Hand signals

Torontonian · Oct 27, 2011

Arm down at 45 degrees with inverted peace sign is common here in Ontario,but always outside of the city,any wave rare within. It's all good because help is in their heads if you need it, and driving a Norton I have been offered and needed the fraternity help 4 times . 2 x dead ignition boxes, blown out rear tire and layshaft bearing expiration. So I wave back and do whatever I can if need be ,such as fashioning a broken points spring out of an elastic band to help a stranded Shovelhead rider when his pals were stumped as to what to do. What goes around comes around.

TJKII · Oct 27, 2011

Thank you for the ammendment to the harley rider #3. Sometimes it gets really annoying to ride on a weekend as all of the RUB's are out and want to wave. A couple of fingers up on the left hand and/or a nod of the head is all I do. My girlfriend had a jeep when we met and the first time i drove it everyone waved to me (ah, in a jeep) What's with this? "Oh, it's a jeep thing". Some drunk totaled the jeep; fortunately there's not a" blazer thing".
All of my harleys are kick start option so i fortunately fall into the #3 catagory. If you wave, I do some sort of return gesture.

Tom

AltaNorton · Oct 27, 2011

Cant say ive actually ever ridin, hopefully ill get my license next spring...
But up here in Canada ive noticed bikers waving.
It must be international

Matt

flashbackk · Oct 27, 2011

The nice thing about waving with two fingers is I just have to put one back down and tilt it up when the other guy is wayyyy too kewl for me.

The way I remember, it was corvette drivers all acknowledged each other. A wave or the peace sign was popular back in the '60's. But that was before I had a bike. I didn't get my first Norton untill '72. Seems like it was a closed fist power sign ..... those years were kinda fuzzy tho....

TJKII · Oct 28, 2011

The problem that arrises from all of the waving is it could confuse drivers behind you. A good hand full of times I've been indicating a left hand turn only to be passed in the opposite direction by another bike who feels it necessary to wave his/her fool arm off thus negating my intended communication to the person behind me. Half of the people on the road don't understand hand indicators to begin with. Almost been run over several times making right hand turns because the idiot behind me didn't understand hand siginals.
So if I don't wave to you when we pass, don't think my a snot, maybe I'm just tired of waving at that point.

Tom

Torontonian · Oct 28, 2011

Tom there is a very big problem in that so few humanoids comprehend hand signals (left arm straight out pointed,left turn. Left arm straight out, 90 degree pointed to heaven,right turn. Left arm out,90 degree pointed to hell,stop intended.) that you are endangering your life nowadays. Fit some turnsignals will you ?

Hobot · Oct 28, 2011

There are so so many bikes at times out here about half don't wave or me too. Also when barreling around a good one I hardly ever wave. To indicate which way I'm going to turn, if I even can I one, I point index in waves like a signal blinker, on out stretched arm or bend up over head. Wes and I usually only need a slow up sign which is like a sassy low down Big Twin wave but with a fist on the end. Oh yeah most the time i wave I act like I'm pulling the chain to toot semi horn or train whistle. To get noticed I weave crazy in lane like I'm out of control and sure enough they try to avoid me. We don't have 'lectric signals on '71 and '72.

GRM 450 · Oct 29, 2011

What's a Squid? (I know where calamari comes from). Here in oz it's usually a nod, but not from Hodleys Hunchbacks or Hells Solicitors, or BM riders

MK 111 · Oct 29, 2011

i reckon just a nod of the head is sufficient, no need to go overboard or else you'll spend all sunday afternoon waving to other bikers..

79x100 · Oct 29, 2011

If a Commando rider takes his hand off the bar to wave, it's probably just to show that his isos are well set up. (If not, he'll grab it again very quickly !

)

Guido · Oct 29, 2011

GRM 450 said:
What's a Squid? (I know where calamari comes from). Here in oz it's usually a nod, but not from Hodleys Hunchbacks or Hells Solicitors, or BM riders

Yeah, I'd like to know to.
Hells Solicitors? Like our Hells Angels except only lawyers?

Hobot · Oct 29, 2011

Squid is a small brained short lived soft bodied mollusk with jet propulsion.

Torontonian · Oct 29, 2011

Squid is good to eat de-beaked ,sliced into rings,rolled in batter,deepfried and served with lemon. Jigged for them in Thailand using a special lure with about 50 needles so that when they grab at it with their soft arms they can't let go easy. Before bringing your squid up into the boat you hold it above the water for about 2 seconds to let it shoot it's black ink out first or it will get you good. Squid is also a slang term for motorcycle riders of Japanese sport machines BTW.

DogT · Oct 29, 2011

When I was in Barcelona in the '60's, squid were the free food they put on the bar. I thought they were made from some sort of tough rubber, but you could eat the fried coating off them. The red bar wine was pretty greasy too. That's another story for a rainy day and it was pre-Commando days anyhow.

Dave
69S

Torontonian · Oct 29, 2011

We hit Barcelona say 2005. The bar snacks they serve for free are called Tapas and are to keep you seated at the bar drinking Spanish red. Squid ,octopus marinated in olive oil ,slices of spiced meats that are cut from large chunks hanging from the ceiling ,olives too. Outside on the sidewalk are rows of motorcycles and scooters from ancient to new. No Nortons did I see.

GRM 450 · Oct 29, 2011

Squid cooking tip, marinate it in kiwi fruit in the fridge for 2 hours before cooking, wash off the kiwi fruit and cook how you like, no more tough squid. hobots description makes sense. Graeme

ntst8 · Oct 29, 2011

hobot said:
Squid is a small brained short lived soft bodied mollusk with jet propulsion.

When squids use their jet propulsion they go fast in a straight line for a shortish distance, and if still being chased go fast in another, probably different, straight line.
So in the motorcycle sense it refers to someone of minimal skill on a fast bike who sprints down the straights and wobbles slowly around the corners.
Nobody here i'm sure.

Hobot · Oct 29, 2011

Well there are two types of squid the ones that only live a couple years so never grow old and those that have no definite life time till eaten by same things that can end us all. Stupids are known for taking thoughtless risks like passing into blind turns and over blind crests. Just being a squid on joy rides don't mean we don't know how to spurt a bike this way and that besides straight lines into the unknowns.

alexhobo · Oct 29, 2011

a lot of riders do it here in maryland

Hand signals

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