We've lost our cool factor. Anyone know what this means?

[SadieKate]

A bunch of us were out for a ride today (in the lovely sunny mid-60s ) and were passed in the opposite direction by some Harley riders. The 1st two raised their hands and gaves us big grins and waves. The 3rd guy leaned over, put his hand near the ground, palm toward us and wiggled his fingers. I feel so uncool. What did he mean? Even the younger members (uh, 31-yr olds) didn't know what he meant. Geez, I feel so out of touch. I must be entering old fogeydom.

As a side note, the Harley riders up here are so nice and friendly. They always come out this time of year for the beautiful weather. The wanna-be racers just don't get it. They go blasting by in packs, gunning their engines, look neither right nor left, and give the bicyclists no space. The Harley guys act like we're all part of the same tribe out for some fun.

[DeniseGoldberg]

, put his hand near the ground, palm toward us and wiggled his fingers...

...As a side note, the Harley riders up here are so nice and friendly.

Wow - I don't have a clue about that hand signal either, but I have to agree with you about the Harley riders. The annual Harley rally in Sturgis, SD was going on while I was cycling through Wyoming during my 2002 xc trek, and there were Harley riders all over the west. I can't tell you how many I spoke with - but they were all super friendly.

And by the way, I'm very jealous of your temperatures! It was warm here too yesterday (in the high 30s), but the roads were so messy I decided to protect my bikes and walk. OK, OK, I guess I just wasn't up for a major cleaning and relubing job. I hate it when shortly after I start out on a ride (on a clean bike) I can hear grit - sand AND salt - in the drive train. Yeah, all of the mountain bikers are probably laughing at me, but I'm a road biker through and through!

--- Denise

[spazzdog]

As the "ex-biker" (sportbike, not Harley) I can assure you that the hand signal wasn't a put down.

Some wave high, some wave low. Especially the "hard-core" Harley folks... they would be the "low wavers". The weekend warrier Harley folks, you know - CPA 5 days a week, Harley head on the weekend, they wave high.

The real deals wave low. I waved low. IMHO, It was actually easier to go from handlebar down... you can get back up to your brake better I always felt. I wave low on my bicycle as well.

So, breath easy... it was a greeting. They would've ignored you completely if they were "dissing"

spazz

[SadieKate]

As the "ex-biker" (sportbike, not Harley) I can assure you that the hand signal wasn't a put down. So, breath easy... it was a greeting. They would've ignored you completely if they were "dissing"

Oh, no! I knew it wasn't a put down. We just felt uncool because we didn't know how to respond. It was obviously a very friendly greeting. These guys are the real deal, not wanna-bes. You can tell because their kickstands were up!

Hey, Denise. I'm with you on clean bikes. My mtbikes get washed constantly and I don't like riding in mud. It just destroys the paint job, the components, the rims. We had 2 sunny days in a row here and we got in 65 road miles total for the weekend. My mood has brightened considerably.

[CorsairMac]

As a current Harley rider - he could've also meant "slow down" in a tongue-in-cheek sorta way! I am a low waver also but I'm so short Everything about me is low to the ground - even my Harley! Don't feel uncool - you smiled and waved back - thats all that mattered! Most Harley riders use only 1 insulting gesture - everything else is fun/happy! As for being fun and friendly - I've never met an unfriendly Harley rider and that includes the Hells Angels which rode in every charity ride my old AZ chapter put on.

[SadieKate]

he could've also meant "slow down" in a tongue-in-cheek sorta way!

Slow down? Not a problem! I can do that!

[Trek420]

CorsairMac observes "As for being fun and friendly - I've never met an unfriendly Harley rider and that includes the Hells Angels which rode in every charity ride my old AZ chapter put on."

Seems to be an unspoken affinity between bikers and cyclists as in "2 wheels good, 4 wheels bad". I've had chopper riders set up impromtu traffic control for cyclists, got lost on a road ride and was guided by Harley and Harley wannabe riders....my best experience to date was the "biker scum" as we affectionately call the motorcycle crew on the AIDS ride.

On day 6 I was the second to the last rider in (mechanical problems, really!). I rode in, gal named Sharon on my heels (Sharon are you here?) and after her the entire motorcycle team rides in two abreast as the camp erupted in cheers.

Between the roar of the bkes and the entire camp cheering as they rode in...I still get goosebumps thinking about it. We loved them, they do everything to keep us safe.

[spazzdog]

Yes, the Harley folks can be pretty great to cyclists... always got a bit of a hard time when out on my motorcycle (the old Harley vs "rice burner/croth rocket" thing.

I remember once, while living in NYC (Queens actually) I was walking my bike across the bridge (59th I think). It was the same day as the annual 5 Borough ride... those cyclists were on the upper level, which was closed to traffic, I was on the walk way below.

Something happened up top, I think it was just so crowded with cyclists... anyway someone got bumped and the rider came over the concrete guardrail. I watched him bounce off the big pillars that support the road and remember thinking, "my god! he's going to fall between the roads and hit the river!" Instead he bounced off something and twirled down onto my level right into the lane of oncoming traffic.

By now I've dropped my bike, but with cleats on and standing on a metal walkway I was getting nowhere fast (except on my butt). The guy had hit the road right after a car passed, and coming next was a big group of Hell's Angels. These guys came to a complete halt in an almost perfect V formation around the fallen cyclist. They were off their machines in a split second and were stopping/directing traffic around him, calling 911... basically handling the situation like it was an everyday drill for them. I finally skated my way over with water bottle in hand... why, I don't know. Maybe I thought somebody would need a drink... big brain shock. Anyway, the ambulance got there, and the rider was safely transported. Never learned the damage, but I will remember those few moments in time as long as I live.

[doc]

My experience with a harley rider was really cute. I was with my usual posse riding slightly downhill when on the opposite side of the road a harley rider was pushing his bike uphill. He had the stereotypical harley rider physique: big beard and even bigger pot belly. He just smiled and said "Wanna trade?"
We all got a kick out of that!

[caligurl]

[QUOTE=CorsairMac]Most Harley riders use only 1 insulting gesture - everything else is fun/happy!QUOTE]

i'll bet that's the same insulting gesture that i use!

[mtbstarr]

I have a feel good story about a nice bluebeard. I was waiting in line to pump gas at my home town. A harley rider pulls up at the pump next to me. As he is pumping his gas, I realize my gas tank is on the wrong side to pump safely, so as the car in front of me leaves I pull through to do a quick "T" and pull back in. I did not see anyone behind me and I finished the T. Then someone barrels into the station at mach 10 and aims right for my spot. The gentleman leaves his rig and blocks the speeding driver so that I will not lose my place in line. He winks at me as he was leaving, and I yell "Thanks", paltry compared to the kindness he showed me, but that was all I could muster.

I was glowing for the rest of the week