It occurred to me the other day, that it **seems** like maybe the HD riders are waving less to me. Any other Drifters experience this??? The thought occurred to me that perhaps they think the Drifter is a new Indian - and don't like it.... ??? Infringing on their USA-made territory.??
I don't really have a big enough sample size to say for sure yet, just thought I'd ask.
Most of the boys here in Harley country will still give me a high sign. Honda guys rarely and crotch rockets - never! The one thing I do find is a total lack of curiosity over the Drifter. I hear other stories how guys walk away from their Drifter only to find a crowd assembled around their bike when they return. Never happened to me here in Harley country.
We still get waves from most of the cruiser guys, but the crotch rockets are a 50-50 shot.
Up here it is hit and miss, but the sport bikes seldom wave to anyone, and a lot of the H-D guys are too worried about parts falling off so they are not looking to wave. Me I am so happy to be out riding I wave to near anyone but the E bikes.
I haven't noticed the HD group in particular not waving. Sport bike riders around here don't all that often. The ones that strike me more as a true motorcyclist do, but the "squids" never do. I usually notice the not waving thing more around certain times of the year. Usually the (few) perfect riding days in the spring and fall when all the fair weather riders get the bikes out for their once or twice a year ride. It spans across all makes and models though, no one group in particular is more at fault than the other. Maybe HD, but I think that's just because they're more popular than other makes and models so there are more of them.
Don't care one way or the other. I wave, if possible, to every two-wheeler. You never know who is riding that Vespa, sport bike, etc. I love riding anything on 2-3-4 wheels... and the bike doesn't make the rider cool, the rider makes the bike cool... i.e. Steve McQueen... and me... and you... 8)
I wave to most everyone unless I need both hands on the grips...could care less whether they wave back or not. I was teaching my 5 yo grandson the motorcycle wave the other day...was explainin why you dont stick your hand up in the wind but keep it down low...he though that was so cool. He ws into trains from 2-4 but now he's into motorcycles. He likes baggers. :-*
Quote from: Pilgrim on June 10, 2015, 12:03:49 PM
I wave to most everyone unless I need both hands on the grips...could care less whether they wave back or not. I was teaching my 5 yo grandson the motorcycle wave the other day...was explainin why you dont stick your hand up in the wind but keep it down low...he though that was so cool. He ws into trains from 2-4 but now he's into motorcycles. He likes baggers. :-*
Sounds like Grandpa's Lil Buddy.... ;D
Wait one, you have a 5 year old grand son?
Need to go and look at your gallery again, I did not realize that you are even older then I thought......your like older then GB.....and he is old.....
I'll be 57 this year...my daughter just turned 25. :o older than Barn but not near as old as you Rat. ;D
Oh but you are wrong, see you are not counting properly, when you get married you get old, have children get older, have grand kids and one foot is in the grave the second is on a banana peel........I only got married and stopped the aging.....lol
The next day he and his dad were at a gas station and I passed on my bike, I told him I seen them and he said " Did you wave down low" 8)
Quote from: chief on June 10, 2015, 10:57:52 AM
Don't care one way or the other. I wave, if possible, to every two-wheeler. You never know who is riding that Vespa, sport bike, etc. I love riding anything on 2-3-4 wheels... and the bike doesn't make the rider cool, the rider makes the bike cool... i.e. Steve McQueen... and me... and you... 8)
I am with you exactly on the wave. HD guys here wave to me more than I wave to them. Never had a problem with anyone on what I ride.
Quote from: jmbo on June 09, 2015, 07:49:14 AM
Most of the boys here in Harley country will still give me a high sign. Honda guys rarely and crotch rockets - never! The one thing I do find is a total lack of curiosity over the Drifter. I hear other stories how guys walk away from their Drifter only to find a crowd assembled around their bike when they return. Never happened to me here in Harley country.
I was on a recent ride for returning WW2 vets from a trip from DC. They counted about 340 2 and 3 wheelers there. After parking at the mustering point, I walked away from my bike. I looked over at it from a distance and saw people posing for pics with it. Most were firemen and a few cops.
I usually ride in local groups with all kinds of bikes. Some groups are HD-centric and others are metric-centric. It varies. I do run into some snooty types that think their bike is better than everyone elses. Mostly when riding it's the crotch rockets that almost never wave back.
When I pull up to a light next to another bike, I always say hi to the rider, and we strike up a 30 second conversation. Most of the HDers compliment me on the bike first thing, and I reciprocate.
