Whenever I pass other riders, I usually wave, but I noticed most riders simply stick out their hand and kinda point at like...waist level. Is that the "proper" way to acknowledge fellow riders?
Yes, just hold out left hand is the usual, then there's other hand signals for say if you're riding in a group and there's a pothole or debris you point down to let those behind you know not to hit that pothole that just jarred hell out of your kidneys. LOL
Oh, if your clutch hand is busy please don't try to biker wave, just nod.
Hahaha. Quote on that same page: "I had a motorcyclist cut me off and then he did the official two finger flip, except he did it totally wrong. Only one finger. (LAME!!) I wanted to tell him he was doing it wrong but maybe he was just telling me he was #1."
I'll stick my left hand out to the side to greet another rider. If I'm going through a curve, shifting or otherwise too busy to stick a hand out, I will at least give a friendly nod of the helmet.
I stick my arm out and a bit below the handlebar height, but seems like every time I do, the wind catches my hand and gets pushed back - exaggerating the whole gesture.
I ride on for the next minute or two thinking that I must've looked completely ridiculous
I always was told left arm two fingers pointing down to ground means " two wheels (two fingers) rubber side down (fingers pointing down). I am a girl so sometimes if it is someone I know I do a girly wave cuz " I don't need to do the cool guy wave". LOL
Here in PA almost everybody waves and it's "the big one", but with one finger pointing down. I once didn't get a wave, but I think the guy's arms and hands were numb from hanging on to the 30" Ape Hangers. I just use my left hand out to the side, all fingers extended. When I moved here from N.Y. I didn't expect to get a wave from the Harley crowd (like in N.Y.), I expected to get my ass kicked. Turns out at the first Poker Run I went on with my boss and friend Gerry (both Harley dudes) on my RZ350 I was asked to lead the group 'cause my bike was "Totally awesome little dude"! The sight of 45 to 50 Bikers coming striding over scared the crap out of me, Gerry and Wayne was gonna say I just followed them into the parking lot, the Bastids. A picture of me riding out of the bar, hanging off the side like in a Grand Prix, with the Police blocking traffic, still hangs in Ricks Rusty Rudder to this day.
I like using the "hang loose" sign. It has a double meaning to me. First it says, "enjoy your ride", and second it says, "Yamaha rules", since it's also a "Y" in sign language.
It might not translate as well outside of California, but we don't all have to say "hi" the same way.