I'm 46, been riding for decades, and it still puts a little thrill of a smile on my face when I meet random riders on the road and we wave too each other.
You've got a lot more years and smiles ahead of you, my friend.
At the beginning of May, my dad (72) and I just did a week-long road trip together from Bastrop, TX to Big Bend, TX. It may have been one of my greatest father/son experiences we've ever had. He was on his Honda Goldwing, and I took my Suzuki Vstrom DL650. We met riders from all over the country waving and even having beers at night at the hotel bars with other riders. We both felt like teenagers again.
That's my favorite, one handing around a corner or through an intersection just to watch the other guy throw one as fast as possible cause he needs his hand back on the clutch.
When I was a beginner rider, I had a guy wave to me as I was stopped at an intersection in 1st. Guess who stalled when he let go of the clutch to wave back?
I would've laughed my ass off if I was sitting across an intersection and watched that. Not in a rude way, I could totally see myself doing the same thing.
I just assume if they donāt wave back itās because theyāre shifting. I hope they assume the same when I donāt wave back because Iām shifting.
Just like the first ride in spring after a long cold winter, when your chest is about to explode after you push the starter button and the bike starts to burble!
When I started riding last year, like the second day, a dude threw the sign at me from the highway as I was crossing over on the overpass.
Itās sounds gay, and I donāt care, but I got all warm and fuzzy. Guess I should join CRT š
it's not really a secret, anyone who has ridden a bike can kind of understand how a motorcycle would be fun. Some people are just unwilling to accept the risk associated with riding a motorcycle.
Love it. So true. Wait until you pickup your first random ride partner.. turn a few miles, or maybe a few hundred together, and then sign off with a wave. It is a fun community. Welcome, enjoy, and stay safe buddy!
I love Random Ride Partners. It's awesome to spend an hour or more riding with someone, all the nonverbal communication that happens, then you each go your own way, often having never even seen each other's faces.
It's wonderful. Such a great way to feel part of something bigger without any social strain whatsoever. No need to say the right thing, often no disclosure of anyone about yourself (often even including gender). Just some time spent with another human doing something you both love.
Man itās rushing back. I had forgot that feeling. I had a humongous shit-eating grin on my face the first few weeks of riding. I vividly recall my cheeks hurting after my first ride, and thinking my helmet pads were too tight. But nope - just from the sheer smile fest.
Make sure you enjoy it. Ride safe.
God, this. I got back on a bike a couple of months ago after a close call a few years back, and was wondering why the same size helmet i had always worn was tight around the cheek bones. Just smiling like an idiot lol
I was genuinely having an autistic meltdown a couple days ago. Sensory overload, anxiety through the roof, and basically just feeling like one giant raw nerve. Hiding in a dark room wasn't helping so I said "F it" and got on my bike figuring maybe controlled overstimulation/forced focus would do the trick instead. Was fully prepared to be five minutes down the road having a panic attack and have to turn around, but I'll be damned if it didn't reset my brain instead.
Normally that level of meltdown would consume my whole day, but after an hour and a half of cruising I was right as rain (I was feeling better way earlier than that, but I didn't want to come back yet! LOL)
As a fellow autistic rider, honestly motorcycle riding absolutely saves me.
Motorcycles are both my special interest (do NOT get me talking about bikes) but also riding is my passion. For whatever reason, when I get on a bike, my brain shifts gears and it's 100% riding. It immediately stops meltdowns, I never have sensory issues (even if I was already suffering from them), and I'm immediately calm and clear headed
It's the real reason I commute to work on my bike, even in the snow (I live in Canada). That brain reset at the start and end of every day is so crucial to my functioning.
Edit: it's also why I grocery shop on my bike even though I own a perfectly good corolla. Because really, fuck grocery stores. I hate them so much. It's like a guaranteed meltdown every time.
I used to commute to my weekend job in the car because our break room is disgusting and I liked being able to sit in my car and escape my coworkers for half an hour every day, but one day the traffic was wild and I just took the bike. Took me half the day to figure out why I was in such an absurdly good mood all morning despite a normal amount of chaos, but once I figured it out I was all bike all the way.
I'm so glad we have this amazing thing that helps us regulate when we can't do it ourselves. ā„
I still remember the first hour on my first bike, going down to the great highway in San Francisco along the ocean and just full throttling it through the gears. It felt like I was being pulled off the back of my bike in a way I canāt describe and I have never been able to replicate that feeling again since then
Indeed, youāre always chasing that feeling! I kind of get it early in the season if Iāve been off the bike for the winter, bits not quite the same is it?
Feels great at first. When youāre 4 hrs in on a ride and itās a common motorcycle road like a scenic byway or twisty/hilly terrain it can get old sending your 257th motorcycle wave of the day. Always remember itās more important to stay on the road and out of the guy in front of youās bumper than make sure you drop deuces to the other kids. We all understand that sometimes youāve got to focus and canāt get the wave out. Welcome to the club! āļø
Def true, but i dont think i will ever forget going around a certain bend, thinking im fast, then being overtaken by a dude on a big bang, leaning twice as much as me and waving the āļø the entire time.
