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Not invisible to HD riders

2K views 10 replies 10 participants last post by  Nightshift 
#1 ·
Today I took my first reasonably long ride, about 300 miles, on my wee. Perhaps the biggest surprise is that Harley riders are waving at me. Having spent the last eight years riding a VFR (which is made with some secret, anti-Harley cloaking materials) I find the whole thing disturbing. There are things that I have come to accept as certain, such as gravity, taxes and Harley riders ignoring me. I’m just not sure I have the capacity to deal with this. What’s next? Will I need to buy a V-Strom leather vest and find grip tassels? Say it ain't so....
 
#2 ·
Na you can pass on the tassels. However you must start spending silly amounts of money on chrome bling. The more useless the better. You may find this difficult to find however, so you may have to remove parts and have them chromed.
 
#3 ·
It's odd you mentioned that. I've noticed exactly the same thing. I was so used to the "too cool to wave" attitude with my TDM850 and my Bandit 1200 that I was totally taken aback to have HD riders initiate the wave. Whatever the reason, if it closes the gap I'm all for it.
 
#4 ·
They seem to just to ignore sportbikes, the interesting thing was when I made the switch from the CBR600 to the Blackbird Harley riders would wave, guess the bloody thing was so big they took it for the sport tourer it was.
 
#7 ·
Harley riders very rarely wave here in Ontario. I have trouble telling if it is a Harley coming or not (since the Japanese bikes are so similar) so I wave and then it turns out to be a Harley and they don't even look. Makes me do the Homer, DOH! I can enjoy the fact that I can actually ride and enjoy, while they wipe and clean and/or change this or that to get the half ton of steel and chrome to a white knuckle 60 rear wheel HP. :mrgreen:
 
#8 · (Edited)
Here is what my observations have deduced.

If the motorcycle operator is at least wearing a helmet he will wave.
If the operator is not, then he/she will not.

This seems to hold true about 80%+ of the time.

With BMW riders as the exception since they mostly seem to have every bit of very expensive clothing but are commonly too stuck up acknowledge fellow riders.


Here are some other observations:
1. I always laugh to see riders with LOTS of leater on; boots, chaps, vest, gloves, leather jacket. And then final touch, everything on their body is protected EXCEPT their face! No helmet.

2. Guys that dont waive back but their female passenger does. hahaha. that one is great.

3. Guys that see me wave and start to wave out of natural instinct and then realize, "Oh wait, I'm trying to be too cool to wave." At that point they quicky pull their hand back and avoid eye contact. hahahaha.
 
#9 ·
Another scenario I like is when you happen to be following a HD rider. Harley riders passing the other way will wave at the guy in front of you and retract their hand quickly, lest you think they are acknowledging your presence.
 
#10 ·
In my limited experience

Having ridden only a few weeks, and being new to motorcycling, I have noticed that I get waves from HD and from sportbikes... I guess maybe the Vstrom bridges the gap? I have noticed Harley guys staring at my bike, turning their heads as they pass. One thing I have noticed is that Goldwing riders are the ones that ignore me; they never wave or even look in my direction.

Ride on
 
#11 ·
Today going to my Uncles Birthday I was following a HD. As he was getting ready to turn into his drive another HD, obviously a friend of his, passed him and waved and then waved to me and just stared at my Wee. The HD in front of me had no idea I was behind him but started following his buddies eyes as he was making his turn. He watched me the whole way up his driveway, I thought he was going to run into his house because he wasn't paying attention. He didn't wave and neither did I because I was shifting and he was trying to control his Road King on a gravel drive, but he did nod and I returned it. It was funny, I think they both were trying to figure out just what I was riding.
 
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