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Why We Wave
Observations by Wanderer Gary Steinweg
On other motorcycle cyber-forums the topic of waving - who does, and who doesn't - came up frequently. The theme was always the same, "why won't Harley riders return your wave?" Not meaning to create hate and dissention, I've made a few observations in this regard. Most shared interests have something that bonds it's participants. For motorcycling, it's not a password, and it's not a handshake. It's a wave. Well, actually it's a series of waves, different ones depending on the occasion.
First, there's the COOL WAVE. This one results in Harley Davidson riders responding likewise 85% of the time. This wave is initiated by slowly dropping the left hand down, open, palm forward. DO NOT waggle your fingers. This is the coolest wave, and can be used on almost all occasions, for every kind of bike.
Next, there's the SPORTY WAVE. This wave most often takes place simultaneously with frantic leaning, braking, and goosing your bike in the twisties. Your hand never leaves the grip. Grasping the left grip with thumb and part of your index finger, you do your best to lift all four fingers and move them together slowly once to the left, then back to the right. This wave is necessitated by the conditions under which you're riding, and is often missed or ignored by the oncoming biker, particularly if sparks are coming off his undercarriage.
Then there's the GOOFY WAVE. It usually marks you as a newby and will be responded to by other newbies and more seasoned bikers who feel sorry for you, but never by Harley riders. This is the simplist of all waves as you merely remove your left hand from the grip, raise it several inches, palm forward, and waggle your hand at the wrist like Queen Elizabeth does to greet her subjects.
Finally, there's the SHAME-ON-YOU wave which is reserved for the non-responding biker on a Harley who looks meaner than a junkyard dog. This is only used after the cool wave failed to elicit the desired response. It must be initiated while there is still time for the recalcitrant biker to make amends. You quickly move your hand from the low down cool wave to way above your head, arm straight up. You then point your hand forward at the wrist, and wiggle your fingers at the on-coming stranger. If you're a female, the results could lead to a relationship. If you're a male, the results could be the same.
For those who weren't sure, I hope this helps.