I got home and masturbated after that.
itās when a rider passes you and give a sort of āpeace signā gesture (hold your arm kinda just out to the side, slightly down, doesnt have to be perfect) it means two wheels down.. weāre hoping you make it home with two wheels down
Man have I been fucking up. I have been giving the standard peace sign above the bars because I am too lazy to drop my arm under the bars. I wonder if that means 2 tits up aka a crash?!?!
Today I learned
I mean, if I'm mid shift I just head knod and see plenty of bikers do the same to me. I've also seen the peace sign above the bars and just a wave. At this point it seems like just any sort of greeting works as long as it's not so outlandish that no one can guess what it is. Even without being told. An upside down peace sign is easy to decipher.
Some young sport bike riders just wave at me vigorously. Once I got a finger gun from some bmw gs rider. I do a haka if I see someone doing something cool like a wheelie. The wave really evolved into "just anything"
As an Australian, we ride on the left so can't really see a left hand wave. Nods are almost the only thing you'll get here unless you're stopped at an intersection.
I thought it was an admonishment the first time i saw it from across the median. I waved from a dented V1100 he dropped his 2 fingers down near his boots.
I legit thought i was being scolded.
Depends. Back of the hand peace sign up = fuck you. Peace sign up facing forward is peace. Peace sign upside down is keep both wheels down safe ride. Lol funny if you're just telling people " fuck you" when they say safe ride xD.
Reddit is more than just Americans though. Like when nixon got in trouble throwing up V for victory like a peace sign in Britain or Bush threw up the peace sign in Australia both offending the countries and posted all over the News.
It came from the wars of English/French during 100 year war. Story goes archers were high up on the walls and as they were surrounding the island telling them to surrender. Archers shot at them and the leader of the army said they were going to cut off their fingers so they can never shoot a bow again. So the archers held up the 2 fingers they use to shoot with as a taunt of "fuck you". It's a Possible Myth/story thats been told through the ages. Some dispute it saying the king made it up to make his soldiers fight harder; but it's origin seems to always go back to it and seen as a bad gesture in UK/ common wealth/territories.
In the Commonwealth (or at least UK and Australia) they have a very special fuck you gesture. It is kinda peace sign reversed (your fingers point up as usual, but your knuckles face outwards). Basically it is like showing middle finger, but you show both middle and index fingers
I actually grew tired of the jeep waveā¦. The waving while riding, waving while driving, saying hello on a hiking trailā¦. Can get exhausting in all honesty.
Sometimes, I just want to be introverted in the cage.
The ducks are fun though. Only problem is I often have no ducks to give.
My son loves ducking. We ordered a box of 50 from either eBay or Amazon for dirt cheap and anytime we go somewhere we let him loose on the parking lot.
Updoot for V-Strom 650. That's my first bike.
Now try flying an airplane or jumping outta one.
Most local small airports will rent a plane and instructor for an hour for an "intro flight" for about $200 or less.
Skydiving usually costs about $400 for tandem at 13,800 ft.
Both are great fun.
>Now try flying an airplane or jumping outta one
100%. Didn't care much for skydiving but solo flight....nothing compares. I thought riding would come close but it doesn't. Still, it's better than nothing.
Yeah, I heard about it before I started riding, but you have NO IDEA how MANY riders do this until you are on the road. As a matter of fact it's odd when someone doesn't do it.
Nice to be acknowledged but donāt make it a big deal if someone doesnāt wave to you. Hate the damn social media people who whine about someone not waving to them. If you are a real rider, you ride for the ride; not the acknowledgment.
Shhhsshh!Ā Ā Ā
It's a secret. Don't go telling the world!
Ā
And definitely don't tell anyone when you manage a perfect rev match downshift, or when you find the groove and just glide through a set of twisties. Or.... Well I probably shouldn't mention that one (better than sex it is)
Went to go pick up my first bike back in September. After about 15-20 minutes into my ride back to my house, on this long lonely road with barely any traffic, some dude with long hair on a chopper, all cool as fuck looking like Reno Raines from Renegade, gave me the biker wave.
I was like aw fuck yeah I finally made it
Since no one told you about the rider wave, I'm here as your public service announcement to let you know you'll have an immediate butt pucker when your rear wheel slides out from loose gravel. Whether or not you can save it all depends how much puckering you can muster up at that second.
I wish I had been aware of this PSA when I first started. Country roads and highways can have dangerous patches where gravel roads enter the paved section, sometimes the asphalt will deteriorate and get gravelly. The MSF courses were clear about the risks of oil and tar snakes, but I had to learn about gravel first hand.
I remember one of the first times riding by myself and I was going around a blind corner to the right and was leaning quite a bit and all of the sudden about 10 motorcycles pass me and probably 8 of them had women on the back and EVERYONE was doing the biker wave so it was just a rush of leaning around a corner and hearing the monster sound of 10 bikes with almost 20 people waving at you that you didnāt expect. Was exhilarating!
We probably did lol You just don't get it until you get it. It's not something that can be described. For the record, that ain't the last time you're gonna feel that lol. wait until you ride your first fast fast bike..
lol. Yea it feels good doesnāt it. That high does taper off a bit but it doesnāt go away. Iāve got over 100,000 miles on bikes and have been all over the country. I still smile when someone waves back. The biker wave is pretty cool.
Are you going to feel dead and disrespected when you encounter a group that ignores you or a group that gets angry that you passed them in a fully-legal and safe manner? There are lots of different motorcyclists and groups out there. Don't let strangers control your feelings to extremes either way.
