What Does It Mean When A Biker Points Their Thumb Towards Their Helmet?

It's well-known that the motorcycle world is filled with complex information you must understand before taking the handlebars and hitting the streets. While some bikers may assume you're aware of niche details, like what you should know before buying a used motorcycle, most will expect you to grasp the essential hand signals to communicate with fellow riders. From bikers extending their left fists and moving them up and down to others who tap the tops of their helmets as you pass, it can feel overwhelming trying to absorb everything at once. 

Whether you're on a cool vintage motorcycle like the 1965 Honda CB450 or cruising on a Softail Standard, knowing the basics of a hand gesture will do more in making your ride smoother, keeping you and others on the road safe. Among the most commonly used hand signals is the rider making a thumbs up and pointing toward the front of their mouth or helmet. Such a signal is known as the refreshment stop, and riders use it to indicate that they aim to stop either beside the road, at a gas station, or at a restaurant for some food and/or drink. Let's explore this hand signal in detail, see which scenarios best suit it, and discuss any variations or near-identical gestures it may have.   

The refreshment stop hand signal is commonly used during longer rides where bikers will require some food or drink along the way. Since you shouldn't eat or drink while riding, making a stop at a gas station to buy a drink or snacks or at a restaurant to get some food is more sound. In situations where you're in a pack or following a friend along a highway, they will execute the refreshment hand signal to communicate that they're about to stop, and the reason for their stop is for a snack or beverage break. Always slow down when you see this gesture, finding a safe spot to park your motorcycle.

The refreshment stop can also be used on shorter rides as long as the rider is hungry or thirsty. It is one of the more flexible, easy-to-execute, and easy-to-understand hand gestures out there. Incidentally, two hand gestures come close to it, both of which can be the difference between life and death on the road. 

Two of the most similar hand signals to the refreshment stop include the pull-off and cops ahead signals. The first gesture involves the rider extending their left arm out, akin to the refreshment stop. However, instead of using their thumb, they will stick out their index finger, aiming it up and toward the left before bringing it in an arc over their head toward the right. This is the pull-off gesture, a serious hand signal that indicates the rider wants his rider pack to take the next exit or pull off the road because something is wrong.

The second of these, the cops ahead hand signal, involves a rider tapping the top of their helmet with their left palm as they pass you or as you ride closer to them if you're going in the same direction. The takeaway from this gesture is that there is an officer of the law somewhere down the road.