What's in a gesture?

Oldguy

Oldguy

Club Member
Leaving the JR in Oxford yesterday, I heard a familiar rumble behind and seeing a red BT with black engine raised my hand and then gave a thumbs up.
The rider then replied with an open hand and a thumbs up, my response was a thumbs up and a wave.

I do not know who the rider was, but if you do come on here, it was good to "talk", thanks.
Your bike sounded great by the way.
 
Your right, there are so many out there who do not acknowledge fellow bikers. In my opinion its a new type of person who now own a motorcycle who do not understand or wish to understand the ways of our lifestyle. Its strange that it's normally the ones wearing the full adventure biking kit normally grey and can be seen riding or even standing on the foorpegs of the BMW or Triumphs they are often found gathering outside Coffee shops discussing dinner parties and skiing holidays with Tara and Tristan
 
I forgot to say I was on foot, just another guy heading for the bus stop from an interesting endoscopy procedure.
Maybe it was the hair and beard, or the uncontrollable farting -- But when someone signs are you OK, it helps.
 
Its good to wave 👋

Regardless of the bike, however small, whatever make, I wave., sometimes get a big smile and energetic wave back from the young on moped/scooter.

Its notable that when I'm not on the RK and on the ‘other’ Harley I get waved at more, often first, probably because it’s not obviously a Harley. Which would suggest to me that possibly some Harley riders only acknowledge other Harley's and visa versa.

The Europeans wave with their foot 🦶 😂😂😂😂
 
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michael_dinwiddy said:
Its good to wave 👋

Regardless of the bike, however small, whatever make, I wave., sometimes get a big smile and energetic wave back from the young on mooed/scooters.

Its notable that when I'm not on the RK and on the ‘other’ Harley I get waved at more, often first, probably because it’s not obviously a Harley. Which would suggest to me that possibly some Harley riders only acknowledge other Harley's and visa versa.

The Europeans wave with their foot 🦶 😂😂😂😂
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Michael - I have to ask, what is a mooed / scooter?😲
 
Now this might be a contentious issue, but for I'm a biker I've always classed myself a biker some may say they are a biker for whatever reason but my reasons are historic.
I've always since I was 14 had a black leather Motorcycle jacket, I've watched bands since I was 14 starting off with Motorhead and Sabbath in 1977 I listen to Rock music all of the time, when we were in our teens my jeans were Filthy we wore triplex bike chains for a belt my hair was half way down my back and we classed ourselves as Greasers, or Greabos I passed my bike test at 17 in 1981 and I hung about with other like minded people and I loved it my wife even classes us as bikers. So you may have your own reasons why your a biker but the one thing that so called bikers do is acknowledge each other, but I have noticed that its who I call The Motorcylist ( don't attend rallies don't belong to clubs like ours ) who do not acknowledge or pull over if a biker is in distress. I think the guys on this forum or in this club are bikers Whether you class yourself that way or not
 
Affluence has changed attitudes.

As a rider of a Francis Barnett which was unreliable at best (limited knowledge and tools) back in 1963, then after getting the BSA C15 in '64, stopping to help another rider was the norm, and others would stop and ask if all was OK if I was by the roadside. Even when dispatching, I've stopped and helped fix punctures; syphoned fuel out of my tank into someone who had run out on a motorway, and on one occasion when driving the firms pick-up, loaded a 250 Yam into the back and took the guy and bike home. Two riders stuck with irrepairable engine failure on one bike, I offered to go home and haul a trailer back, loaded up and took them back to Worcester Park (30 mile journey). No payment was taken though they offered.

Conversely, when the BSA A10 threw us off with a front wheel puncture in rural Bucks., some guy in a Lotus Seven stopped and gave us a lift (can't remember how we squeezed into it!) Recovered the bike later. Then with another flat tyre on the BMW along the M40 (six patches and still going down), the driver of a 7.5 tonner stopped and using his tail-lift we loaded the bike in the back to the depot I was working out of in High Wycombe. There are/were some good people out there.