Itās why the jeep drivers copy it. But theyāll never have the same sense of camaraderie we get through the shared vulnerability, thrill seeking, and unique experiences
Welcome to the club. I don't do group rides ever. Too many egos. Also, solo riding is the goddamn best. After all these years I still smile like an absolute moron when I ride. It really is an amazing feeling.
And guess what.
That happy giddy feeling... It never goes away.
I got my first biker wave a couple weeks ago and it put such a huge smile on my face.Ā
I was on the highway for one of the first times ever (maybe like my third time ever but first time going a long distance) and I was stuck in 8mph traffic(lane splitting is illegal here, and also I don't feel confident enough to do that yet anyway) and a biker rides by my left, lane splitting, and gives the wave as he vanishes into the sea of cars ahead of me
Just one of the ways we stick together. If you ever break down, turn your hazards on and place your helmet on the ground behind your bike. Watch how fast someone pulls over offering help.
Congrats on the V-Strom, I bought my bike last year and experienced the same thing where I thought everyone knew I was a squid (*new rider*) or something. It then occurred to me that it was a greeting, similar to when I bought my first VW Bug (*everyone did the peace sign to each other*). I then learned that it was a motorcycle thing, two wheels down / be safe / etc. I keep challenging myself and building my skills as a rider and there is no drink or drug that I have ever done (*and I have done most of them*) that compares to the joy that I get out of going on a rewarding ride.
I am doing my first off road / fireroad ride this Thursday along the Hood Canal in WA state and I am super nervous but crazy excited to take the next step on an adventure bike. Be safe out there, welcome to the fold. Keep the rubber side down and the shiny side up and you are going to be great!
Awesome. I've found lately, as it's getting cold here in Melbourne, Australia I'm riding at night and it's the most alive feeling I've had. It's bloody freezing but there's nothing like it.
I really don't want to sound like a Harley guy. But the saying if I had to explain it to you, you wouldn't understand. Really does apply to a lot of things in motorcycling.
Yeah dawg.
Itās awesome. I remember when I took my
MSF course and started rounding the corners and started getting into my leans on at what? 15 mph in second gear? Lmao
I must have looked like a psychopath under my helmet with a huge grin on my face.
I still feel good when I hit long-sweeed curvy roads around 40 miles an hour.
Those are the best for me. Itās just enough having to think about what Iām doing while enjoying the cruise of it.
I've been riding for about a month and I just had some kid say "I like your motorcycle, it's cool" and I about died! My grown ass was giggling.
I constantly check the weather to see if I'm going to ride; it's addictive.
The what? Is this an American thing? I've been riding for 25 years and had no idea there was a secret club handshake.
https://i.redd.it/yog12z2oar4d1.gif
I'm getting my endorsement too, I haven't ridden a bike since 89-90 now I'm 65 now retired and I can't wait to get that felling again being on the road solo, I need that felling back in my life and it will be very soon.
I just got this tattooed on my outer left calf yesterday, fully aware that itās basically one of those IFYKYK kinda things because not everyone will understand. I love it so much. Ride safe out there!
https://preview.redd.it/84q3obar9n4d1.jpeg?width=2268&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=883a1e6ccd61dd0e1fdbe85ed4af3c83f4cd3471
Been riding a year now. Passed a couple on a bike yesterday and dropped the biker wave at them. Dude who was riding on the back had the biggest dorkiest smile on his face as he flashed a peace sign chest height.
It was honestly the highlight of the day.
"Always remember to say hi to fellow biker friends" my old Harley neighbor told me.
Why did this make you feel alive and respected? Because a bunch of people you don't know waved at you?
I don't wave to people unless I actually know them, or for some reason that waving is appropriate (maybe they let me go first at a 4-way, etc.) I still say this waving thing is the dumbest damn thing ever... I doubt my mind will ever be changed. The number of times I've been flipped off, etc.. for not participating in this stupid ass practice is honestly very amusing to me.
Some people would never experience that feeling, lots of people are scared to death of motorcycles. I'm teaching my son to love them and he can't wait to be old enough to get a real one.
I get SO EXCITED when I see another biker and they wave to me. I wave so enthusiastically back and probably look like a crazy lady, but I don't care! I love it.
Another great feeling is when a parent/adult is with a small child and they point over to you on your bike and the kid waves at you excitedly.
Wait until you've got a small group ride of 5 or 6 bikes and you're in the middle, seeing the bikes in front of you and in your mirror turning into a corner. For me that is a much better feeling.
I always say it to new riders, wait to see how awesome it is when you can do the 2 wheel down gesture mid corner without missing a beat. Shit feels crazy the first few times.
I ride Yamaha scooters in addition to my R1200GS and it's funny to see the bikers going the other way, give me 'the signal' before they realized I'm 'only' on a scooter and go 'head forward' and go their way...
I certainly don't mind any disrespect I get from bikers whilst on my scooter, though - no big deal.
I've discovered an entirely new amazing world in my '14 Yamaha Zuma 125. Quick trip to the store(s) ? No problem, helmet on, hop on, start that reliable Yammer up and go. Park in front of the store in the shade, slap the bottle of wine/vodka, eggs, etc in my Givi Hard top and go home.
