The First "Wave".

[Guzzi Gal]

The Hubby, and I usually go for breakfast, and a short backroad ride on Saturday mornings.  We had yet to come across other riders on these brief jaunts, as they are very early in the morning.  Today we decided to go a couple of miles farther than normal, and try a new eatery.  Turns out the website was inaccurate, and they weren't open.  However, on the way back to our regular spot, we got laughed at a light by a couple of officers in a cruiser, and snubbed by a Harley.  I waved at the cops, in a cheery fashion, so they laughed harder, and waved back.  I guess they thought those two scooter riders were nuts.   


After breakfast, we decided to head up South Mountain, the largest municipal park in the U.S..  In phoenix proper, twisties are far, and few between, and I expected to see a couple fellow riders, and a ton of bicyclists.  About two miles before the park entrance, we got our first official "wave" ever from a gal (?) on a UJM.  I happily returned the gesture.  A mile from the entrance, we were ignored by several more Harleys, then immediately waved at by a large sport bike contingent.  Again, I reciprocated.  Several more bikes waved, before we came to a stop to discuss our nest move.  Once stopped, I asked my husband if he noticed the first wave, or any of them for that matter, as he hadn't returned a one.  Turns out, he missed the first one, and saw some others, but didn't know what it was all about.  I gave him a quick primer, and off we went up SoMo.  Me thinks this short, but very beautifulride should become a regular thing for us. 

Some believe the wave is idiocy, others wave only to their own "kind".  Then there's the group that will wave only to "real" motorcycles, not scooters, trikes, mopeds, or what have you.  I belong to the "gonna wave, whether you do or not" group. 

It's all good.      




 

 

[oldbike54]

 UH OH , you have no idea the can of worms you've opened 

 I am in the "wave at everyone" camp , but us Okies are weird like that . We wave at farmers on tractors , folks on horses , heck , it doesn't cost anything .

 Dusty

[Triple Jim]

I am in the "wave at everyone" camp , but us Okies are weird like that .

Same here, but around here strangers say hello to each other in store parking lots too.  When I'm on my bicycle, I wave at motorcyclists and they usually wave back.  When I'm on a motorcycle, I wave at bicyclists and they usually wave back.  Generally, everyone waves at everyone around here, regardless of brand or type of 2-wheeled vehicle.

[azguzzirep]

My friend, Joe, (ya, I only got one friend )(😊) hikes SoMo every weekend.

When I was dating my wy late wife,, we rode my Guzzi up there. Nice views of the Valley of the Sun!!

Oh, and, I'd wave at a gorilla on a unicycle.  Makes no difference to me!

Tom

[oldbike54]

Same here, but around here strangers say hello to each other in store parking lots too.  When I'm on my bicycle, I wave at motorcyclists and they usually wave back.  When I'm on a motorcycle, I wave at bicyclists and they usually wave back.  Generally, everyone waves at everyone around here, regardless of brand or type of 2-wheeled vehicle.

 Yeah , same here . Then again , the "wag your tail and smile" method works everywhere , if nothing else it confuses folks 

 Dusty

[Guzzi Gal]

When we had arrived at S. Mountain's highest lookout point, a grizzled biker dude came over to talk scooters with us.  He said "those little things are fun as $#!+", and when he was in the service, he belonged to a group of hoodlums that rode them everywhere. 

You meet the nicest people on a ___________!

[Guzzi Gal]

Yeah , same here . Then again , the "wag your tail and smile" method works everywhere , if nothing else it confuses folks 

 Dusty

Ain't that the truth!

[charlie b]

I'd also say congrats on riding those things on a hot day up to So Mountain.  We used to have family gatherings up there with Aunts, Uncles and cousins.  A couple of years we had an Easter morning service (uncle and a cousin were ministers).

[Tom]

And......the Metro's made it up the hill???     Those are fun!  I still have my 2 stroke Elite.  I'm looking to get another Ruckus.  Ride a moped scooter the right and way and they're loads of fun.

[Guzzi Gal]

My friend, Joe, (ya, I only got one friend )(😊) hikes SoMo every weekend.

When I was dating my wy late wife,, we rode my Guzzi up there. Nice views of the Valley of the Sun!!

Oh, and, I'd wave at a gorilla on a unicycle.  Makes no difference to me!

Tom

I'm sure you have many friends, Tom.  We live a leisurely 5 minuet walk from a trail head, and I used to do a predawn hike every day.  Alas, I've gotten out of the habit.

[Guzzi Gal]

And......the Metro's made it up the hill???   

At a blazing 25 MPH!   

[Tom]

I'm over on 16th & McDowell, when I'm in town visiting the Thibideaux's.

