Harley Riders ...

[CC Cowboy]

Originally Posted by Cedilla

I had a biker cop wave at me on the highway riding to school earlier, surprised me as I was going 25mph over the limit.

He wasn't waving, he was telling you to slow down!

[littledog]

I guess with a sort of a trolling title, it is no surprise that replies go all over the place.

At first I thought that out of all the motorcycles I saw on the road, most of them were Harley Davidson brand. Now that I know more about motorcycles, I'd have to change that to "cruisers with upright air cooled V twins". Is this a great engine design? I'm not an expert, but I doubt it. I have read that the rear cylinder runs substantially hotter than the front. It looks like the designers cut a radial airplane engine (which I think is a great design) into 4 pieces, and made 4 motorcycles. Too bad they butchered the air cooling.

So what is up with all the Japanese brands copying this engine into their cruisers? Honda, what are you thinking? Anyone remember how the Honda 750 was the the greatest bike ever built? So why doesn't Harley Davidson produce an inline 4? Why are the Honda cruisers all Harley clones? Kawasaki... You made some seemingly outrageous claims about your 3 cylinder bikes back in the 70's. You told the doubters "Take it to the strip and test it" They came back with speed records. Yet your Vulcans are upright air cooled transverse V twins. Yamaha ... Star, Suzuki ... Boulevard. All this stuff looks, and sounds as it chugs past, like a Harley.

Wow I sort of went off topic.

I have to admit, at first, I did not want to take a hand off my handlebars to wave. Now if I am I am sneaking up on my 1" chicken strips, I still don't wave, and of course if I am working my clutch, no wave. Other than that I try to acknowledge everyone on a motorbike with a wave.

As far as who waves first or waves back, transverse air cooled V riders are most likely to wave. Other sport bikers (bikes with a lot of fairings) are second. Gold wings tend to stand out. They are third most likely to wave. BMW dudes are you stuck up, or were you too busy watching your odometer turn past 999,999 when you passed?

About Harley Davidson. What is up with the training wheels? I had what I though was a trike pass me in a loud blur while I was way over the speed limit. I thought it was a Harley trike. I caught it in traffic later. It was a big Harley, with (big) training wheels!! Appeared to be bolt on additions. Very shiny expensive looking with Harley Davidson brand on them. I bet the salesman doesn't call them training wheels.

I think it is really great that Motorcyclists usually wave to each other.

[backinthesaddleagain]

I think some of the Japanese Vtwins are liquid cooled. Honda fury and VTX for example. I think the vtwin design and some with single pin cranks are trying to copy the HD sound, which many like. Some would say looks wise that a vtwin best fills the frame of a cruiser. People are caught up in vtwins right now. Honda RC51's if still built would be selling IMHO as the used ones don't stay for sale for long. Of course that is a water cooled engine. I thought in the 70s the Kawi 500 and 750 triple 2 strokes were cool, loved their scream.

[Cedilla]

Originally Posted by CC Cowboy

He wasn't waving, he was telling you to slow down!

Lol, I had been getting snubbed a lot on my ride, and I had just decided screw it, I'm not going to wave unless they wave first. So I seen this full dress harley coming down the road, and I was a bit surprised when he waved, so I waved back, then right as he passed I recognized the bike from the bike safety commercials the Decatur police had been putting out. Then I freaked out when I looked at my speedo and I seen I was going 65 in a 40, so I sped up just in case he wanted to turn around.

[tapdiggy]

Originally Posted by littledog

BMW dudes are you stuck up, or were you too busy watching your odometer turn past 999,999 when you passed?

Don't generalize too much. BMW motorcycle riders are spread out on the wave/no wave spectrum with everyone else. If I ever ride one, I'll adventure out and wave at you. Sound fair?

[backinthesaddleagain]

Originally Posted by tapdiggy

Don't generalize too much. BMW motorcycle riders are spread out on the wave/no wave spectrum with everyone else. If I ever ride one, I'll adventure out and wave at you. Sound fair?

Some BMW guys invited me to join their BMW club even though I ride a Ninja 250. Maybe with the economy dues are hard to come by these days. They do put on some good rides for sure. The ones I met all seem like good guys who are really into riding their bikes. I passed on the invite. Guess I want to stay an unaffiliated outlaw!!

[JeffM]

If I'm feeling particularly wicked, I wave to folks on crusers mid corner to see if they wave back...... Muwhahahah .

[tapdiggy]

Originally Posted by JeffM

If I'm feeling particularly wicked, I wave to folks on crusers mid corner to see if the wave back...... Muwhahahah .

I guess I do that too. But its just force of habit; I don't realize they may not be in a good position to wave back. Maybe all those folks I thought were blowing me off were just being safe riders. *thinks for a moment* Nah, they're just stuck up.

[Apex]

If I am in mid corner, I should ALWAYS be able to pull one hand off the bars. With proper body positioning, I should be able to pull a hand off and still hold my line.

So I'll wave no matter where I am at on the road, if I'm not concentrating on my lines. lol

Now I'm trying to lost the sporty side of my personality on the bike while on the streets. I don't need to be leaning the bike over as much as I have in the past on a public roadway.

