about waving.   it all depends on a few different things.  1.  what you ride.  2.  how you ride  3.  what you wear when you ride. 
1)  what you ride, harley, metric cruiser, sport bike(crotchrocket)  BMW, etc..  2.  how you ride,  laid back, cruiser style, feet out on highway pegs, right hand on the gas grip,  or straight up, both hands on the bars,  paying full attention to your suuroundings,  acting like its your first time riding, or 3. what you wear when you ride.  dew rag, half helmet, full face helmet,  little lid, just covering the top of your head, or no helmet at all, or hat turned backwards, or no hat at all  . likenesses  will wave to others of the same catagory.  unlikenesses will not wave to other unlikenesses, out of their catagory.  while people like me, will wave to any and all bikers.  if they dont wave back, it doesnt matter.  i know i have waved, to show my "brotherhood". 

Rick ~ I don't care what anyone is riding and I have been snubbed by as many 'metrics' as Metrics have been snubbed by Harley riders... I just wave at everyone and acknowledge my Brothers and Sisters... and dodge the PBR 12 packs the scooters drop when they raise their arms... HA HA HA!

Dosen't really matter to me. I wave and if they don't return the gesture, ah well. I agree with winginitrick on that one. But, Blackpearl, I have to admit, I might have to think about possibly recovering that dropped 12 pack...LOL

Aw Stan ~ brings back some fond memories... picture a guy riding I-5 on his Harley (yes...) he passes us and I thought "My God ~ his jacket is laying on the rear and the arm is swinging by the chain!" Looks like a serious recipe for disaster... then all of a sudden, it looks like a tin can rolling depth charges! Roll one ~ roll two ~ roll three... he had a case of beer under his jacket and it was open! Nothing like seeing beer cans hit the super slab at 70 and dodging them! They were flying around us, over us, under us... spinning and foaming... what a laugh!!! Thank God no one was hurt, but I bet he was a little hacked when he got there and wanted to pop a cold one!!!
Guess I'll need to start a new thread with that one... :-)

I'll admit, I don't wave to everyone right away. I gotta specify that now..... ANYONE who waves at me, I wave back. If you're riding a bike that looks like you actually ride, and you're not some kid who spent a couple grand of daddy's money and bought yourself a death rocket you couldn't possible handle, I wave. That means harley, honda, victory, whatever, even a crotch rocket being riden responsibly at a sane speed..... in fact, I've noticed that those riders generally do wave first. However, if I see you being a...... donkey....... on any kind of bike, I don't feel you deserve my attention. In fact, that's why you're doing what you're doing. attention, and you shouldn't get any. For that reason, I wave first to anything but a crotch rocket, and those, I wave back if they wave at me, since they can't really hot-dog it with one hand!!

I also have to add that when some guy waves at me from is gas/electric hybrid scooter that's balls out at 40mph through town, all dressed like a biker, I'm laughing too hard to wave back. SORRY!! I'm a jerk, I know lol!

When I was riding a Metric, more often than not I was Snubbed by the Harley riders, even though my Metric Cruiser looked a Hell of a lot better than some of the Harleys. Now I ride a Harley, and I still wave to all, even the scooter guys and gals. Hell, it wasn't too long ago, that I rode a Suzuki Scooter for a while, but I loved it , and that thing would FLY. It don't matter what anybody rides, show them your hand, and RIDE.

i wave to a ***** on 2 wheels .

My wave is not for you. It is for me. To say that I'm in the wind, probably with my lady behind me, doing what I love to do and having a great time and the wave is my way of showing what I'm feeling. If you wave back, you probably know what I'm saying. If not, then you ain't figured it out and I hyope you do cause your not "there" yet with understanding what it FEELS like to be a biker. Your look and ride have nothing to do with it. And I did have the same feeling when I was a teenager riding a scooter through my hometown. It was the same when I have had Jeeps. I waved and recieved waves from other Jeeps and found that those who were like me, with the whole thing covered with mud inside and out with only the seats showing through cause they were occupied while the mud was flying, enthusiastically waved back.........

I think you are absolutely right about waving. I have also noticed that most riders will not wave to groups or obvious clubs first. Also, most of the guys I ride with will not wave (my husband included). I'm not really sure why cause I always thought of it as a presonal decision. But, I wave to everyone, even if I'm on the outside line. The reason I wave to all was actually explained prefectly by DEFCON. Thank You.

  You nailed it man...also I used to have a CJ 7 that i put a 350 Chevy in so I get that too!Man do I miss that old girl sometimes.

with the state of the roads in Ireland (potholes, gravel, cowshit) 'tis quite irresponsible ta downright dangerous ta take yer hand off the bars, even fer a moment: the auld nod o' the head is the done thing in here...

and most snobs who don't salute are usually BMW riders and in general those who don't "get it," ie. POSERS

I agree with Defcon also on this one. Folks around here riding usually always wave to each other while passing. Usually by extending the left arm with two fingers down, meaning keep the rubber side down. If your hands are busy usually a knod of the head is done. Most of the riders around here know each other maybe not personally but we all hang at the same places. I get bashed sometimes for riding Metric and especially since its not a V-Twin but its all in fun. We all respect each other around here anyway.

I wave to anyone and everyone!!!

If there were a possibility I'd hit cowshit, I'd probably keep my hands on the handle too. That shit gets everywhere

I will wave to anyone and If not I give the knod. I include groups as well as charity rides if I'm going in the opposite direction I will just hold my arm out there till the last rider. If they don't return its there loss. I'm out to enjoy the ride even to and from work.

Waving is all well and good, but I really want to figure out how to moon that asshole in the Escalade who's tailgating me ;-)

I find the area has a lot to do with it too. I wave to everyone who rides, and I notice that when around a metro area that the category thing does kind of hold true to where people mostly wave to those on a similar bike stlye.  But out on the open road, I find my waves get responed to by just about everyone on a bike.

Wave to anyone on two wheels! And others if desire.
Just the other day, stopped at a convenience market. Farmer pulled in next to me in his 4x4 truck. We started to talk and he used to frequent the PX in Long Ben Vietnam, where my brother was assigned. Soon two other farmers arrived and we were talking bikes, I'm on my Goldwing today, one of the said I like these better than Harley's. My response, and the truth, was, I like anything on two wheels, even a Schwinn. Turns out one of these fine men had just purchased a schwin Stingray bicycle a couple of weeks ago, at an auction for $70. These bicycles to for around four to six hundred dollars. Who can't remember their bicycle days.
Well I vote for waving to all on two wheels, what they do is up to them. Spread the Peace & Love Brothers & Sisters

thats funny shit wolf yeah after i got done cracking up i had 2 agree.but dam thats a bad mental image lol

What I have been trying to figure out......... I have really really good eyesite, I can't tell, most times, what I am meeting on the highway. If it is on two wheels, I wave. I can't tell a harley from a victory or a yamaha or whatever. Personally I have two classifications for bikes on the highway. Regular and crotch rocket, I wave at all.......... Is it just me???

 
It's not just you Guero, when a cruiser and I pass on the road, I normally have no idea what make bike it is.