Biker's Wave

[g15usmc]

whats the difference between an engine and a motor?

[natemoen]

An engine is an internal combustion style engine. A motor is electric.

[CatatonicBug]

An engine is an internal combustion style engine. A motor is electric.

That depends entirely on who you are talking to. There is no definitive ruling on that subject. In fact, there are "engines" that are neither electric nor IC, but instead, run on heat exchange.

For example, this Stirling "engine" even has the word "motor" stamped on it's side!

[natemoen]

That depends entirely on who you are talking to. There is no definitive ruling on that subject. In fact, there are "engines" that are neither electric nor IC, but instead, run on heat exchange.

For example, this Stirling "engine" even has the word "motor" stamped on it's side!

In reference to the original purpose of the question (referencing the last option of the poll) my answer stands as tthe appropriate answer.

As to your stirling. That is an external combustion engine, i.e. an outside force causing the work to be done.

I am however not going to get into a debate about this here. So I am done talking about it.

[XSive Okie]

An engine is an internal combustion style engine. A motor is electric.

That's what I was always taught, so I added both in the answers. Engine for gas powered, and motor for electric.

[b.walker5]

That's what I was always taught, so I added both in the answers. Engine for gas powered, and motor for electric.

Thats the generally accepted answer, however it's not correct. This is one of those "Chicken and Egg" questions again, or "How long is a bit of String".

To get the 'correct' answer one must delve into the origins of the words themselves, and they go back way further than IC or Electricity.

In terms of etymology, originally motor was just another word for mover, especial "the prime mover", i.e., the thing that moves the rest of the device. Meanwhile, originally, an engine was any device or system (mechanical, chemical, electrical, or even human, social, or political) that effects a result: a catapult is an engine, a crane is an engine, a bomb is an engine, a political party is an engine, a water-powered mill is an engine, a criminal gang is an engine, and a man with a singleness of purpose is an engine. Gradually through the 19th century "engine" became especially (but not exclusively) associated with fire, boilers, furnaces, and bombs -- in short any device that tended to get very hot and explode, but the whole system was still considered "the engine", not just the prime mover (the motor). In the 20th Century, Americans took to calling a car motor "the engine", even though the suspension system, steering system, braking system, gearing, and whole drive train are really collectvely "the engine".

The word Engine is taken from the Latin word INGENIUM (from which we also get "ingenious") and prior to the 1800s just meant any contrivance that acheives an intended result. It can be and is still used this way by those with a literary bent with a gift for words. And "Motor" did not originate with "Electric Motor": there were motors long before that: motors powered by wound springs. The fact that Faraday felt obliged to put the qualifying adjective "Electrical" in front of "Motor" implies he did so to distinguish it from the common motors of his day. The same is true for Watt's placement of the term "Steam" in front of "Engine" to qualify what kind of engine it was, and to thus distinguish it from the typical engines of his day.

[thefreeauction]

Ummm... engine.. motor....?? I thought we were talkin about Biker's Wave?

I usually wave when I can no matter what kind of bike they're on. I get wave's from about 70% of bikers around here and wave back whenever it's safe to. It's all good.

[slow mo]

what about the varoom engine by Marx,,never mind! ride safe and wave to all ,,slow mo!

[tantor]

I'll wave at anyone
Curious though about which State allows scooter's on the road without a license....

Here in BC, under 50cc or electric does not require a class 6.

As for waving, most of them wave back,
except for the Gangsta Wannabee's who really wish that they were somebody!

[Lucien Harpress]

I try to wave at motorcycles when I'm riding a bicycle.

Sometimes, if I'm lucky, I'll get a wave back!

[Mendizale]

You don't see it much in Europe--maybe because motorcycles and their brethren are so common. When you see it, it's almost a sure-fire way to identify an American ex-pat or tourist.

I like the wave, and give it whenever I think to or can. In the city wave there's recognition, camaraderie, and commiseration; the highway wave has some of the first two, but also a sense of fellow-feeling. How many times have you seen cars zip by a pulled-over car? Hundreds. It's not the same for motorcyclists, in my experience. Once I even pulled over to get a drink and cinch down my (haphazardly attached) luggage, and over 5 minutes several riders stopped to see if I needed a hand or had engine trouble.

Honestly, I kind of pity the HD and other riders who would willingly exclude themselves from the warm embrace of mutual aid and fellow-feeling in the name of brand loyalty or some clique-ish thing. When HD riders initiate the wave--which is not uncommon--I return it with dorkish zeal in recognition of their expanded mind.

[cywelchjr]

And it's usually the newer HD riders that don't wave to non-HD riders. The old HD riders generally will wave to, and stop to help any other rider, and will talk to just about any rider that appears to be serious (that does not always extend to the zip splat crowd though) about riding. I generally see four types of riders riding all year round. Old HD riders, touring machine riders (Goldwing, etc) BMW riders (I put them in a class by themselves and they are one group that will often not wave), non-HD cruiser riders (mostly see older ones and Victorys) and classic bike riders (I don't mean show quality bikes I mean bikes like ours). With the exception of the BMW riders, all of those tend to wave, and seem to mean it, and I'm not sure that the BMW riders just don't know about the wave, being that they are in their own little world (the only bike in the world that costs more to buy and maintain than a harley excepting maybe a ducati)

[jwhughes3]

Dorkish zeal...

When HD riders initiate the wave--which is not uncommon--I return it with dorkish zeal in recognition of their expanded mind.

I like "dorkish zeal" and will remember that!

John

[knewsom]

When I had the Baboon, I got waves from the sport-bike riders and the HD riders alike. Rarely I wouldn't get a wave, or at minimum a nod, and I think it was usually from a group of MCers.

I wave at nearly anybody. Less so for Vespas.

[T99Ford]

True enough on the new Harley rider thing. As soon as I am on it, I just lose interest in waving at any thing measured in mm's Just kidding of course. Since I own both a "zip splat" and and HD, I have no choice but to wave at everybody!