Forum Member Oddman’s 6 Rules of Harley Davidson Etiquette

1. The two-finger wave

“One of the easiest things in the world to do is to be a critic. I would like to see the whining jerkwads write interesting articles on their own to show us how good that they are instead of sniping at others,” challenged extreme HDF Member lh4x4. Oddman accepted the challenge with his own take on the Six rules of Harley-Davidson Etiquette.

If you’ve ever actually ridden a motorcycle you may have noticed others on two wheels give you a two-finger wave. Some speculate that this is a friendly reminder to keep two wheels on the ground. Others say it’s just a recognition to those who have taken up the need to feel the wind and a freedom that can’t be explained. Still yet, it may just be the fact that they have ape hangers on their bikes and all the blood has run out of their hands leaving them with a limp arm and they are dangling it down it hopes that feeling will return. In any case, the two-finger wave is better than getting the one finger salute.

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2. The ride along

As any real Harley-Davidson rider knows, there are no hard and fast rules about how you should or shouldn’t ride your bike. If you approach another Harley rider riding along your same route, don’t assume that you can join their ride. This might make them nervous since neither of you knows the others driving capabilities. Join along with the wrong person or group and you may find their “proper etiquette” is to make your life miserable for trying to join in on a ride that you don’t belong in. I will say as a rider that enjoys being with my fellow Harley enthusiasts, if you want to ride in a pack, join a club or a chapter or meet up with your buddies and ride together. There is nothing like the feeling of riding in a large organized group of bikes.

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3. Getting on your motorcycle

There is no right or wrong way to mount a motorcycle. You may have a unique exhaust or sissy bar that requires you to mount from the right. Maybe you’re short and need to mount from the left. Motor cops are taught to mount and dismount from the right to keep them away from what would normally be the traffic side of the bike. Maybe you mount from the left because that’s how you’re used to mounting your wife from your side of the bed. Grab a handful of break and mount your Harley in the way that is most safe a comfortable for you.

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4. Rev Rev

Revving your engine to “salute” another Harley rider is not “Etiquette”. You can wave, head nod, or blip your throttle but none are considered necessary just because they ride the same bike brand as you. Revving your engine to alert a "cager" who is not paying attention to your presence is a good way to stay safe a keep other drivers alert. Revving your engine through a tunnel or under an underpass is just plain fun and brings a giant s*** eating grin to my face every time.

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5. Share the hate

There are some in the Harley community who think that any foreign motorcycles are an abomination. If you think you must hate on any other type of motorcycle just because it’s not a Harley and expects others to do the same, you are a fool. Harley riders are one of the most stereotyped class of riders just because of this type of foolishness. All motorcycle riders have a commonality, we love being out on two or three wheels, in the wind and the ride is more important than the destination. If you want to hate on a specific type of vehicle, pick the Prius. I haven’t come across a Prius driver yet who understands what the fast lane is.

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6. Stop and help

This is one of the cardinal rules as a rider. You may have your reasons for not stopping but a stranded motorcyclist is something we should all stop to at least make sure that they have things covered. Who knows, it might be your turn someday. With my luck, it will happen out of cell phone range in a haunted forest right as the zombie apocalypse breaks out and I'm sure I will want all the help I can get.

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