Today was a good day!

[Pale Rider 07]

I got the bike back from the 600 mile service yesterday afternoon and thought I was going to get some road time in...finally. Well the kids had some type of issue that needed my input and there went the rest of my day. So I decided last night to go ahead and move the handle bars back to the rear position (was a breeze...thanks for all the posts) and to spend a little time tweaking the suspension...again, thanks. So this morning I headed out for a nice, easy 150 mile trip in what could only be described as perfect weather.

The bike ran great and felt better on the road. The biggest difference I felt from the suspension work was that I was able to maintain my track within my lane much easier. Prior to this, I had found myself wondering a bit and thought it was rusty riding skills to blame. Although I had a few aches towards the end, I can't wait to get back out and let this bike run.

One quick observation. I tend to be a friendly rider and will toss a wave to most other passing bikers. I have to admit though, that I was caught off guard a bit when I realized that a couple of the bikes were actually scooters. From the front, some of these things look like sport bikes and it can be hard to tell until it's too late and your hand is flapping in the breeze. Is it right to extend the respect of the brotherhood to the scootering public? I just don't know. Perhaps a poll is needed.

 

[fjrchooser]

I'll give them a wave but seldom get one back in return. Mostly I think it catches them by surprise. Either that, or they're future Harley riders in training.

 

[OkieBikerDude]

I wave to scooter riders just like I do to Harley riders and folks on three wheelers. I believe it's harder on someone who doesn't return the wave than it is on those of us who may feel like we're wasting our energy. How can you lose offering a friendly wave to anyone?

OBD

 

[Happy Rider]

Wave, why not. Some of those scooters are 500cc + bikes. I've seen many of them out touring the country. My wife is looking at getting back into riding and we have been looking at many of them. I didn't like them at first and thought she should try to get a real bike. Then we started looking at them. Good wind protection, ABS, big fat couch for a seat, storage under the seat, top box on the back, automatic. I'm thinking she is right and one would be a good choice for getting back on a bike.

 

[Tyler]

Is it right to extend the respect of the brotherhood to the scootering public?

Sure why not? Two-wheels, three-wheels, all brands, makes, models, etc. Hell, I've even waved at cars when they've flashed their brights to alert me to the presence of police presence ahead or given me a wide berth to pass or lane split... if my hands aren't otherwise occupied with the operation of the bike, I will always wave and don't really give a shit if I get it back... makes me feel good to do it. B)

 

[JoBu]

Is it right to extend the respect of the brotherhood to the scootering public? I just don't know. Perhaps a poll is needed.

So...you want to retract the friendly wave you gave to a few folks on two wheels because they were on scooters??? :blink: I'm glad I don't ride in the rarified air you seem to enjoy...LOL Perhaps I'm not getting the tone inflections as they are hard to convey on the net. But it sounds like a bit of an elitist attitude. My apologies if I'm off base on this one.

As far as I'm concerned, if you're on two wheels (or even three), it's all good.

Cheers,

Joe

 

[Pale Rider 07]

Is it right to extend the respect of the brotherhood to the scootering public? I just don't know. Perhaps a poll is needed.

So...you want to retract the friendly wave you gave to a few folks on two wheels because they were on scooters??? :blink: I'm glad I don't ride in the rarified air you seem to enjoy...LOL Perhaps I'm not getting the tone inflections as they are hard to convey on the net. But it sounds like a bit of an elitist attitude. My apologies if I'm off base on this one.

As far as I'm concerned, if you're on two wheels (or even three), it's all good.

Cheers,

Joe

You're right Joe, it does come off as sounding that way, but that was not the tone I intended. Everyone seems to be echoing the same sentiment here, so I must be a bit off base with this one, however I passed several large groups yesterday, comprised of all types of bikes and there was not one group that enjoyed the company of a scooter. Why is that? Curious. Oh...and you really don't want to be riding in my rarifed air...IT'S FULL OF POLLEN. Now where did I put that Claritin?