But when tool boxes were replace with credit cards and mobile phones, it became all too easy to phone a recovery service. That was when I noticed a distinct change in attitudes. Maybe I'm just getting too old, but old habits die hard. A 'tractor run' for classic tractors saw a David Brown struggling outside our last house a few years back. I said bring in into the yard. We got some tools out and fixed the slipping fan belt (overheating), and off he went. It cost me nothing, and a wave costs even less.
 
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Something else that strikes me; riding around was all about a feeling of freedom. I seldom rode in company preferring the experience of being at one with the bike. What it looked like was more important to ME, rather than how it, or myself looked to others. Whilst the old WL was decked out as a 'dresser', and it did attract attention (and back in the mid to late sixties that was a lot!) which undeniably felt good, it was what I did with it, where I went with it, and how I felt on it that was far more important. I can understand the expression of art and engineering in choppers, but I wouldn't want to build or ride one. (Though a minimalist WL does appeal to my fantasies from time to time).
 
I nod or wave at bikes passing in the opposite direction and have done for decades, but my experience has shown;

a) Not everyone nods/waves back
b) Other Harley owners don't always nod/wave back when on a Harley and rarely when on a sports bike
c) Sports bike riders rarely nod/wave when on a Harley and not always nod/wave when on a sports bike
d) BMW GS Riders.......well........I could count their responses on one hand :ROFLMAO:

Times have changed and many out on bikes treat it as a leisure item with no concept of biker code/brotherhood etc..etc..

Classic case here.......I saw a bike parked up in an odd place and the rider was squatting looking at his bike. I gave the thumbs up/thumbs down as I approached and he shrugged his shoulders. I turned around and stopped and asked, "Have you broken down and need a hand?" He replied, "No, can't you see I'm on the phone." Charming :hopelessness:
 
Dazzlin said:
I nod or wave at bikes passing in the opposite direction and have done for decades, but my experience has shown;

a) Not everyone nods/waves back
b) Other Harley owners don't always nod/wave back when on a Harley and rarely when on a sports bike
c) Sports bike riders rarely nod/wave when on a Harley and not always nod/wave when on a sports bike
d) BMW GS Riders.......well........I could count their responses on one hand :ROFLMAO:

Times have changed and many out on bikes treat it as a leisure item with no concept of biker code/brotherhood etc..etc..

Classic case here.......I saw a bike parked up in an odd place and the rider was squatting looking at his bike. I gave the thumbs up/thumbs down as I approached and he shrugged his shoulders. I turned around and stopped and asked, "Have you broken down and need a hand?" He replied, "No, can't you see I'm on the phone." Charming :hopelessness:
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I hope you gave him a Volley with both barrels. 🤬🤬🤬
 
I wave at everyone on a powered two-wheeled vehicle, even coppers, most of them wave back. Wore myself out last Sunday waving and nodding at a group of mods on scooters - they mostly waved back too.
The only ones who tend to ignore me are sports bikes riders, either too cool to wave or hanging on so desperately that they dare not take a hand off the bar.
 
Dazzlin said:
I nod or wave at bikes passing in the opposite direction and have done for decades, but my experience has shown;

a) Not everyone nods/waves back
b) Other Harley owners don't always nod/wave back when on a Harley and rarely when on a sports bike
c) Sports bike riders rarely nod/wave when on a Harley and not always nod/wave when on a sports bike
d) BMW GS Riders.......well........I could count their responses on one hand :ROFLMAO:

Times have changed and many out on bikes treat it as a leisure item with no concept of biker code/brotherhood etc..etc..

Classic case here.......I saw a bike parked up in an odd place and the rider was squatting looking at his bike. I gave the thumbs up/thumbs down as I approached and he shrugged his shoulders. I turned around and stopped and asked, "Have you broken down and need a hand?" He replied, "No, can't you see I'm on the phone." Charming :hopelessness:
Click to expand...
Probably a dogger. So bob103 tells me.😆
 
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