The art of nodding...

Associate
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I never used to get a nod on my Scooter! I felt like I wasn't a biker then, guess I wasn't with L plates on.

Soon as the R6 appeared nods a plenty, made me giggle for a while, I felt special, something just car drivers don't feel on the roads.
 
Soldato
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No longer riding an Italian
Yea L plates get the finger.... :D

Cheered me right up :D Thanks fella

For me I usually nod all, unless not kitted up, but I'd return a nod if they nod oddly.

Seem to find that a lot of tourer types, choppers and 95% of BMW GS riders never return a nod; so I'm leaning to sticking them into the no nod category, usually followed by a choice word in my skid lid.

I like the nod though, it's something we do - and I've even done it a few times in the car when letting someone out of a junction, into a queue etc, and they put a hand up :D
 
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Everybody bar children on scooters. Commuters on scooters often get a nod if equipped.

The whole "chopper guys are...." is a lovely generalisation, so I just take each one as an individual and give them a nod. Over half the time I get it returned.

I had a nice chat with two massive tattooed guys on harleys at the ferry terminal a few years ago, me parked in the middle of them with my SV650 :). Reminds me to avoid judging books by their covers.
 
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Interesting snobbery on this thread... so me riding my Yamaha TMax 500 MK3 would not get a nod because its a scooter even though I ride to work every work day of the year, wind, rain or snow? :D

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Yet you would likely nod at me if I was riding this, because it would look like a motorbike but is in fact a Streetfightered TMax MK4.

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But the reason for which I ride my scooter is because I have a dodgy right hip and ankle and have to have the ability to move my leg to different positions on a journey otherwise it gets painful. With my scooter I have a choice of 3 main positions, feet forward, feet central and feet back.

I mostly nod to every one unless I need to focus on upcoming conditions or I am seeing lots of bikers or scooterists and I feel like my head would drop off from nodding so much :D
 
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Caporegime
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But the reason for which I ride my scooter is because I have a dodgy right hip and ankle and have to have the ability to move my leg to different positions on a journey otherwise it gets painful. With my scooter I have a choice of 3 main positions, feet forward, feet central and feet back.

that's what crash bobbins are for :p

good ones fall right in the position where you can then rest your left elbow on your knee and your chin on your left and cruise along the motorway looking distant and bored :p
 
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But my leg would not have a lot of the required movement to be comfortable with out having to get off every 20 miles or so and have a 1 minute walk then continue on with the journey :D

The only major differences comparing 'motorbike' from scooter is the engine position, fuel tank position, storage capacity and being an automatic. All of which are benefits or disadvantages dependent on your vehicular needs, they are however no reason to be so shallow an snobby.

We ride on two wheels because we like to, the amount of stuff going on with other road users and incoming legislations should bring us all together not push us apart.
 

4T5

4T5

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Think the only people I don't nod to are the idiots that are out in shorts & T shirt, I nod to scooters, Learners, Old bill bikes the lot. I even wave to kids in cars when they are looking. :p
 
Soldato
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Well this past week I have made a conscious effort to nod to every biker I saw. Based on what 2thumbs and Tefal said I thought to myself "maybe i'm the only biker they see all day, I could make them feel part of something"

A few people on 125 with L plates got a big thumbs up if I could, respect for riding those slow ass things :p one of them was only a young fella who almost fell off waving back :eek:

It's been fun commuting this week, between learning to filter and remembering to nod I honestly think I've been awake for every journey, i'd be asleep for most of it if I was in the car :p
 
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