[Tom H]

When we had arrived at S. Mountain's highest lookout point, a grizzled biker dude came over to talk scooters with us.  He said "those little things are fun as $#!+", and when he was in the service, he belonged to a group of hoodlums that rode them everywhere. 

You meet the nicest people on a ___________!

LMAO!!! I can picture that!!

Tom

[chuck peterson]

I've switched to a no waiting way early flash of a wave way before we meet. Makes them miserable for longer for not waving....its up to them, but my 70s intro to biking was we owned the waves, anyone on two wheels because we were as rare as hens teeth, and by God we had actually had to fix the damn things to get on the road and it was pretty much a miracle of machinery ....these days, not so much

Moped army rules....




imghost

[Dofin]

Smile, greet and wave!!  It's the right thing to do.  Good for the soul and could brighten someone's day.

[not-fishing]

I always wave at Scooters, mopeds, reverse trikes and sidecars because these people are crazy.  and pot meets kettle

Mark       

[Lumpy Idle]

I've switched to a no waiting way early flash of a wave way before we meet. Makes them miserable for longer for not waving....its up to them, but my 70s intro to biking was we owned the waves, anyone on two wheels because we were as rare as hens teeth,...




imghost

yeah, i'm with chuck here. i started riding on the street in the late 60's and we just waved to everyone on a bike.  there weren't all that many of us and the nod to inclusion seemed like a good thing.  generally the harley guys did not wave back and i learned to stop giving them the nod.  i remember stopping at the bottom of the hill in my neighborhood and a harley guy, wearing a cut, pulled up next to me and said "why don't you get a real bike!" then he roared off.  nowadays i am back to waving at anyone on powered 2 wheels. i leave it to them to figure out their protocols.  i say 'peace on earth, good will toward peoplekind.'

[Huzo]

I'm reasonably sure that there's some riders who are ready to wave as they approach but don't want to look like a dill if you don't respond so they don't. Try waiting 'till the very last moment and flick one, and I reckon they'll respond instantly. Here in Oz, a Harley rider won't wave if he's with his mates, but more often than not, will if he's on his own. You don't have to be Pythagoras to work that one out.

[Neil]

Heck,
        I'll wave to almost everybody on 2 powered wheels; and bicycle riders, joggers (whether a pretty young lady or not) gets a thumbs up. Same thumbs up for anyone in a classic vehicle, whether a 60's 'Vette, or a restored pickup. Most of those on motorcycles respond ( mostly seems to be "rice rocket" riders who ignore the greeting). Most of the time the Harley folks will wave. Almost all of the classic vehicle riders will respond with a wave. 
        If they don't wave, no offense taken.  As I see it,  what's the harm in being civilized to one's fellow riders/drivers. Making someone smile isn't a bad thing.

[Tom H]

On the ones that didn't wave back. Maybe they were preocupied with something, like traffic.

On my commute, when the traffic is sucky, I'd rather be paying attention to what the cars are doing around me than waving.

Now if it's on an open road, that a different story.

Tom

[Gliderjohn]

I generally wave at anything two or three wheeled. 80%+ get a wave back. The non-wavers tend to be a small percentage of H-D riders and young crotch rocket riders. With the H-d riders it seems the more "pirate" they are the less likely to wave. I do tend to get more waves overall on the T-3 compared to the Norge. Sometimes I think the T-3 has them perplexed as to what it is and they think the Norge is a BMW.
GliderJohn

[oldbike54]

 JP , those Harley riders we "let" pass us waved , they did give your T3 a good looking over 

 Dusty

[Gliderjohn]

JP , those Harley riders we "let" pass us waved , they did give your T3 a good looking over 

 Dusty

But we could have offered to race them down the five miles dirt road I took you on. I think we would have won.
GliderJohn

[oldbike54]

 

 Dusty

[Guzzidad]

   Couple of days ago I was riding through a rather remote neighborhood on my EV. I waved at an older guy getting his mail from the box at the street. He responded with a wave back and a BIG smile. Felt good.

[Gliderjohn]

Will have kids wave either from a car or sidewalk. Always try to give a good wave back. Positive riding PR never hurts.
GliderJohn

[JACoH]

I wave at everyone, motorcycle or scooter. Even the Harley guys wave back around here, unless I was on the BV350. Also, the guys with the ape hangers above their shoulders never wave back. There was a guy on a BMW forum posted that he wouldn't wave at a scooter or smaller bike rider, what an ***.

[Tom]

The RICHARDS are everywhere.

[Gliderjohn]

From JACoH:

Also, the guys with the ape hangers above their shoulders never wave back.

Do they dare let go to wave?
GliderJohn

[Tom H]

From JACoH:
Do they dare let go to wave?
GliderJohn

I was thinking the same thing!!
Tom