Whether riding in a group or riding alone, hand signals are important to your overall safety. Motorcycle safety using hand signaling lets the other people around you know what you are doing. Hand signals greatly increase your visibilty. When riding in groups, hand signals are really important because of the limited visiblity of the riders behind you. When riding in a group, the person behind you likely doesn't know what is going on ahead of you. The courteous rider will relay signals back through the pack.
START ENGINES
With your right or left arm extended, move your index finger in a circular motion
LEFT TURN
Raise your left arm horizontal with your elbow fully extended
RIGHT TURN
Raise your left arm horizontal with your elbow bent 90 degrees vertically.
HAZARD LEFT
SPEED UP
HAZARD RIGHT B
HAZARD RIGHT A
STOP
SINGLE FILE
SLOW DOWN
TIGHTEN UP
PISSED OFF
STAGGERED OR SIDE BY SIDE
Extend your left arm at a 45 degree angle and point towards the hazard
Extend your right arm at a 45 degree angle and point towards the hazard
Extend your left arm upward at a 45 degree andgle with your elbow bent to 90 degrees and point towards the hazard over your helmet
Raise your left arm up and down with your index finger extended upward. This indicates the leader wants to speed up.
Extend your left arm at a 45 degree angle and move your hand up and down
Extend your left arm at a 45 degree angle with the palm of your hand facing rearward
Position your left hand over your helmet with your fingers extended upward. This indicates the leader wants the group in a single file formation
Extend your left arm upward at a 45 degree angle with your index and pinkie finger extended.
Raise your left arm and repeatedly move up and down in a pulling motion. This indicates the leader wants to close ranks
Extend your left arm straight out with your elbow bent 90 degrees. Carefully extend your middle finger to clearly demonstrate your dissatisfaction to the other guy
Special thanks go out to the Ann Arbor Hog Chapter 2171, Ann Arbor, Michigan for the graphics from their web site http://www.a3hog.com/
