When motorcyclists approach each other, what does it mean when they lower their left hand?

Question

Is it simply "hello", or does it have some sort of symbolism, as if to acknowledge a fellow "brother" who is a biker? A form of camaraderie?

I've never ridden, and I'm not up-to-speed on biker culture.

Answer 1

Biker wave.

Answer 2

Mostly to acknowledge the other people that you share the passion of riding motorcycle. It kinda a unspoken hello or whats up among the biker world  and it feels good to see other biker having as much fun as you are. Sometimes people don't wave and well thats laim just wave , smile and grip the throttle.

Answer 3

It is hello.

Answer 4

it means, your the 10,000th guy whos waved at me today, give it a rest already.

ok I'll wave back 1 more time.

Answer 5

yea mostly people who ride streetbikes do that it means hello(ive never seen a harley rider do that) so ya its like the "wrangler wave" its a thing were if you have a jeep wrangler and you pass another jeep wrangler you wave. so its pretty much a "brother" type thing

Answer 6

It is a simply hello,

Most riders do it at one time. I don't any more because there are some many bikes on the road now days that I get sick of having my arm stuck out in the wind. I am not being rude. I just want to ride not have a social hour. If I wanted that I would join an RC (Riding Club) I not in to look at me I am A biker.

I don't care if other think I am a real biker or not. I just want to hit the road and go.

Answer 7

"Hey Bro"

Answer 8

Basically just a wave.

Waving by pointing at the road is like saying "keep the rubber side down" aka "ride safe".

Answer 9

Just sayin' sup' to a fellow biker.  Kinda like how people in wranglers do.  It doesn't have to be with your left hand.  Depending on if you're shifting or what-not it's just as easy to low wave with your right, unless your pretty fat.  :)

Answer 10

A symbol of hello, I hope. Thats why I do it.

Answer 11

It's a friendly hello or acknowledgement to a fellow biker.

Sometimes you may notice two bikers nodding to each other instead ( especially when one or both are in the middle of shifting gears ), that means the same thing.

Answer 12

As far as I know it just means hello and be safe. That's what I'm communicating when I do it. Others have their own definition.

Plenty of Harley riders wave. All types of road bikers wave. There are more that do than don't.

I took a 440 mile trip saturday on my sportbike and I'll tell ya, the waving got really played out. there must have been a million bikes on the road. After a while I just didn't even look in the other lane. I wasn't trying to be rude I was just tired.