's funny, I also have one of those cheap 49cc Chinese scooters. When I was waiting at a stop light, a bearded Harley rider pulls up next to me. I gave him a nod and a "V" sign upside down as cool as I could, and he just started cracking up.

It was the exact response I was expecting, and still to this day will initiate a wave to Harleys and sportbikes on my scooter, LOL.

[SNOOPY]

I just get waves from all the hot women on the sidewalks.




.

[hypurone]

I came from 2 wheels and still wave the same way as when I was on them, level or lower, 2 fingers or the whole hand and usually fairly quickly (as I'm usually moving along at a rather rapid clip)... I wear high protection gloves so getting separation in the fingers is minimal, I doubt they can even see whether it's 2 fingers or not and just see the "wave" itself... I will wave to every rider no matter what they are on... Doesn't matter to me what they ride. Only matters to me that I am still ryding!