This waving thing started back in the late 1960's - when you met the nicest people on a Honda - and I wish it would end. You never know who is going to respond if you instigate the wave and if you don't wave until you see a hand movement from the other rider, it is often too late to respond.
Certainly many Harley riders feel themselves above waving to any one other than others of the HOG faithful and I never lift a finger to wave to one of those guys, unless they do first, but there are so many Harley wannabee riders out there on other branded cruisers, you never can tell what to expect from that cruiser approaching you. And what is with that two fingers down to the ground thing? Is that an insult wave from them, or are they just so tired from having their arms up in the air that they want to give one of them a rest and get some blood flow back in their hand?
Crotch rocket riders all wave, so I know what to expect from them, unless they are in the middle of a power wheelie, or leaned over so far that their elbows are almost on the ground and you can't see the wave anyway. I've noticed a lot of the new breed of adventure bike riders seem a little uppity too, not often willing to acknowledge that some people like motorcycles where your feet can actually touch the ground. No sense of "adventure" in that guy - he doesn't deserve a wave.
Now we have these wussies that buy those butt ugly Can Am Spyders and still think they are motorcyclists, so there they are, waving to beat the band, hoping we will still recognize them as one of us. Sorry Bub, I ain't waving at a geek on one of those things!
So, it's time to end this farce. I don't know that guy coming the other way from a hill of beans anyway and will likely never see him again in my lifetime. Not like he's some long lost friend, so is he really gonna be upset if I don't wave?