Jon from AREALLYGOODNAME posted a couple of thoughts on the secret motorcycle wave. spoiler alert: he doesn't believe in it.

The more you can relate to another rider as you are passing, the friendlier they seem to be, which really equates to the more likely they are to return the “secret wave.” I was curious as to how well known the wave is among riders in Utah and S.L.C. counties, and really to find out how friendly everyone is.

i think i have to disagree with him...

a couple of my observations on this subject:

i have noticed that the fair weather riders tend to return the wave less. the sweet bros out for a cruise on their new hayabusa with flip-flops and no helmet almost never return the wave. especially to someone on a scooter. maybe they don't know about the club. maybe they think they're too cool for everyone else now that they have a bike. i dunno. but i have noticed the tendency.

harley riders have their own wave. they usually reserve it for other harley riders. it's like a club that the rest of us aren't invited to. real harley riders (the ones who aren't accountants or lawyers) do seem to treat scooters with more respect than most sport bike riders. they usually give a smile and a wave. a handful the ones i've talked with had a cushman when they were younger, and they still miss it.

the chinese crap scooters (tank, tupperware, etc) almost never wave. i'm kinda glad they don't, since i'd rather most of 'em kept both hands firmly in the handlebars. they (like the sweet bros on crotch rockets) are prob'ly too new to the two-wheeled world to know that we're all in a club.

but in the middle of the winter, everyone waves to everyone. it's like we're saying, "hey, there's a blizzard going on. you're insane too!" it's a special sort of club. not too many of the no-helmet sport bike kids in this club. they just show up when the weather's good. nice bike, kid... missed you guys all winter.