There are five basic “waves”, or hand signals for motorcycles, but it’s more than just a friendly greeting. Knowing all these hand signals will make your group rides safe… well, safer… and definitely make you seem like you know what you’re doing.
You own a Jeep? You’re probably familiar with the salute.
You own a Miata? You do the headlight blink.
As for motorcycles, we do the “wave”.
Not just any wave, because we aren’t talking about a stadium full of people… We’re talking about a common rider courtesy that extends to riders beyond your group or immediate riding community.
NOTE: most all of these require you to take a hand or foot off the controls so make sure you exercise these signals with caution, meaning maybe try these at home… before you try them on the road.
Whether or not you look like an idiot doing the wave is up to you 😎. There are more important things than greeting fellow riders on the road. For example: signaling to stop, pointing out debris, or something as simple as a lane change.
Check out the fancy graphics we made just for you.
Basic Motorcycle Hand Signal 101:
Left Turn: Left arm & hand extending left, palm facing down.
Right Turn: Left arm out, bent at 90 degree angle, fist clenched.
Speed Up: Left arm extended straight out, palm facing up, swing upward.
Slow Down: Left arm extended straight out, palm facing down, swing down to your side.
While these aren’t the most exciting signals – you gotta remember it’s not just bikers on the road & luckily the above signals apply to other vehicles too.
Rider Courtesy 101:
Cops Ahead: Tap on top of helmet with open palm down.
Turn Signal On: open and close hand with fingers and thumb extended.
Follow Me: Left arm extended straight up from shoulder, palm forward.
Hazard In Road: on the left, point with left hand; on the right, point with right foot.
Getting a little more exciting – these helps signals can help you navigate troublesome situations. Like letting up on the throttle to avoid a ticket 😏, or avoiding a serious hazard on the road.
Handy Group Ride Signals:
Fuel: Left arm out to side pointing to tank with finger extended.
Stop: Left arm extended down, palm facing back.
Comfort Stop: Left forearm extended, fist clenched with short up and down motion.
Refreshment Stop: fingers closed, thumb to mouth.
These are for incredibly helpful for a long group ride. Especially in the Texas heat, when frequent refreshment stops are mandatory.
Lesser Known Group Ride Hand Signals:
Pull Off: Left arm positioned as for right turn, forearm swung toward shoulder.
Come: Left arm extended upward 45 degrees, palm forward pointing with index finger, swing in arc from back to front.
Single File: Left arm and index finger extended straight up.
Double File: Left arm with index and middle finger extended straight up.
And for extra credit – use these signals to get your group in line or if you really wanna impress your fellow riders.
These signals may not be as cool as the “wave” they can make your group rides safer and more enjoyable. Still thinking to yourself – wait do I look like an idiot when I’m doing the wave?? Don’t worry we got you just follow these helpful hints:
Left-Handed Low
Typically this wave is used by all riders, even though some have deemed it the Harley or cruiser wave. The arm is fully extended and aimed down towards the street in a 45 or lesser degree angle, with one, two, three, or five fingers extended. The direction of the palm is also critical to the look and feel of this wave. The palm must either face the other rider or face the road. A classic variation of the finger positioning is to throw a peace sign (duce) or a thumbs up.
There you have it folks. Now you know it all – so go on and give the girls & boys a call and hit up those rad motorcycle routes we told you about.
This blog isn’t just for motorcyclists who need to know more about hand signals for their group rides. It’s also for any vehicle operator that would like to understand what other motorists are trying to convey when utilizing hand signals. One prime example for this would be when your headlights and blinkers aren’t working – or if you happen to see a biker pat his head – you know to check you speed.
We’re just out here tryna help y’all avoid tickets and keep the roads safer for everyone.