Motorcycle riders are vulnerable things. You can have the bike control skill of a Rossi or a trials world champion but any distracted numbskull in a car can give you a bad day, real quick. I think its the realization of our vulnerability that makes us signal and say 'hi' to each other on the road. We are a culture on two wheels of mutually shared dangers, and we know it.

It reminds me of the honesty that comes out when a natural disaster happens: like in Joplin, when the tornado rolled through and the guy cell phone recorded the 18-20 people shut inside that freezer, and during the worst of it a dude says, 'I love everyone here' ..I think theres an honesty about life that comes through when you ride that is NOT the same as a girl trying to steer a car and text at the same time or a dude in a truck staring at you and thinking he knows what motorcycle riding on the street is about when he doesnt have a clue.

Its not safe to tell lies on a bike, even to yourself (unlike normal life.)
You cant pretend you have skills you havent learned yet. You cant pretend you can go toe to toe with a fast moving car bumper. You cant assume that car will not turn left in front of you. You see honestly on a bike. The honesty of yourself and the truth about others in cars. The ugly truth, sometimes. Street riding is a lesson in continuous truth of the 'now' while surrounded by vehicles that act as if they wish they could be somewhere or doing something else.

..its sunday, so thats my sermon.

No car and no driver can force you out of the truth of what you are doing by being on a bike in traffic. They cant unless you let them. Truth sets you free, and there is no vehicle freer than a motorcycle. Have a good ride.

 

good write up man. but as they say: truth hurts and in the world of cycles and cars, it definitely hurts. sometimes it kills.

ride safe out there this season. think ahead.

 

i think danger is related to why we wave at each other but not directly why we do it.

The reason we wave at eachother is because we are happy to see someone else on a bike.

The reason car drivers dont wave at each other is because people driving cars is very ordinary. Bike riders are a little extra ordinary because we would rather ride than let fear control our lives. We recognize the other guy rides because hes not scared of the danger and thats why we wave.

were kind of saying the same thing haha i think that it just needs to be worded a little differently

 

Or you could be the type of rider that hits other biker's kill switches and shove each other.

ZIIINNNGGGgggg

 

Yeah that sounds right.

Heres a weird thing too: you see a guy on a sportbike wearing shorts and no helmet and you do not want to wave at him. Its because you know he is dressed for a volley-ball game NOT because he has overcame his fear. You know he is just too stupid to know better (he hasnt crashed yet.)

So yeah, we wave the 'best' at guys on high performance bikes who seem to know whats what. Because we take responsibility for ourselves just like they do and its an agreeable feeling = happy. We nod at others who have no helmet but anyway are riding street cruisers and usually arent in a hurry to go anywhere. But for me its not honest to wave at a volley-ball player on a sportbike. To me he represents anti-happiness

Riders like that lie to themselves about motorcycles and that in itself is a dangerous thing.

 

dUDE, yOU ZiiINgED Me !!
My advice to you is: Do as I say and not as I do

 

I subscribe to the same line of thinking haha