X-men

[sasquash]

Right off, I apologize for this post. I don't know how this stuff makes its way into my consciousness but it does.

I was riding to the biggest bike meet in Canada, held every Friday the 13th in Port Dover, Ontario. It draws a crowd of over 100,000. For those interested, I posted some info on the meet in the forum '2015 Rally Calendar and Information'. I know, the wrong year but I don't know how to move the post to the correct spot.

Anyway, lots of bikes on the roads including several dozen going the other way on what was my choice of a road less traveled for the way forward. Of course as we passed we flashed the standard acknowledgement - left hand out and down with a V sign.

I had been thinking previously that I would like to flash a different sign - one with a little more panache. So what came to me was taking both hands of the handlebars and crossing my arms to make an 'X'. I tried it in the mirror at home and with arms straight out and bent at the elbows and crossed, it looked awesome.

The road was a willing partner for this folly on this day - smooth, dry and a speed limit of 80 kph. So a deep breath and first one, then a second and on until I had done ten, like in X, of them. And received a number of startled looks.

I'm not about to suggest anyone adopt this however if you do, feel free to call yourself 'X-men'. Amen.

[NobleHops]

I like your spirit

I used to amuse myself on long rides by flashing the other guy his engine. A V for a Harley, 4 fingers together for an inline 4 bike, pinky and thumb extended for a BMW. I wonder if any of them ever figured it out?

N.

[rpleines]

I like your spirit

I used to amuse myself on long rides by flashing the other guy his engine. A V for a Harley, 4 fingers together for an inline 4 bike, pinky and thumb extended for a BMW. I wonder if any of them ever figured it out?

N.

Be thankful you never ran into Andreas Georgeades on his V12 Honda CBX. Might have given a new defination to "flashing the other guy his engine"

[Z Grand]

Back in the '70's when I started riding, around here the "wave" was a clinched fist in the air about helmet height. (As in, "right on, brother!)

[rpleines]

Remind me of this old post on CBX World ;

Why Riders Don't Wave Back.

Top Ten Reasons Why Harley Riders Don't Wave Back

10. Afraid it will invalidate warranty
9. Leather and studs make it too heavy to raise arm
8. Refuse to wave to anyone whose bike is already paid for
7. Afraid to let go of handlebars because they might vibrate off
6. Rushing wind would blow scabs off the new tattoos
5. Angry because just took out second mortgage to pay luxury tax on new Harley
4. Just discovered the fine print in owner's manual and realized H-D is partially owned by Honda
3. Can't tell if other riders are waving or just reaching to cover their ears like everyone else
2. Remembers the last time a Harley rider waved back, he impaled his hand on spiked helmet
1. They're too tired from spending hours polishing all that chrome to lift their arms.

Top Ten Reasons Why GoldWing Riders Riders Don't Wave Back

10. Wasn't sure whether other rider was waving or making an obscene gesture
9. Afraid might get frostbite if hand is removed from heated grip
8. Has arthritis and the past 400 miles have made it difficult to raise arm
7. Reflection from etched windshield momentarily blinded him
6. The espresso machine just finished
5. Was actually asleep when other rider waved
4. Was in a three-way conference call with stockbroker and accessories dealer
3. Was distracted by odd shaped blip on radar screen
2. Was simultaneously adjusting the air suspension, seat height, programmable CD player, seat temperature, and satellite
navigation system
1. Couldn't find the "auto wave back" button on dashboard

Top Ten Reasons Why Sport Bike Riders Don't Wave Back

10. They have not been riding long enough to know they're supposed to
9. They're going too fast to have time enough to register the movement and respond
8. You weren't wearing bright enough gear
7. If they stick their arm out going that fast they'll rip it out of the socket
6. They're too occupied with trying to get rid of their chicken strips
5. They look way too cool with both hands on the bars or they don't want to unbalance themselves while standing on the tank
4. Their skin tight-Kevlar-ballistic-nylon-kangaroo-leather suits prevent any position other than fetal
3. Raising an arm allows bugs into the armholes of their tank tops
2. It's too hard to do one-handed stoppies
1. They were too busy slipping their flip-flop back on

Top Ten Reasons Why BMW Riders Riders Don't Wave Back

10. New Aerostich suit too stiff to raise arm
9. Removing a hand from the bars is considered "bad form."
8. Your bike isn't weird enough looking to justify acknowledgment.
7. Too sore from an 800-mile day on a stock "comfort" seat.
6. Too busy programming the GPS, monitoring radar, listening to iPod, XM, and talking on the cell phone.
5. He's an Iron Butt rider and you're not!
4. Wires from Gerbings is too short.
3. You're not riding the "right kind" of BMW.
2. You haven't been properly introduced.
1. Afraid it will be misinterpreted as a friendly gesture.