 

[Geezer]

I wave to them all, even kids on bicycles if they look my way. The scooter riders most often wave back. Harley riders, maybe 50% or a little less.

 

[JoBu]

Is it right to extend the respect of the brotherhood to the scootering public? I just don't know. Perhaps a poll is needed.

So...you want to retract the friendly wave you gave to a few folks on two wheels because they were on scooters??? :blink: I'm glad I don't ride in the rarified air you seem to enjoy...LOL Perhaps I'm not getting the tone inflections as they are hard to convey on the net. But it sounds like a bit of an elitist attitude. My apologies if I'm off base on this one.

As far as I'm concerned, if you're on two wheels (or even three), it's all good.

Cheers,

Joe

You're right Joe, it does come off as sounding that way, but that was not the tone I intended. Everyone seems to be echoing the same sentiment here, so I must be a bit off base with this one, however I passed several large groups yesterday, comprised of all types of bikes and there was not one group that enjoyed the company of a scooter. Why is that? Curious. Oh...and you really don't want to be riding in my rarifed air...IT'S FULL OF POLLEN. Now where did I put that Claritin?

Hey Dave,

So glad to hear that. It just didn't seem to fit anything else you've written on this post or any others I've read.

Hee-hee...and I too am suffering through the pollen-filled rarified air. It seems really bad this year (I'm just over on the east coast...not far from you at all). Everything seems to have that yellow/green coating all over it. Yuck.

Have a fantastic day and I hope you enjoy many, many more great days of riding like you did this past weekend. Maybe I'll see you out there.

Take care,

Joe

 

[JoBu]

I wave to them all, even kids on bicycles if they look my way.

Funny you should mention that, Geezer. I'm a cyclist myself and I normally wave at bicyclists as well. I often get waves back although they do look a bit confused. LOL

Cheers,

Joe

 

[James Burleigh]

Is it right to extend the respect of the brotherhood to the scootering public? I just don't know. Perhaps a poll is needed.

I never do. Not sure why, but I'll try to make something up. Ah to hell with it.

 

[MojaveFJR]

Wave to all two and three wheelers. Love doing it to the harley guys while peg scraping through a turn. Thinks it warps their mind.

Even wave to cyclist in the middle of the road, holding up traffic violating the law riding two abreast. Of course my outer digit fails to raise during these waves.

Hmmmm, might have to see a specialist about this....

 

[Big Sky]

Yeah, I like to wave to the little kids, especially if they're on bicycles (aspiring motorcyclists, probably) and often give them a friendly honk of the horn. It really seems to make their day. Old dudes out in the gardens and yards are like this, too.

 

[Patriot]

yep, wave to anything on 2 or 3 wheels, little kids, LEO's - Firemens - any first responders, hot womens too.

and the occasional muscle car, dune buggy, and Delorean

seriously, in the Patriot Guard there are older gentlemen, Veterans mostly of the Vietnam conflict, who still want to be on two wheels

Burgman 650's are their preference

Works for them so works for me

 

[Willie]

I got the bike back from the 600 mile service yesterday afternoon and thought I was going to get some road time in...finally. Well the kids had some type of issue that needed my input and there went the rest of my day. So I decided last night to go ahead and move the handle bars back to the rear position (was a breeze...thanks for all the posts) and to spend a little time tweaking the suspension...again, thanks. So this morning I headed out for a nice, easy 150 mile trip in what could only be described as perfect weather.
The bike ran great and felt better on the road. The biggest difference I felt from the suspension work was that I was able to maintain my track within my lane much easier. Prior to this, I had found myself wondering a bit and thought it was rusty riding skills to blame. Although I had a few aches towards the end, I can't wait to get back out and let this bike run.

One quick observation. I tend to be a friendly rider and will toss a wave to most other passing bikers. I have to admit though, that I was caught off guard a bit when I realized that a couple of the bikes were actually scooters. From the front, some of these things look like sport bikes and it can be hard to tell until it's too late and your hand is flapping in the breeze. Is it right to extend the respect of the brotherhood to the scootering public? I just don't know. Perhaps a poll is needed.