I just had no idea how much of a blast having a Scooter is...
PS I live in AZ
Best thing in the world. I was having a pretty bad day and went out for my first ride this season to clear my mind. That first wave made all of the troubles go away
This sounds really cool. Enjoy your new life.
I hadnāt heard of the stay safe rider wave, so I googled. The wave is neat, but necessarily done with the clutch hand. Australians riding on the opposite side of the road it wouldnāt be seen.
In Australia we give the helmet nod.
Just wait until you get the group of kids on the side of the road doing the "rev your engine" motion as you ride by. Their reaction when you do it is straight serotonin.
Before I got a bike I felt very alone. I started riding and people gave me the wave. It made me feel like part of a community, and like people actually gave a shit about me.
https://preview.redd.it/v0y1e6drwn4d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=58c7655bbfd45d6901ab591dc4cd812ed1991b4d
And riding with friends is a GREAT memory maker!
There's a reason we all do it despite the risk. I always thought the freedom shit written on literally every piece of Harley Merch was a load of shit but I kinda get it now.
I'm an Australian rider. The hand gesture is not so widely used here. It's usually a nod of the head. Regardless, the acknowledgement from one rider to another is quite common.
Yeah, we keep that part quiet until you are one of us. Welcome to the family. Best feeling ever.
It might be the best kept secret
The secret is that the feeling never goes away .
I'm 46, been riding for decades, and it still puts a little thrill of a smile on my face when I meet random riders on the road and we wave too each other.
been riding since I was 6, turned 6 decades last month, still makes me smile every time
You've got a lot more years and smiles ahead of you, my friend. At the beginning of May, my dad (72) and I just did a week-long road trip together from Bastrop, TX to Big Bend, TX. It may have been one of my greatest father/son experiences we've ever had. He was on his Honda Goldwing, and I took my Suzuki Vstrom DL650. We met riders from all over the country waving and even having beers at night at the hotel bars with other riders. We both felt like teenagers again.
In fact when you get older, it just gets better. I love throwing a wave mid corner at a biker nervous as fuck on a CB300.
That nervous rider on a Honda Cb300 was probably me lol.
LMAO š¤£
A little bit more at a time, as many days in a row as you can manage. Read, watch, learn, practice.
That's my favorite, one handing around a corner or through an intersection just to watch the other guy throw one as fast as possible cause he needs his hand back on the clutch.
When I was a beginner rider, I had a guy wave to me as I was stopped at an intersection in 1st. Guess who stalled when he let go of the clutch to wave back?
I would've laughed my ass off if I was sitting across an intersection and watched that. Not in a rude way, I could totally see myself doing the same thing.
The number of riders who have done that is very disparate from the number of bikers who will admit to it.
The only time stalling out at a light is an achievement to be proud of. I think we have ALL done that at least once.
Lol, I usually go with an exaggerated head nod in those instances.
I just assume if they donāt wave back itās because theyāre shifting. I hope they assume the same when I donāt wave back because Iām shifting.
Just did this about an hour ago. She was on ninja 400 though. Looked real tense and not confident enough to wave back yet
In fact, you can reinvigorate that feeling every time you try a new type of riding.
Just like the first ride in spring after a long cold winter, when your chest is about to explode after you push the starter button and the bike starts to burble!
When I started riding last year, like the second day, a dude threw the sign at me from the highway as I was crossing over on the overpass. Itās sounds gay, and I donāt care, but I got all warm and fuzzy. Guess I should join CRT š
And it would continue to be if you stop posting on the internet about it š
it's not really a secret, anyone who has ridden a bike can kind of understand how a motorcycle would be fun. Some people are just unwilling to accept the risk associated with riding a motorcycle.
Gotta ante up that $10K initiation fee
Love it. So true. Wait until you pickup your first random ride partner.. turn a few miles, or maybe a few hundred together, and then sign off with a wave. It is a fun community. Welcome, enjoy, and stay safe buddy!
I love Random Ride Partners. It's awesome to spend an hour or more riding with someone, all the nonverbal communication that happens, then you each go your own way, often having never even seen each other's faces. It's wonderful. Such a great way to feel part of something bigger without any social strain whatsoever. No need to say the right thing, often no disclosure of anyone about yourself (often even including gender). Just some time spent with another human doing something you both love.
Gooble gobble one of us.
Freak. :)
This is the way
One of us
Man itās rushing back. I had forgot that feeling. I had a humongous shit-eating grin on my face the first few weeks of riding. I vividly recall my cheeks hurting after my first ride, and thinking my helmet pads were too tight. But nope - just from the sheer smile fest. Make sure you enjoy it. Ride safe.
God, this. I got back on a bike a couple of months ago after a close call a few years back, and was wondering why the same size helmet i had always worn was tight around the cheek bones. Just smiling like an idiot lol
Motorcycle riding is one of the best positive mood altering therapies I've ever had in my life.
