Why do Harley Riders fail to return biker hand acknowledgement?

DavoMoto:
I wave at every rider I can, if it's safe to do so. If they don't wave back, it's no big deal.

For a time, I had stopped waving altogether. Then one day, I was in kind of a bad mood, another rider waved at me and it really made my day. Now I wave to pass that feeling on. I don't need a response.

A very good point. Something to think about.

Here's a tidbit that I thought was worth sharing: A while back, a Harley rider wrote in to the magazine about he and his group of Harley-riding group of friends' recent experience with sportbike riders. My first thought as I began reading the letter was, "Great, some sportbike riders pissed off some Harley riders when they passed them unexpectedly." What actually happened was that a member of the group crashed in some gravel on a local mountain road. The husband and wife sustained  injuries that needed immediate medical attention, and there was no cellphone service where they were at.

A pair of sportbike riders passing by saw that there was a crash, and immediately stopped. After doing what they could with first aid, they rode back down the road 15-20 miles to a ranger station to alert the authorities about the need for medical aid, then returned to tell the Harley riders that help was on the way. During the 30-40 minutes it took for medical units to arrive, no less than a dozen sportbike riders stopped at various times and offered any aid they could, including water, food, etc. The Harley rider was impressed enough to not only write the letter to the magazine, but also said he was writing to the local HOG chapter about this experience.

A gesture of goodwill without asking for anything in return goes a long way.  

Sure it's ridiculous, but you can't deny that some cruiser riders have an uneducated hatred of sport riders. Whether this is more noticeable in HD riders, I'm not sure. I've had pleasant run ins and been blown off by cruisers and HD guys, even Mongols back when they were legal in CA., so I won't generalize too much, but HD riders seem to have that American, open road, no one tells me what to do image pretty much all to themselves, so maybe those guys like to perpetuate the stereotype that they're hardass 1%ers, not weekend warriors stealing a couple hours away from the kids and wife.  

I always give them the one finger salute and they always wave back. Atleast i think there waving  

This is interesting because I have been ridding for so long that I have seen the stigma of the harley rider disapear and be repalced by the sport rider. You meet the nicest people on a honda used to be honda's sales slogan which was aimed at harley. Now there are more professional people riding harleys by far than 1% ers and the upper class so to speak look down thier nose at the sport bike culture. I have nothing against any rider. It doesn't matter what you ride as long as you ride. However the "bad ass posser" on any motorcycle does tend to irritate a bit. I wave at those who wave at me that way you are never disapointed. Try not to take it personally.  
There are worse things than death cowardice is one of them.

That because a Harley rider can smell a homosexual a mile away and all you insulted homosexuals like to whine. Seriosly I have never had this problem ever in 17 yrs of riding. I've only owned 1 Harley and probably 8-10 other types of bike's. some people may be too busy or tired on  a great day loaded with riders, wave after wave. But I can say why it happens, on very rare occasion, and never can I say it's just HD guy's that don't wave . Quit getting yor panties in a knot, the sun is shining and I'm ridin.  

Do you have to resort to name calling ? You can make your point without being offensive.  
There are worse things than death cowardice is one of them.

Frankly, I think the wave issue has more to do with paying attention and inexperience riding.   When i am out riding my Triumph Trophy 900 and wave to a Harley rider I am just as likely to get a wave back as any other biker.
The only guys that have an issue are the really old harley riders who used to be or are still in a biker gang.  They wave to no one.  I used to hang out with those guys years ago and passed on an indian for 1500$.  It had "a lost title and some electrical issues near the ignition" but I was assured getting a new title would be a piece of cake.  

Oh, someone didn't wave to you? Grow up. What are you 13?  

I think most of the Harley folks that don't wave can't let go with one hand.  

I don't know if anyone waves back. I wave at everone (except scooters) I just wave and keep my eyes on the road.  

I agree with Kento I happily wave to all riders when I get a chance. I feel snubbed by the occasional rider but it's not always just the Harley type rider. But when it happens they tend to wave a little less than others.  

rcCARVER:
I don't know if anyone waves back. I wave at everone (except scooters) I just wave and keep my eyes on the road.

I've ridden both sport bikes and vintage scooters for 20 years +/- and it cracks me up when people have your attitude of not waving to scooters. First off, the wave is about us (you and me on two wheels) versus the cagers out to kill us. Not only do we share the same hazards and dangers but a scooter rider is further handicapped by less visibility, tires the exact diameter of potholes, and (usually) not having the advantage of acceleration to avoid scrapes. Take your humble rider realization that you will lose in any confrontation with a car and multiply it by 10. It's us against cars and I am beset with more perils than you, am the last to get respect from both cars, cops AND motorcycle riders, have multiple skill sets (when's the last time you shifted with your hand while leaned into a corner?) but, oh, I'm beneath waving to? Balls. You know what? -half the time it doesn't matter as I've mastered traffic and there's no opportunity to wave as I pass you (It should go without saying I've passed my share of Harleys on open road too [but to be fair Harley guys have waved]). Heck, I pass sport riders often- it's not the bike (& its 12hp!) it's the rider. Or didn't you know that? And please note well; any core vintage scooter rider, anywhere, any day, any time; will drink you under the table in a tidal WAVE! Lastly... racing at 100mph = balls. Now do it on 10" tires. You were saying?...  

Last Sunday, coming down one of the local canyons, I came up behind a SUV that was stuck behind an old school Hells Angels looking chopper and rider.  Both he and his bike were incompetent, inept, and slow, a rolling road block.  

Of course, its all double yellow line and he never pulls over. The SUV and me are both stuck, pokey pokey.  Finally, we come to a two lane passing zone and he takes his time in pulling over, and the he flips off the SUV! apparently for following him too close?! for too long?!

I wanted to tell that *** off but the SUV, having put a clean pass on that jerk, quicly pulled over and made room for me to pass.  So, off I went.  

yes it is better harley riders more friendly to the other riders ... we are the same as a motorcycle rider  

Who cares?
To wave or not to wave, that is the big philosophical question.
I have better things to do than fret about someones riding unless
they are riding dangerously and being a risk to me.
Sometimes I wave, sometimes I don't, it depends on my mood.  
Ride Proud, Ride Safe, Have Fun.