I got a story about scooters that includes me on my Connie C10 (hadnt got the FJ yet) and an unknow FJR person I meet on the hway

CLICKY HERE if ya like to read this stuff

Willie

 

[myboyhay]

I get in the spirit of the wave for about the 1st hour but then I feel like one of those goofy boat people. I mean is it solidarity or what 'cause I'm down with that, but really would I wave hello at someone who had the same Bugle Boy Jeans probably not. I must say, it never gets old giving the friendly "beep beep" as I pass pedestrians, or others near the side of the road...young, old black or white thats good stuff there.

 

[SacramentoMike]

I think the wave is a real nice custom in the riding world, and I do it pretty much all the time. Even if they don't wave back, like young sportbikers, I hope I'm teaching them a lesson they'll eventually absorb. Except for one category--I don't even bother anymore when I see some outlaw type coming at me. You know, ape hangers, sleeveless vest, beard, beanie or maybe a nazi-style helmet. Never had one wave back when I did wave and finally gave up on all of them. Oh, and those damn unicyclists. I won't wave at those bastards either.

 

[Pale Rider 07]

I think the wave is a real nice custom in the riding world, and I do it pretty much all the time. Even if they don't wave back, like young sportbikers, I hope I'm teaching them a lesson they'll eventually absorb. Except for one category--I don't even bother anymore when I see some outlaw type coming at me. You know, ape hangers, sleeveless vest, beard, beanie or maybe a nazi-style helmet. Never had one wave back when I did wave and finally gave up on all of them. Oh, and those damn unicyclists. I won't wave at those bastards either.

Unicyclists? LMAO!!!

 

[cruppelt]

I think the wave is a real nice custom in the riding world, and I do it pretty much all the time. Even if they don't wave back, like young sportbikers, I hope I'm teaching them a lesson they'll eventually absorb. Except for one category--I don't even bother anymore when I see some outlaw type coming at me. You know, ape hangers, sleeveless vest, beard, beanie or maybe a nazi-style helmet. Never had one wave back when I did wave and finally gave up on all of them. Oh, and those damn unicyclists. I won't wave at those bastards either.

Unicyclists? LMAO!!!

This is too funny, I actually got a wave back from a young girl going down the sidewalk on a unicycle the other day while standing at a red light with my Feejer!!! I waved because I was very impressed by her skill with that thing.

I was one of those damn scooter riders myself not too long ago. I had not ridden since 1990, so when I got back into riding in 2006 I decided to start with something easy to handle. After a short stint on a 200cc scoot, I upgraded to a 400cc (Yamaha Majesty), and after tuning it a bit it did 0-60 in 6 to 7 seconds, and I personally had had it up to 110 mph a couple of times. Still nothing compared to most newer sports oriented bikes, but definitely better then a lot of the older cruisers. In fact, I used to get a kick of unsuspecting Harley riders glancing over with a smirk on their face. They were still getting their feet up when I was already 100 feet plus down the road. :lol: There are some VERY capable bigger scooters out there; the Suzi Burgman for example comes in a 650 version, the Yamaha T-Max is a very light and nicely tuned 500cc, and now there's even an italian scoot out there with 850cc. Combine these engines with a variator style transmission, and that's some serious power these things put down on the road. With a variator you can fine tune keeping the engine in the max power band at acceleration at any speed, which is why these things perform so well with their small engines; most folks don't understand that concept. I guess I can't deny that I still like scooters very much...just not as much as my FJR.

About the wave, a lot of scooter riders feel alienated by "normal" bike riders. If the scooter really looks like a scooter from the front, the rider will virtually never get a wave at all from other riders. If they do get one it catches them totally by surprise.

If it's something like my Majesty was, kinda sorta looks like a small sports bike from the front, then the riders do get more waves and get used to it real quick. These folks usually always wave back as well.