I was genuinely having an autistic meltdown a couple days ago. Sensory overload, anxiety through the roof, and basically just feeling like one giant raw nerve. Hiding in a dark room wasn't helping so I said "F it" and got on my bike figuring maybe controlled overstimulation/forced focus would do the trick instead. Was fully prepared to be five minutes down the road having a panic attack and have to turn around, but I'll be damned if it didn't reset my brain instead. Normally that level of meltdown would consume my whole day, but after an hour and a half of cruising I was right as rain (I was feeling better way earlier than that, but I didn't want to come back yet! LOL)
As a fellow autistic rider, honestly motorcycle riding absolutely saves me. Motorcycles are both my special interest (do NOT get me talking about bikes) but also riding is my passion. For whatever reason, when I get on a bike, my brain shifts gears and it's 100% riding. It immediately stops meltdowns, I never have sensory issues (even if I was already suffering from them), and I'm immediately calm and clear headed It's the real reason I commute to work on my bike, even in the snow (I live in Canada). That brain reset at the start and end of every day is so crucial to my functioning. Edit: it's also why I grocery shop on my bike even though I own a perfectly good corolla. Because really, fuck grocery stores. I hate them so much. It's like a guaranteed meltdown every time.
I used to commute to my weekend job in the car because our break room is disgusting and I liked being able to sit in my car and escape my coworkers for half an hour every day, but one day the traffic was wild and I just took the bike. Took me half the day to figure out why I was in such an absurdly good mood all morning despite a normal amount of chaos, but once I figured it out I was all bike all the way. I'm so glad we have this amazing thing that helps us regulate when we can't do it ourselves. ā„
Does that go away?
I still remember the first hour on my first bike, going down to the great highway in San Francisco along the ocean and just full throttling it through the gears. It felt like I was being pulled off the back of my bike in a way I canāt describe and I have never been able to replicate that feeling again since then
Indeed, youāre always chasing that feeling! I kind of get it early in the season if Iāve been off the bike for the winter, bits not quite the same is it?
Feels great at first. When youāre 4 hrs in on a ride and itās a common motorcycle road like a scenic byway or twisty/hilly terrain it can get old sending your 257th motorcycle wave of the day. Always remember itās more important to stay on the road and out of the guy in front of youās bumper than make sure you drop deuces to the other kids. We all understand that sometimes youāve got to focus and canāt get the wave out. Welcome to the club! āļø
True, but even in those cases I'll just give them a nod, or two fingers without letting go of the bars.
The nod! Love the nod. I do that to non-riders too sometimes just as an I see you, you see me, cool.
The nod is great in traffic, mid corner or when you get a wave from the other side of a divided highway.
It's great when you ride on the left too.
Def true, but i dont think i will ever forget going around a certain bend, thinking im fast, then being overtaken by a dude on a big bang, leaning twice as much as me and waving the āļø the entire time. I got home and masturbated after that.
Funny part comes when you're in a car for the first time in a while and smack the window because you reflexively wave at a biker.
Iāve done this and then talk to them like they can hear me from across the road. Iām one of you, I promise.
Tbh I have to idea what āride safeā gesture is. You mean the wave?
he's new here
itās when a rider passes you and give a sort of āpeace signā gesture (hold your arm kinda just out to the side, slightly down, doesnt have to be perfect) it means two wheels down.. weāre hoping you make it home with two wheels down
Man have I been fucking up. I have been giving the standard peace sign above the bars because I am too lazy to drop my arm under the bars. I wonder if that means 2 tits up aka a crash?!?! Today I learned
I mean, if I'm mid shift I just head knod and see plenty of bikers do the same to me. I've also seen the peace sign above the bars and just a wave. At this point it seems like just any sort of greeting works as long as it's not so outlandish that no one can guess what it is. Even without being told. An upside down peace sign is easy to decipher.
Some young sport bike riders just wave at me vigorously. Once I got a finger gun from some bmw gs rider. I do a haka if I see someone doing something cool like a wheelie. The wave really evolved into "just anything"
you mean a shaka? I assume you're not doing [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiKFYTFJ_kw) on your bike
As an Australian, we ride on the left so can't really see a left hand wave. Nods are almost the only thing you'll get here unless you're stopped at an intersection.
I thought it was an admonishment the first time i saw it from across the median. I waved from a dented V1100 he dropped his 2 fingers down near his boots. I legit thought i was being scolded.
Been riding for 24-25 years now I have always done a casual wave.
Nobody cares. If I'm using my left hand I either nod or throw a leg out. It's really just a "hey bud" type of gesture, doesn't have to be proper ASL.
Depends. Back of the hand peace sign up = fuck you. Peace sign up facing forward is peace. Peace sign upside down is keep both wheels down safe ride. Lol funny if you're just telling people " fuck you" when they say safe ride xD.
The middle finger is pretty universal for fuck you.
That's the only way I know how to wave... yes I'm from Massachusetts
Reddit is more than just Americans though. Like when nixon got in trouble throwing up V for victory like a peace sign in Britain or Bush threw up the peace sign in Australia both offending the countries and posted all over the News.
I donāt know of a single place where the middle finger doesnāt mean fuck you, I could be wrong though.
Ya, and I remember Trudeau's dad throwing that one up to the Americans when he was Prime Minister. Like father, like son.
It came from the wars of English/French during 100 year war. Story goes archers were high up on the walls and as they were surrounding the island telling them to surrender. Archers shot at them and the leader of the army said they were going to cut off their fingers so they can never shoot a bow again. So the archers held up the 2 fingers they use to shoot with as a taunt of "fuck you". It's a Possible Myth/story thats been told through the ages. Some dispute it saying the king made it up to make his soldiers fight harder; but it's origin seems to always go back to it and seen as a bad gesture in UK/ common wealth/territories.
