I try to wave or nod to all. Scooters are fun because they don't seem to know what to do with the wave. The occassional club type that responds typically hesitates slightly, maybe surprised by a sportbike rider?

 

I wave or nod.
I read in another motorcycle forum that an upside down peace sign means keep it vertical, not sure though.

 

Keep it vertical??

 

yeah, i guess like, not on it's side.

 

i used to wave to everyone but a few months ago people on heavy, big displacement, no power, obnoxiously loud motorcycles stopped waving back.
now i just wave to things with fairings after i make sure its not a harley or if one waves to me i wave back, or throw the fist in the air like back when.

 

I wave to everybody for the most part. I don't wave to scooters though.

95% of sport bikes wave back to me, like 70% of cruiser riders wave but only about 40% of Harley riders wave back.

Then lastly most of the dual sport riders wave back too, but I don't see many for some reason...

Also, it might be worth noting that I feel a lot of dual sport riders and cruiser riders wave to me because I have a hi-vis helmet which kind of eliminates most of my "cool" factor on the bike, at least in my young age group.

 

I was facing a friendly-looking chubby guy in an open-face helmet riding a tourer-type thing the other week, in two-way stationary traffic on a narrow road.

I went to give him a good-natured nod. I was trying to be friendly. I have no idea if I caught my neck on my jacket or chin strap or just had a dry lump in my throat but I gave him an accidental broken-double-nod in a sort of Joey-off-Friends 'How you doin'?' kind of fashion.

He turned red as you like, looked the other way and rolled past. I felt like a complete spanner!

 

Always a wave or a nod - even to the cruiser riders. Most often only sports bike riders return the acknowledgement.

Cruiser riders are probably too scared to take a hand from the bars

No matter what though, they're all moving on two wheels, which to me is a whole different way of experiencing the world and worth the recognition.

Cheers, SB

 

I usually give the peace sign, which is just my normal reaction since I drive VW's and that's what we do. Occasionally I'll forget that I'm driving my jeep or that I'm on my motorcycle and will give someone in a VW the peace sign. Then I get this face .

 

I may have mis spoke, I believe I read it means keep both wheels on the ground, therefore staying vertical. I just spent some time looking at where I may have read it but was unable to find it. I will keep looking to see If I can find it.
I did find this interesting little piece, for what ever it is worth.
Secret Motorcycle Hand Greetings: Revealed!