manxie49 Posted January 30, 2022 Posted January 30, 2022 Just a thought and I wonder has anyone else experienced this …. My mate has been here for a long weekend on his new bike, BMW 1250 GSA. Absolutely stunning bike, I even had a turn on it, great bike to ride, comfortable, bags of torque. This guy has been riding bikes for years, he’s even raced, short circuit stuff, plus Southern 100 and MGP, far more biking experience than some of the Jonathan Rea wannabes we have racing over the mountain at weekends here. Anyway, in conversation he said the one thing he’s noticed since getting his new beamer, is a lot of other bikers no longer seem to acknowledge him (wave / nod), unlike when he was riding is ZZR. He nods to all bikers in passing but said most just look at him as though he's just arrived from Mars . It doesn’t bother him; he actually finds it quite amusing. I had heard something like this before but thought it was urban myth. The biking world I was brought up in, it didn’t matter what you rode. I always nod to passing bikers, I even nod to scooter jocks and Harley riders “although Harley riders just tend to look and scowl” . However, is there now some sort of hierarchy / snobbery on two wheels that I’ve never heard of? Or are we still a brotherhood who will never leave one of our own stuck at the side of the road? That’s the biking code I was brought up with and still live by, but have things changed amongst bikers? Are some bikers now becoming more insular with the focus moving away from "why we ride" . Just a wee bit of Sunday morning pondering, along with the meaning of life and all that sh--e! And I was Just wondering what other people think? Quote
Guest Posted January 30, 2022 Posted January 30, 2022 It's a gs thing I think. Some folks on GSs won't wave so folks don't wave back. Didn't happen to me in the US. Spend a few days on the ukgser forum and you can see why. Personally I don't like cliquey nonsense. I'll wave to any bugger on two wheels, even cyclists. I just like waving at people. Quote
manxie49 Posted January 30, 2022 Author Posted January 30, 2022 7 minutes ago, goat said: It's a gs thing I think. Some folks on GSs won't wave so folks don't wave back. Didn't happen to me in the US. Spend a few days on the ukgser forum and you can see why. Personally I don't like cliquey nonsense. I'll wave to any bugger on two wheels, even cyclists. I just like waving at people. Yep, you're like me, nod or wave to pretty much most folk .... Even been known to stop and help an elderly couple out that broke down on the A591, all good for biker P/R. The only time I ever came across clique snobbery was when I went diving in Plymouth a few years ago, I was PADI trained and most of the others were BSAC, I'd said I'd never go again, all you could hear were jibes about PADI trained divers and vice versa, and it was getting to the point between two of them where things were getting serious, I thought it was going to come to fisty cuffs! It was pathetic. Never thought anything like that existed amongst bikers though? Quote
Pie man Posted January 30, 2022 Posted January 30, 2022 I've owned several beemers and always nodded or waved to all on two wheels. I find its quite the opposite and its the wannabe Rossi's on their 1K a year mileage sport bikes that are the ignorant ones. 1 Quote
MikeHorton Posted January 30, 2022 Posted January 30, 2022 Yes I find people are less friendly these days. Forget the summer riders on their supeerbikes with all the gear they tend not to respond to a wave. I also find the following GS, multistrada, Harley and classic bike riders either refuse to acknowledge or the complete opposite I still wave but a lot less responses than years ago. A sign of modern times I guess. 1 Quote
Bender Posted January 30, 2022 Posted January 30, 2022 I nod to every one on powered 2 wheels, save scootetists, I even find myself nodding to bikes while driving the car 2 Quote
billy sugger Posted January 30, 2022 Posted January 30, 2022 I still snod to other bikers, whether they respond or not. I also will stop to help stricken bikers, and others at the side of the road 2 Quote
Rkel1988 Posted January 30, 2022 Posted January 30, 2022 Being a fairly new rider to the roads there is a stigma that comes with adventure bike riders that theyre very cliquey and “feel superior to other motorbikers” but i will nod wave to anyone on two wheels and do tend to get ignored by the adventure bikers more than other riders i dont know why?! 2 Quote
Stu Posted January 30, 2022 Posted January 30, 2022 It doesn't just apply the GS riders! The same thing has happened to me! I get ignored by a lot of people now and find it highly amusing! Me and my mate take the piss and physically wave at people and they look at us stupid Me on the RT and him on his GS get ignored but our other mate on his FJR doesn't 3 Quote
