BMW R1200RT/R1250RT Forum

I have searched and couldn't find anything come up, so here goes.


A few of my friends that I ride with were quite surprised when I said I was getting a BMW. They stated that BMW riders are snobs and "ride round with their heads up their own arses."  They feel that BMW riders only nod or wave  to other BMW riders.
As a rider, I wave or nod to all other bikes, Vespas and Lambrettas included.

Just out of interest, do you nod to other bikes as they approach, or do you reserve it for BMW's only?
I'm interested on how this feeling came about, cos as far as I can remember, I've had quite a few nods from Beemer riders.
Perhaps you've noticed a decline in bikes nodding/waving to each other as a whole?
Among other things, I'm a nodder and always will be.

tojjer wrote: I'm a nodder and always will be.

Haha. Love this.
Me? I'm more of a waver. A very casual wave, but a wave non the less.
If I am riding in a built up very busy environment with loads and loads of bikes around then I don't bother. But if I am out and about, then yes a small (generally polite) hand gesture.


As for snob. No I don't think BMW riders are any more or less snobs than anyone else. Let's face it, most Hondas, Yamahas, Suzukis and Kawasaki's are better than BMW's anyway.
If ANY of those brands made any touring bike that was comparable or better than the RT, I'd probably be on one. The badge means nothing nowadays, what matters is what the bike does for you emotions and that it ticks as many boxes as a given rider needs.

I'm with you - it has been part of my riding life for 50+ years.  I wave or nod to all powered two-wheelers (and outfits) regardless on make.  We are kindred spirits, after all.  Most other riders respond likewise - one or two might be going too fast to notice, though!


Old Foxy

Agreed, big groups pose a nodding problem. You'd land up like the churchill dog :-)
In France with big groups, you stick ya clutch hand out to wave, not so easy driving on the left!. The leg goes out to say thank you to car/van/lorry drivers that frequently let you past over there.

tojjer wrote: not so easy driving on the left!.

Easier on the when riding on the left. you raise your left arm...or just extend the fingers of the right hand whilst maintaining the same throttle position.

I just stick the cruise control on and give a double thumbs be
But does it matter? i let on to anyone on 2 wheels (with an engine)  if sensible, but if you pass a ride out do you let on to them all and look like you're[size=78%] trying to shake a cold out of your lid?[/size]

bandytales wrote: As for snob. No I don't think BMW riders are any more or less snobs than anyone else. Let's face it, most Hondas, Yamahas, Suzukis and Kawasaki's are better than BMW's anyway.
If ANY of those brands made any touring bike that was comparable or better than the RT, I'd probably be on one. The badge means nothing nowadays, what matters is what the bike does for you emotions and that it ticks as many boxes as a given rider needs.

I'm 100% with you. Had Kawasaki Z100SX before RT. And to be honest if the any Jap brand will have comparable bike to RT, I'll be with it. RT is great bike, but not brilliant or unbeatable. It's just great at the job which been designed for. But do not have any competition on the market (do not count Yamaha FJR 1300, as this one wasn't modified for ages)
As for a snob. You always find some. No matter brand. As it can be HD, Ducatti, Gold Wing, etc.I will nod, wave, or whatever in the country I'm in is popular. Started riding long time ago, and always done that, and I do not have any intention stop.

Nod a problem.  More of a waver, here.  I have noticed that the real snobs (unjustifiably) are Harley riders in the States.  Especially when touring,  I'll give a whole line of them a wave with nary a response.  I'll often change the hand sign to a ruder one as I pass.  Nudge, nudge, wink, wink.

I noticed fewer bikers nod at me when I use my GS than when I ride my RT. A friend of mine states he doesn’t nod at GS riders because the bikes are too common. Yet, when he borrowed the current 1250 Gs Demo bike from Coopers, he was blown away by how good it was?! All a bit juvenile for me

You're a 'motorcyclists', I'm a 'motorcyclists', I nod or wave and show my respect regardless of personal brand or category   

Always acknowledge another just good manners. Nod wave legout use all three

I too grew up in an era when bike riders would all nod or raise an arm. Nowadays however I find that a lot of people don’t and I’ve decided I can’t be bothered either. One BMW enthusiast and self employed mechanic who is well known on the UKGSer website once said that just because someone chooses to use the same form of transport he doesn’t see the need to acknowledge every one of them. He probably has a point but it’s a reflection of modern society.


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B787,  I agree with you up to a point.  If you encounter a lot of bikes during your day,  it almost becomes a rote "duty" that can get a bit tiresome; an empty gesture.  I surely acknowledge another tourer who's loaded for the long haul, however.  I do think there is the element of useful comradeship among our little minority;  when you've stopped by the side of the highway, I find a biker will stop to enquire after you much more often than car drivers (even when it's your car that's stopped).  We all share both the inherent danger of our two-wheelers and the feeling that it takes a certain kind of spirit to face it daily.  I especially like tipping a nod to a young rider on his/her 250cc, making him feel like he's a member of the big boys' club. We gotta encourage the youngun's if just to keep the industry afloat (it's declining), plus I find it lamentable that nearly all the serious tourers are like me (silver-haired) whereas you used to see a lot of young easy riders back in the day.  Guess they prefer the urban crotch-rockets now.  Even more basically, folks used to make eye-contact and give you a nod, even to strangers, a pleasant practice that was long in decline even before the advent of the dreaded smart phone.

I wave or nod to any motorbike although I don't always get a response.

Any bike or scooter gets a nod or a wave.  I just think making any special rules for this brand or that brand is childish tribalism.  Rant over.