27 August, 2010 | Filed under “The Archives”
I never got it. This business of waving when motorcycle drivers fly past each other on the road. I understand that it is an international phenomenon and I hear that Land Rover owners do likewise.
Even though I, as a Buell driver, never experienced that feeling of a monomolecular layer of air between my kneecap and the bituminous pitch on road surfaces, it never meant that driving did not require my full attention at any given time. With close to a kilo of cubic between your legs, the last thing you want is losing control. So I never waved back.
What a relief, then, to pick up a brochure from the Buell Motorcycle Company, stating that, quote, “A Buell won’t make you any friends.”
“Listen, we’re not against waving in general. There are dozens of situations where a well-executed wave is in the best interest of all parties involved. If you should find yourself on the top of a parade float, or the deck of a departing cruise ship, or protruding from the sunroof of a stretch limousine, waving is the perfect way to let someone out of earshot know you care. But a Buell is not a social networking tool. It’s a performance motorcycle, and it’s meant to be ridden as such. So the next time someone with an extended swing arm and neon ground effects waves at you mid-apex, it’s ok if you don’t return the gesture. Your hands have better things to do.”
My sincere appologies to those who did not like my not being like them. And my sincere gratitute to Buell out of East Troy, Wisconsin, for ruthless engineering and being a partner in crime.