[CZroe]

Originally Posted by Apex

If I am in mid corner, I should ALWAYS be able to pull one hand off the bars. With proper body positioning, I should be able to pull a hand off and still hold my line.

So I'll wave no matter where I am at on the road, if I'm not concentrating on my lines. lol

Now I'm trying to lost the sporty side of my personality on the bike while on the streets. I don't need to be leaning the bike over as much as I have in the past on a public roadway.

Very often, I'm shifting. I can't wave while shifting. How can you? No one has ever waved at you while shifting?

Even at red lights, sometimes I'm waiting while the oncoming lane and turn lane have a green. Because the light will turn green as soon as the turn lane empties, I wait with my clutch pulled in. When a bike suddenly crosses from the other side and waves, my hands are full. All I can do is nod because it's about to change at any second. Oh well.

[Top Tomato]

Is there a gesture for "there's a patrol car in your path"? High-beam flash?

[Alex]

http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=14964

[Top Tomato]

Thanks!

Originally Posted by Alex

http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=14964

[Zombiphone]

The popo helmet tap was actually the first hand signal I learned ....Errr, n-not that I've ever broken the law and needed it or anything. And of course I would never think some of my fellow bikers would break the law either. But you know- I want to make sure no one accidentally rides by their good buddies from chp without getting the chance to say hi.... Yeah. That

Use this new power wisely.

[peachdiddy]

Around here, most V-twin cruiser dudes wave and throw a smile (no helmet). I always B.S. with the G-wing guys at stop lights that won't turn. On the weekends it's hard to find dudes that wanna wave, but I always do. There's always the guys on the choppers though. They actually shake their heads at me. I always smile and wave . Cops always wave in their cruisers. They seem to be sport bike people. At any rate, I'm not a squid, so most people will wave back. But there are always the chosen few! Around here there aren't many sport bikes at all, so when we see each other we show enthusiasm. I don't hate, I appreciate!

[CZroe]

Originally Posted by peachdiddy

Around here, most V-twin cruiser dudes wave and throw a smile (no helmet). I always B.S. with the G-wing guys at stop lights that won't turn. On the weekends it's hard to find dudes that wanna wave, but I always do. There's always the guys on the choppers though. They actually shake their heads at me. I always smile and wave . Cops always wave in their cruisers. They seem to be sport bike people. At any rate, I'm not a squid, so most people will wave back. But there are always the chosen few! Around here there aren't many sport bikes at all, so when we see each other we show enthusiasm. I don't hate, I appreciate!

I always thought that your typical Goldwing had enough displacement, mass, and metal to set off any smart light's sensor.

[Apex]

Originally Posted by ducducgooseit

I wave at scooters the most. It's fun - they get confused. If they make the confused face, I wave as though I work in Disneyland. They get even more confused. HA. The girls hunker down apparently thinking they can get away faster.

I LOVE waving at "scooterists". It brings me momentary joy. They are SoOOoOoO counter culture - especially the rad dudes. I've only seen a few of the rad dudes and none of the Japanese-style uber modified scoots, but I wave 'em up real good I do.

The problem I have with scooters is they often pay as much attention to the road as many cagers. I always see them staring forward, refusing the desire to look left or right (even at intersections). One guy was holding a coffee or something in one hand and controlling the scooter with the other. I'm just waiting to see someone text next.

[RedCromwell]

I caught up to two Harley riders on my ride home yesterday. I thought it was two women until I realized one was a guy with braided hair.

I stayed a respectful distance behind them and we eventually came to a red light. I knew they must have seen me at some point in their mirrors, but neither one would turn around and acknowledge me at the stop.

I didn't want to honk my horn or rev my engine, but I just thought it was weird how they kept staring straight ahead. Whenever I'm stopped I always take the opportunity to look all around me--- to see who's behind me, any hazards up the road, etc...

They eventually took an exit and I continued my own way.

[ryu hayabusa]

http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/To_wave_or_not_to_wave%3F
here's the story!

[Sailariel]

I wave at everybody. The H-D riders and cruiser riders are by far a majority around here. I am surprised that we have so few Dual Sports, since our roads here are godawful. I might consider a cruiser with a sidecar when I get older. Right now, the Ninjette is just fine the way I set it up.

[Blackwidow]

people on sport bikes always wave at me, or actually throw me the peace sign, and i do as well. the cruiser riders NEVER waive at me even if i wave at them, i think its because they hate my pigtails on my helmet! hahahaha oh well.

[Sailariel]

Paulette, When you ride a Harley, every day is Haloween.

[JeffM]

You can buy it here.

Product descripion:

"When he arrives at the party in this Biker Halloween costume, everyone will be asking for a ride on his Harley, and this biker dude will make all the gals begging for a ride. Since most bikers are known for their tattoos, this outfit comes with a flesh colored shirt that is painted with a variety of “tattoos”. It also comes with a simulated black leather vest and matching fake leather biker do-rag/cap. In real life he may be a doctor or a lawyer, but when he’s on his Harley at the rally, he’s bad to the bone. This is a great costume and comes in one size for less than $40."