Modern Vespa

I owned road bikes back in the eighties. I don't remember any waving to each other when approaching an on-coming motorcycle on the road. Maybe this is a new thing, maybe I forgot. Since about 1987, I only rode motocross or rode trail bikes up in the mountains. (my minivan years) Last month I bought a scooter. It is a blast! I really enjoy riding, but one thing I didn't expect was this waving business. I am not anti-social, but when I ride, I like to focus on riding. I simply don't expect to be waved at since I don't know these people. I feel bad when they are passed me before I realize what they are doing. I have been waving back when I catch it in time but it feels weird. Then there are the guys that start to wave at you till they realize you are on a scooter, then they put their hand down quickly. You can see it in their faces. By then I have already started to wave back. Awkward.

My husband rides a Harley and I ride a Vespa...we ride together and we both wave.

I wave at everyone. Other scooters get a excited overhand wave, plus some beeps on the horn. No matter the brand, we are all on two wheels and frankly that's enough to warrant some respect from me.

I get great pleasure out of forcing motorcycles to wave to me before they realize I'm on a scooter. But then, I wasn't raised right.

You don't absolutely need to wave back. It's your choice. With time you will find that there is a time to wave and a time not to wave and bikers understand that. If you are busy looking at your instrument panel, fighting a wind gust, or simple concentrating too much do not wave as this will put you in a bad place. If you are relaxed and just cruising comfortably try and initiate the wave. If you feel as though waving is just not for you whatsoever try to stick out your left index finger without letting go of the throttle handle bar. That counts as a wave too. A nod works well too.

I even have bikers wave at me when they are waiting at intersections behind me and they see me looking in the rearview mirror. It does not happen much but when it does it becomes something special. At those times I give a twirly wave at the mirror.

I pulled up to an intersection, bike next to me was a moto guzzi. We had a prolonged look at each other and a nod of understanding. Then drove our respective directions. There was an Italian connection made.

I usually wave back - It's all part of the fun.

Yes, there was waving even back in the 70's. A raised fist salute (you know, to go along with all that flower-power). We were just kids, but it was the greatest thing in the world when a real live full-grown adult-type biker would wave to us while we burned down the highway on our oh-so-awesome two-stroke 125cc motorcycles....it was as if we were REAL, or something!

I totally see a Guzzi in your future......

It is inevitable isn't it.

I act naturally surprised because only the more elder Harley riders acknowledge a scoot. I feel the rest are elitist, so they think....

I wave whenever it is safe and reasonable to do so...

across 8 lanes of superfreeway, No...
in city traffic... Yes.
However, Harley type Guys who are trying to look too macho with their ape hanger handlebars, tank tops and novelty helmets will never lower themselves to wave... It especially to a dork in full gear on a three wheeled moped...

I do get a kick out of predicting who will and who won't return a wave, head nod or acknowledgment... I get it right about 80% of the time...
It's like reading their aura from 100 yards. I figure that those who wave get it; about riding, about helping another rider who is stranded, about being in the upper half of the gene pool... It's a sociability test.

Allowances are given to those who don't look like they are in a safe position to wave...

H/B

There's no peer pressure here whatsoever...

Haha! None at all

How does one 'act' natural?

...V7

I spent an hour in Elk Grove PowerSports yesterday while new tires were being installed on my wheels. They have an incredible selection of Moto Guzzi bikes. I fell in love with a V8 1200 Norge in pearl white...

Holy Cow what a bike!!! My heart got all pitter-patter...

I will wave at anything with two wheels as long as it's safe to do so. Most times I get a wave back or a nod.

I have waved at a couple of scooters in D.C. who don't wave back.


Damn scooter snobs

That thing is huge! Looks like a two wheeled car!

riding a shifty, most bikers that wave do so at the most annoying time...when I'm shifting...so I can't wave to often, then they think I'm snubbing them

My favorite one, is when the other motorcyclist has either looked me over and decided I am not worth a wave or has done the aborted-oops he's on a scooter half-wave, followed by an aggressive brrrrrrrrap on the throttle as they ride by. Like a manhood restoration thing. The next thing I know, I hear the sound of myself involuntarily laughing out loud mixed with wind noise.

act natural
The spur of the moment reaction during a serious or unexpected event. To adapt to the new vibe or tone of your environment. Often used during an awkward moment, a fail, mistake or error. The icebreaker for uncomfortable silence.

I'm with Strick, in large scooterist do not wave, I think most are afraid to let go of the handlebar. I do it's a respect thing, two wheel and all.

This is why I do the super excited overhand, I haven't seen my friend in a year, picking them up at the airport.. Style wave. Usually with a few sort beeps on the horn to say.. You are awesome fellow scootie

Rarely do I see scooters out and about. There have been times I have gone for 3-4 hour rides and seen no two wheeled any things. The average is 3-5 other two wheeled transports unless it is weekend or Friday.

Another waving thread?



So what's the wave etiquette?
"The Wave" group etiquitte
Just about everyone waved today!
Do scooter riders deserve a wave? - Columnist Mark Rutledge
How Not to Wave Like a Dork
Is there a secret Vespa hand gesture or something like that?
Ok I've been snub before - but this is ridiculous
Hand waving etiquette?

<waves>

It's a weekly tradition.

If people browsed the forums and never duplicated a post, this forum would be boring indeed. Banter is the best part

In CA, nod or low point only. Anything else brands you as a noob or stalker.

I can live with stalker. 8)

its not a WAVE. its an acknowledgement of another rider. a short off the bars hand gesture is just fine. If someone gives you one back great if not oh well. If someone gives you and acknowledgement and you don't oh well.

A wave is saying good by to family who have been at your house for a week and your glad to see them gone, hand up in the air over your head, saying hope they didn't forget anything and if they did I hope they don't realize it till there home, then I can ship what ever it was via the big brown truck.

Agreed... but this topic gets beat to death!

I wave at any PTW vehicle rider. I always acknowledge a wave from other rider when it is safe to do so. The Harley guys and gals are generally pretty friendly here.

Like I said in my OP, I am new to scooters, and haven't been on a street bike since well before the Internet forum/social media/electricity/steam engine/Bronze Age/Paleolithic era time frames. If this is a retread discussion for most of you, I am sorry. It just took me by surprise that the decision to buy a scooter would create all these micro-communication moments with other motorists.

Part of it might be where I live. I am in north-central Ohio. We are not like a big city where there are scooters everywhere. It is pretty rare to see one. The roads are mostly two lane country, or suburbs, or little towns. We also have a relatively large amount of mostly big, straight muffler, cruiser bikes on the road. So it happens quite a bit.

I only did the underhand-beside your left knee wave one time. It was just too silly.

Don't let me discourage you. I'm just havin' some fun and the "waving" topic is easy pickins.

I wave at everyone on a PTW. I am amused at their responses

This is my philosophy as well. Lol.

I pretty much only see other scooters. And my city is all one-way streets, so no one ever has occasion to wave.

Brendan