Bender Posted January 30, 2022 Posted January 30, 2022 3 minutes ago, Stu said: It doesn't just apply the GS riders! The same thing has happened to me! I get ignored by a lot of people now and find it highly amusing! Me and my mate take the piss and physically wave at people and they look at us stupid Me on the RT and him on his GS get ignored but our other mate on his FJR doesn't Come on with a badge that big do you blame them 2 1 Quote
manxie49 Posted January 30, 2022 Author Posted January 30, 2022 33 minutes ago, Rkel1988 said: Being a fairly new rider to the roads there is a stigma that comes with adventure bike riders that theyre very cliquey and “feel superior to other motorbikers” but i will nod wave to anyone on two wheels and do tend to get ignored by the adventure bikers more than other riders i dont know why?! I'm the same as you, nod to everyone, TT fortnight is a nightmare I've never had an ADV bike rider not nod, or nod back, the one's I find that rarely respond are the scooter jocks ..... Maybe it's because they're so shocked that someone is actually acknowledging them on the road Quote
manxie49 Posted January 30, 2022 Author Posted January 30, 2022 19 minutes ago, Bender said: Come on with a badge that big do you blame them Size matters! 1 Quote
Stu Posted January 30, 2022 Posted January 30, 2022 One thing I have noticed though is BMW riders now nod or wave at me 2 Quote
Bender Posted January 30, 2022 Posted January 30, 2022 8 minutes ago, Stu said: One thing I have noticed though is BMW riders now nod or wave at me Tossers 2 Quote
MikeHorton Posted January 30, 2022 Posted January 30, 2022 33 minutes ago, Stu said: It doesn't just apply the GS riders! The same thing has happened to me! I get ignored by a lot of people now and find it highly amusing! Me and my mate take the piss and physically wave at people and they look at us stupid Me on the RT and him on his GS get ignored but our other mate on his FJR doesn't Come on its not helped by you conforming to the German stereotype. If you didn't ride in budgie smuggling speedos and wear sandles with socks more people would wave 2 2 Quote
MikeHorton Posted January 30, 2022 Posted January 30, 2022 And another thing.......... reserving your seat at the biker cafe with beach towels bloody unforgivable 4 Quote
Bender Posted January 30, 2022 Posted January 30, 2022 36 minutes ago, MikeHorton said: And another thing.......... reserving your seat at the biker cafe with beach towels bloody unforgivable Especially at 6.30am before it's open 1 Quote
Stu Posted January 30, 2022 Posted January 30, 2022 I don't have to stay here and take this abuse you know!! I can also go to work where I would be equally abused 1 2 Quote
Rkel1988 Posted January 30, 2022 Posted January 30, 2022 3 hours ago, manxie49 said: I'm the same as you, nod to everyone, TT fortnight is a nightmare I've never had an ADV bike rider not nod, or nod back, the one's I find that rarely respond are the scooter jocks ..... Maybe it's because they're so shocked that someone is actually acknowledging them on the road Haha i can imagine. Im there this year first time I bet its different over there though being the land of the bikers and all that. 1 Quote
Bender Posted January 30, 2022 Posted January 30, 2022 1 hour ago, Stu said: I don't have to stay here and take this abuse you know!! I can also go to work where I would be equally abused Or stay at home, where I believe you both arrive too early and to late, just going off what trace puts on face ache 1 Quote
S-Westerly Posted January 30, 2022 Posted January 30, 2022 I'll nod or wave at anyone on two powered wheels. Most reciprocate. 2 Quote
Steve_M Posted January 30, 2022 Posted January 30, 2022 20 minutes ago, S-Westerly said: I'll nod or wave at anyone on two powered wheels. Most reciprocate. Same here. I can’t say that I’ve noticed a significant change in other riders waving /nodding since I bought the GS (or the Tiger 1050 a few years ago). 2 Quote
manxie49 Posted January 31, 2022 Author Posted January 31, 2022 17 hours ago, Rkel1988 said: Haha i can imagine. Im there this year first time I bet its different over there though being the land of the bikers and all that. You'll love it mate, first time is always the best! The same as everywhere else though, 20mph zones springing up all over the place, and a lot of the really good spectator areas have now been zoned off .... H&S gone mad! Always expect the unexpected out on the roads and you'll be ok, I've had a couple of hairy moments over the years, mainly riders on the wrong side of the road Quote
skyrider Posted January 31, 2022 Posted January 31, 2022 (edited) my first TT in 87 i saw joey on his way down to the creg in the lead and then at night first iom pub we went in to was the dogs home and then the rest of the night in the lido sadly none of it will ever happen again Edited January 31, 2022 by skyrider 1 Quote
manxie49 Posted January 31, 2022 Author Posted January 31, 2022 22 hours ago, S-Westerly said: I'll nod or wave at anyone on two powered wheels. Most reciprocate. Same as me ..... But I do believe Ducati riders have their own individual way of greeting one another? 3 Quote
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