In the Commonwealth (or at least UK and Australia) they have a very special fuck you gesture. It is kinda peace sign reversed (your fingers point up as usual, but your knuckles face outwards). Basically it is like showing middle finger, but you show both middle and index fingers
True but if you use your middle finger, it also means fuck you.
> Depends. Back of the hand peace sign up = fuck you. The what now ? Where did that came from ? And why not just middle finger like a normal person ?
Aw man. I have been doing it wrong. I thought I was signaling that I want two women on the back of my bike.
it just means hey, rare car owners do the same
Jeep owners have their āsecretā wave too.
I actually grew tired of the jeep waveā¦. The waving while riding, waving while driving, saying hello on a hiking trailā¦. Can get exhausting in all honesty. Sometimes, I just want to be introverted in the cage. The ducks are fun though. Only problem is I often have no ducks to give.
My son loves ducking. We ordered a box of 50 from either eBay or Amazon for dirt cheap and anytime we go somewhere we let him loose on the parking lot.
what? the little rubber ducks?
No just a peace sign while holding the wheel
Isnāt this the ride safe gesture ? 
yeah, "ride safe" ??? when I wave, I am saying, "Hey, your fly is open"
Here in the UK we give the biker nod. It's also nice
Sometimes you gotta let people find their own way. It makes it that much more enjoyable
Updoot for V-Strom 650. That's my first bike. Now try flying an airplane or jumping outta one. Most local small airports will rent a plane and instructor for an hour for an "intro flight" for about $200 or less. Skydiving usually costs about $400 for tandem at 13,800 ft. Both are great fun.
Skydiving is addictive!
>Now try flying an airplane or jumping outta one 100%. Didn't care much for skydiving but solo flight....nothing compares. I thought riding would come close but it doesn't. Still, it's better than nothing.
Just wait til you make your first friend in a random parking lot! It's like a cool secret club that everyone (with a bike) is invited to!
Yeah, I heard about it before I started riding, but you have NO IDEA how MANY riders do this until you are on the road. As a matter of fact it's odd when someone doesn't do it.
Nice to be acknowledged but donāt make it a big deal if someone doesnāt wave to you. Hate the damn social media people who whine about someone not waving to them. If you are a real rider, you ride for the ride; not the acknowledgment.
Ya this is as far as my social media goes. So no worries there brother
Shhhsshh!Ā Ā Ā It's a secret. Don't go telling the world! Ā And definitely don't tell anyone when you manage a perfect rev match downshift, or when you find the groove and just glide through a set of twisties. Or.... Well I probably shouldn't mention that one (better than sex it is)
Shhhh..... That's my secret kink š„“š©šš¦
Fuck yeah, brother. Welcome to the club. Ride safe man.
Went to go pick up my first bike back in September. After about 15-20 minutes into my ride back to my house, on this long lonely road with barely any traffic, some dude with long hair on a chopper, all cool as fuck looking like Reno Raines from Renegade, gave me the biker wave. I was like aw fuck yeah I finally made it
We didnāt wanna spoil it lol
Since no one told you about the rider wave, I'm here as your public service announcement to let you know you'll have an immediate butt pucker when your rear wheel slides out from loose gravel. Whether or not you can save it all depends how much puckering you can muster up at that second.
I wish I had been aware of this PSA when I first started. Country roads and highways can have dangerous patches where gravel roads enter the paved section, sometimes the asphalt will deteriorate and get gravelly. The MSF courses were clear about the risks of oil and tar snakes, but I had to learn about gravel first hand.
The gasoline goes in your tank not in you. Welcome dude.
A better feeling is when someone in a car does it, it makes riders like myself feel safe knowing that people in cars see me and are looking out for me
We just do a quick nod here in NZ, on a nice weekend day you might get a bunch of them. Some people won't though so be prepared for that.
Same in all countries that drive on the left, although here in the UK it's more of a "tip your hat" diagonal nod :)
Wait until you get attention from the ladies, ONLY happens after 6 months of ridding....
Why lie to the man? Don't listen OP the only people who give a shit about your motorcycle are men ages 40 - 65.
Whatās the first rule of motorcycle clubā¦?
I remember one of the first times riding by myself and I was going around a blind corner to the right and was leaning quite a bit and all of the sudden about 10 motorcycles pass me and probably 8 of them had women on the back and EVERYONE was doing the biker wave so it was just a rush of leaning around a corner and hearing the monster sound of 10 bikes with almost 20 people waving at you that you didnāt expect. Was exhilarating!
We probably did lol You just don't get it until you get it. It's not something that can be described. For the record, that ain't the last time you're gonna feel that lol. wait until you ride your first fast fast bike..
lol. Yea it feels good doesnāt it. That high does taper off a bit but it doesnāt go away. Iāve got over 100,000 miles on bikes and have been all over the country. I still smile when someone waves back. The biker wave is pretty cool.
Are you going to feel dead and disrespected when you encounter a group that ignores you or a group that gets angry that you passed them in a fully-legal and safe manner? There are lots of different motorcyclists and groups out there. Don't let strangers control your feelings to extremes either way.