Top Ten Reasons Why Dual Purpose Riders Don't Wave Back

10. Off road elbow guards, chest protector, fanny pack, drink system binds them up.
9. Bark busters and gummy grips slows the hand from raising quickly.
7. Just can't take time out from doing that 10 mile wheelie through traffic.
9. He's passing street bikes off road on the right @ 60mph through the trees & rocks.
6. Too busy checking his enduro roll chart doing mental time/mile math so he wont blow the next check point.
5. Can't see other bikers through his 20 layers of tear off's.
4. The dude only recognizes Honda's with every after market race part known to man.
3. His killer 2 inch tall knobies vibrate so bad vision is obscured.
2. The chin guard on his full face helmet sticks out so much it blocks his view.
1. He's got his Mauna Kea 200 race face on and can't be bothered.

Top Ten Reasons Why Moped, Scooter & Ruckus Riders Don't Wave Back

10. Scared ****less to remove a hand from the bar's.
9.Never road this fast on a two wheel anything before.
8. Full focus three inches from front tire.
7. Freaked out on the extreme right side of the road dogging broken bottles and car accident trash.
6. Don't want to lose their grocery's in plastic bags hanging from the bar's.
5. Won't deter from the full attention military riding position.
4. Their mother & grandmother told them it was very, very dangerous.
3. Think it's hoodlum stunt riding.
2. Don't want to chance getting a reckless driving ticket.
1. 25 mph is too damn fast to try something stupid like that.

[sasquash]

I like your spirit

I used to amuse myself on long rides by flashing the other guy his engine. A V for a Harley, 4 fingers together for an inline 4 bike, pinky and thumb extended for a BMW. I wonder if any of them ever figured it out?

N.

And for a single cyclinder? We all know that 'wave'.

[sasquash]

Remind me of this old post on CBX World ;

Why Riders Don't Wave Back.

This is most hilarious. I mean most! Thanks for sharing it.

[Michael Vidovic]

For some it's just too difficult to multi task!

[wyly]

when I first rode 46 yrs ago signal indicators where I lived weren't recognized as legal means of signaling on motorbikes, only hand/arm signals were... failure to use arms to signal to turn or stop could get you a ticket even though most bikes had indicators, it was stupid.

anyways, when the bad boys on their HDs, Triumphs, BSAs and Nortons waved I thought they were only signaling a lane change or turn, it never occurred to me they'd actually be waving at a scrawny kid on a humble two stroke honda...

or they really were indicating a lane change and would never wave at a kid on a honda...

[Mouse]

When I got my first bike (Honda Hawk 400 T) in southern Ontario in the 80's "The Wave" was a quick left hand release of handle bar a rotation of the wrist outwards, three fingers straight with the thumb and baby finger flexed inwards and the thumb covering the baby finger. A couple of variations were, 1- the three straight fingers were spread and 2- straightening the arm out ward at a 45 degree downward angle.
I also remember that the Editor of Cycle Canada magazine declaring in an editorial that 'The Wave" was dead!

[Joner]

Over here in the UK we nod to other riders rather than risk taking our hands off the bars with our BADLY potholed roads.

Cheers
Chris J.

[whitecatbob]

Wow so much ediquict around acknowledging a fellow biker not sure I could cope with all that. In SA a simple wave of the left hand or, if a bit busy with controls, a nod of the head does the job.

We also acknowledge and thank car drives for moving over and letting us through, an action I do not see in other parts of the world.

[wyly]

We also acknowledge and thank car drives for moving over and letting us through, an action I do not see in other parts of the world.

we also acknowledge car drivers when they move into our lane/space, though it's never a polite acknowledgement...letting us through just doesn't happen here.

[whitecatbob]

Yes that is what I had noticed. SA driver have one of the worst reputations in the world, yet a lot do move over a let bike through both in traffic and on the open road.