I just got home yesterday at 5:30 from a 3,278 mile ride from Sant Rosa, CA to Anchorage, Alaska and took notice of who waved and who didn't along the way.
I wave at everyone, including the cars and trucks I pass since I knew I would be passing many of them again with my frequent gas stops.
Most Harley riders acknowledged my presence with a "cool dude" mini wave and/or a head nod while a few were "too cool for school" to see anything but themselves as the Lone Wolf.
The motorcycle rider who was the most likely to ignore me really surprised me though, it was the adventure riders on the big BMW GS bikes (1100, 1190, 1200).
At red lights, gas stations, and on the ferry's the rich guys ignored me, as well as others who weren't riding the proper adventure bike, or possibly weren't riding an expensive enough bike.
No matter, there are snobs and prejudiced people everywhere.
One thing that made me notice the BMW GS bikes was how clean the bikes were.
Obviously not ridden on any dirt roads, while my Drifter was so dirty I feared the customs agent at the border crossings might charge me with smuggling dirt from one country to another!
I did get waves from almost every rider of every type of bike so the non-wavers were the rare occurrence.
Especially once we were away from the cities and out in the wilderness.
Jag, I hope you got some pictures on that epic ride, and you plan to share them with us.....
I do indeed have pictures ;)
Actually, I started a ride report last night but when I tried to preview it, everything was gone...
I was tired so I went to bed instead of getting frustrated.
Will try again tonight.
Personally I could care less; I find most of the Harley riders are too hung up on their "badd-a$$ image they are striving so hard for to even bother nodding to. I've gotten to the point if they wave I wave otherwise I don't. Same as fuel/rest stops; I'll be civil, but don't pull your "Billy Bada$$"crap on me, cause it don't wash... ;)
There is a guy down the street from me, always trying to look/act/be tough, has a lot of people buffaloed. Drives past, if you are backing into or out of your driveway, he honks and curses, flips the bird, when I'm out front cleaning my bike he waves when he goes by.... When he honks and flips the bird at me I honk and wave back...a full hand wave, not the 'bird' wave... ;D
What nice neighbors you have up there... :o
;) perhaps in Mayberry OH you don't have them people. But I know what 49 is talking about. There is a small group of people like that even here. Auto parts store clerk, grocery store stock boy, computer tech guy, Home Depot floor associate, and such jobs as this, yet Friday at quitting time they become bada$$ biker dude, with the loud,make your ears bleed pipes, leather vest with the chains on front because they bought them a size to small. They talk loud, talk mean, try to be the Wild Ones in Hollister. Hang out at Timmies and try to intimidate people going in and out. Sad part is all the people are snickering at them because they look so funny.
Falling for a sales pitch seems doesn't make you an outlaw, it confirms you are feeble minded and easily led. I wave when I can... don't care what brand is coming at me... don't care if they wave back or not. It's not a confirmation of their coolness, it's not about confirming their choice in bike brands, it's simply an acknowledgement of the joy of two wheels (or three).
I'm thinking maybe I should get one of these shirts.
(https://www.vulcandrifterriders.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn1.bigcommerce.com%2Fserver5200%2Fbpkxa%2Fproducts%2F116%2Fimages%2F467%2FIMG_0323__78757.1426549724.1280.1280.jpg%3Fc%3D2&hash=93fe06f258800d42b3f79fb6d64c2700a3bff4bc)
I only do it if I feel it is safe to do so; not in curves or heavy traffic. I just nod my head.
I spent a few hours on a popular scenic highway today and there were a lot of riders out on all kinds of bikes.
One thing I noticed as regards a wave or not was the higher their ape hangers were the less likely they were to acknowledge any other rider.
::)
Quote from: DC on June 28, 2015, 00:15:34 AM
I'm thinking maybe I should get one of these shirts.
(https://www.vulcandrifterriders.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn1.bigcommerce.com%2Fserver5200%2Fbpkxa%2Fproducts%2F116%2Fimages%2F467%2FIMG_0323__78757.1426549724.1280.1280.jpg%3Fc%3D2&hash=93fe06f258800d42b3f79fb6d64c2700a3bff4bc)
Oh man that is fantastic. I'll take one in a large too. ☺
Just go to their web site the shirts are very comfortable and the dry wick ones are awesome, I really like all of mine, the hoodie should have been a bit larger, but still fits nice.
Quote from: CDNRatMan on June 09, 2015, 10:04:14 AM... and a lot of the H-D guys are too worried about parts falling off so they are not looking to wave. ..
;D ;D ;D