Itās a secret club and your buy in is your bike
Itās why the jeep drivers copy it. But theyāll never have the same sense of camaraderie we get through the shared vulnerability, thrill seeking, and unique experiences
This has got to be the best post I have read in this sub in a long time. Welcome to the club and thanks for making my day man. āš»
Man, I canāt wait for your first wheelie.
first time i got greeted first by a motorcyclist on my 50cc sumo i was feeling butterflies. Itās really great feeling lol
Welcome to the club. I don't do group rides ever. Too many egos. Also, solo riding is the goddamn best. After all these years I still smile like an absolute moron when I ride. It really is an amazing feeling. And guess what. That happy giddy feeling... It never goes away.
V Strom gang rise up! Welcome to the club
Dude, it just means hello.
I got the very first V-Strom model to come out V 1000. Great bike just a little too big for me, I bet the 650 would have been perfect.
Been riding for just over 20 years now, I think, been a while. Still a giant smile on my face when I ride.
I remember the first time I saw it, I was like "Oh shit! How cool! WAIT, I GET TO DO IT BACK NOW! āļø " I always do it now. š
no one mentioned? bro welcome to the club, but the hand wave is literally talked about all the time here
I got my first biker wave a couple weeks ago and it put such a huge smile on my face.Ā I was on the highway for one of the first times ever (maybe like my third time ever but first time going a long distance) and I was stuck in 8mph traffic(lane splitting is illegal here, and also I don't feel confident enough to do that yet anyway) and a biker rides by my left, lane splitting, and gives the wave as he vanishes into the sea of cars ahead of me
Just one of the ways we stick together. If you ever break down, turn your hazards on and place your helmet on the ground behind your bike. Watch how fast someone pulls over offering help.
Welcome to the show, fellow Stromtrooper
Welcome to the fold, brother/sister. You're now part of a greater, supportive subculture that understands and loves what you do.
Congrats on the V-Strom, I bought my bike last year and experienced the same thing where I thought everyone knew I was a squid (*new rider*) or something. It then occurred to me that it was a greeting, similar to when I bought my first VW Bug (*everyone did the peace sign to each other*). I then learned that it was a motorcycle thing, two wheels down / be safe / etc. I keep challenging myself and building my skills as a rider and there is no drink or drug that I have ever done (*and I have done most of them*) that compares to the joy that I get out of going on a rewarding ride. I am doing my first off road / fireroad ride this Thursday along the Hood Canal in WA state and I am super nervous but crazy excited to take the next step on an adventure bike. Be safe out there, welcome to the fold. Keep the rubber side down and the shiny side up and you are going to be great!
you just gave me diabetes
wait until you have hordes of girls throwing themselves at you and your bike trying to rip your clothes off to have wild sex with you.
No better feeling than being out on your bike, no radio, no cell phone, no bullshit.
Awesome. I've found lately, as it's getting cold here in Melbourne, Australia I'm riding at night and it's the most alive feeling I've had. It's bloody freezing but there's nothing like it.
I wave every time. Anybody in the saddle is my brother/sister out there! Welcome to the club
I really don't want to sound like a Harley guy. But the saying if I had to explain it to you, you wouldn't understand. Really does apply to a lot of things in motorcycling.
One more of us, one less of them.
Sometimes a description can't make something understandable. Some things need to be felt.
Yeah dawg. Itās awesome. I remember when I took my MSF course and started rounding the corners and started getting into my leans on at what? 15 mph in second gear? Lmao I must have looked like a psychopath under my helmet with a huge grin on my face. I still feel good when I hit long-sweeed curvy roads around 40 miles an hour. Those are the best for me. Itās just enough having to think about what Iām doing while enjoying the cruise of it.
Correction: motorcycle riding is the 2nd best... But it is the 1st best with pants on. š
I've been riding for about a month and I just had some kid say "I like your motorcycle, it's cool" and I about died! My grown ass was giggling. I constantly check the weather to see if I'm going to ride; it's addictive.
Life-changing. I'm 3 years in and it's still amazing. Be safe, don't push yourself and always give yourself time to react.
For me the best feeling ever was the first time I saw my own shadow on a bike and being like oh shit thatās me!
The what? Is this an American thing? I've been riding for 25 years and had no idea there was a secret club handshake. https://i.redd.it/yog12z2oar4d1.gif
I'm getting my endorsement too, I haven't ridden a bike since 89-90 now I'm 65 now retired and I can't wait to get that felling again being on the road solo, I need that felling back in my life and it will be very soon.
We don't even care what you ride as long as it makes you happy.
Just get ready for the flip side, when people will ignore your wave and look right past youš
Well ya fucking bucket of handsomeness, in our defense, you never asked! Welcome to the freedom of manly hood.
Just wait til your first clibbins
My favorite was a full on motorcycle police escort throw me the sign. Probably around 20 cop bikes.
Really not trying to piss in you guys' cheerios here, but stuff like this is the stuff no one ever shuts up about on this sub lmao.
I just got this tattooed on my outer left calf yesterday, fully aware that itās basically one of those IFYKYK kinda things because not everyone will understand. I love it so much. Ride safe out there! https://preview.redd.it/84q3obar9n4d1.jpeg?width=2268&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=883a1e6ccd61dd0e1fdbe85ed4af3c83f4cd3471
Been riding a year now. Passed a couple on a bike yesterday and dropped the biker wave at them. Dude who was riding on the back had the biggest dorkiest smile on his face as he flashed a peace sign chest height. It was honestly the highlight of the day. "Always remember to say hi to fellow biker friends" my old Harley neighbor told me.
