Oct 2020

Surely many of you know the most common signs among bikers. But there is a small majority who have recently joined this fantastic world and the lack of experience or curiosity makes you unfamiliar with this language. A system of signs and movements that can indicate specific events in the course of a route or as a warning in some circumstances.

Signs agreed upon by the community that can quickly make you avoid a more serious problem or simply serve as a friendly greeting.

We are going to explain the four most important ones in our opinion:

1. In the event of an accident, repeatedly hitting your helmet will alert us to this event.

2. If you see a motorbike stopped on the hard shoulder and the helmet resting on the ground, it is because someone needs help. We advise you to stop immediately and help it. Among bikers, solidarity at this signal is undeniable.

3. If we go in a group and need to make an immediate stop the signal is to raise an arm with a closed fist.

4. If you are travelling with more bikes and need to refuel, even if it is a small group, the signal is a closed fist with the thumb down pointing at the tank with small up and down movements.

These four are almost compulsory to know, but there are a few more signs that although they are not determining, at least they will give you some ease in the subject.

Raising your hand with your V-fingers (the sign of victory) is the way to greet each other. As usual as stretching the foot from the visible side to whom we intend to greet or thank for a good manoeuvre.

Pointing to an obstacle on the ground with the index finger will make those who see it raise their attention to what is indicated.

Opening and closing the fingers of the fist as a flashing signal indicates that something is wrong with our lighting system, for example the flashing lights that we have forgotten or the lights that we have not yet switched on.

And if you want to reproach someone for a disrespectful or dangerous maneuver, shake your arm several times with a closed fist, and sure he will understand, even if he doesn’t take it for granted…

These are some of the main important signs among bikers, but there are many more. We encourage you to investigate and incorporate them. It’s a very useful and fun communication system.