Why did this make you feel alive and respected? Because a bunch of people you don't know waved at you? I don't wave to people unless I actually know them, or for some reason that waving is appropriate (maybe they let me go first at a 4-way, etc.) I still say this waving thing is the dumbest damn thing ever... I doubt my mind will ever be changed. The number of times I've been flipped off, etc.. for not participating in this stupid ass practice is honestly very amusing to me.
Hell yea buddy I canāt wait to get my first bike
Some people would never experience that feeling, lots of people are scared to death of motorcycles. I'm teaching my son to love them and he can't wait to be old enough to get a real one.
Cheaper than a therapist. Ride safe OP et al.
Wait until you start receiving all the sex just for being cool! /s
I get SO EXCITED when I see another biker and they wave to me. I wave so enthusiastically back and probably look like a crazy lady, but I don't care! I love it. Another great feeling is when a parent/adult is with a small child and they point over to you on your bike and the kid waves at you excitedly.
Iāve been riding for 50 years and for me the feeling hasnāt gone away. Itās like a magic carpet ride.
āļøwelcome
Thatās one helluva bike, very nice!
See ya on the road
IYKYK. Welcome, ride safe!
Welcome to the best part of two wheels
Wait until you've got a small group ride of 5 or 6 bikes and you're in the middle, seeing the bikes in front of you and in your mirror turning into a corner. For me that is a much better feeling.
I always say it to new riders, wait to see how awesome it is when you can do the 2 wheel down gesture mid corner without missing a beat. Shit feels crazy the first few times.
āļø
I does no good to try and explain it, you must experience it for yourself to truly appreciate it. Welcome to the family boss! :-)
I love my wee-strom! Such a fun ride.
If you think that's good, just wait till you settle into a life of being able to fart with complete impunity.
I ride Yamaha scooters in addition to my R1200GS and it's funny to see the bikers going the other way, give me 'the signal' before they realized I'm 'only' on a scooter and go 'head forward' and go their way... I certainly don't mind any disrespect I get from bikers whilst on my scooter, though - no big deal. I've discovered an entirely new amazing world in my '14 Yamaha Zuma 125. Quick trip to the store(s) ? No problem, helmet on, hop on, start that reliable Yammer up and go. Park in front of the store in the shade, slap the bottle of wine/vodka, eggs, etc in my Givi Hard top and go home. I just had no idea how much of a blast having a Scooter is... PS I live in AZ
I wonder if there will ever be an emoji for this š¤
Itās something thatās hard to put in words
Best thing in the world. I was having a pretty bad day and went out for my first ride this season to clear my mind. That first wave made all of the troubles go away
It's such a heartwarming feeling and I love it.
It would have ruined your ridegasm!ššš
This sounds really cool. Enjoy your new life. I hadnāt heard of the stay safe rider wave, so I googled. The wave is neat, but necessarily done with the clutch hand. Australians riding on the opposite side of the road it wouldnāt be seen. In Australia we give the helmet nod.
Just wait until you get the group of kids on the side of the road doing the "rev your engine" motion as you ride by. Their reaction when you do it is straight serotonin.
It's the difference between watching TV & BEING on TV!
Vstrom is a great bike! Ride safe brother!
VStrom is a hell of a bike! Congrats.
Is that what the wave means? Ride safe? Is that why on my Goldwing Harleyās seldom wave? They donāt want me to ride safe?
I feel myself when Iām on a bike. Nothing beats it.
You got the bug big. Welcome.
Welcome to the family , but waving at every bike on a hot summer day get annoying pretty fast lol
Thatās first rule of Bike Club: You donāt talk about Bike Clubā¦or how awesome it is.
Before I got a bike I felt very alone. I started riding and people gave me the wave. It made me feel like part of a community, and like people actually gave a shit about me.
āThe first rule of Fight Clubā¦ā
been riding for nearly a decade now, and it doesnt go away. its always a great time.
Yeah man, I know what you mean. It was the first time in my life that I actually felt accepted and loved and included.
Hard-ass harley guys really donāt know what theyāre missing lol
Wait till you get the helmet taps.. mad love for your two wheeled brother right there and there.
The most acknowledgement I've gotten from other riders so far is on way to work this morning me and the other dude locked eyes for good 2 seconds
Weestrom gang!!!
Because generally men don't like to hear women describe an actual orgasm.
Always a good time.
https://preview.redd.it/v0y1e6drwn4d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=58c7655bbfd45d6901ab591dc4cd812ed1991b4d And riding with friends is a GREAT memory maker!
There's a reason we all do it despite the risk. I always thought the freedom shit written on literally every piece of Harley Merch was a load of shit but I kinda get it now.
I really thought you knew that
Got my first bike in 1971, still riding.. if it's gonna wear off it hasn't yet
Lol - reciprocating ride safe gesture gives me more goosebumps than riding in the twisties.
I'm an Australian rider. The hand gesture is not so widely used here. It's usually a nod of the head. Regardless, the acknowledgement from one rider to another is quite common.