Why we built this
The Wave
There is an unspoken rule in motorcycle culture. When you pass another rider going the other direction, you wave. That is what 2 Wheels in Common is about.
By Edwin Quick, Founder
Not a big enthusiastic wave. Usually just two fingers dropped below the grip, or a slow nod, or a low point at the ground. The style varies. The meaning does not.
It says: I see you. We share this. Carry on.
You do not know anything about the person on the other bike. You do not know where they are from, what they believe, who they voted for, or what they do on a Tuesday afternoon. None of that comes up. What you know is that they got on a motorcycle today, same as you, and for a moment that is enough.
That kind of common ground is getting harder to find. How we spend our time has changed a lot since riding for fun became common. Why we ride is still personal. Seeing another rider means recognizing a community we are part of regardless of our differences. Riding expands our awareness and experiences. The wave helps connect us all.
Why we built 2 Wheels in Common
We built this app because we believe what happens on the road can happen off it too. If riders from completely different backgrounds can share 30 miles of pavement, they can also share a parking lot, a cup of coffee, and maybe a conversation. You do not need common values to have common ground. Sometimes you just need two wheels and a willingness to show up.
A Sunday morning group ride that ends at a diner is not a small thing. It is a table full of people who would never have met otherwise, talking to each other because they all did something they love together first. That matters more than most people give it credit for.
The shared experience of riding motorcycles is a sacred joy for those who know. We want to make it easier for more people to find each other, get out and ride, and maybe walk away with a little more appreciation for the humans they share the road with.
The shop counter counts too
The wave does not stop when you park. The person behind the counter at the shop that helped fix your ride probably rode in that morning. So did the tow operator who loaded your bike without leaving a mark, and the woman who sold you tires and then told you which nearby trails were the best. Riding is what they do too. They just happen to do it for a living as well.
So this is not only an app for finding people to ride with. We list the shops, dealers, tow operators, and parts counters in your area, because a shop that treats riders well should not be a secret passed around one parking lot at a time. Riders find the businesses worth their money. Those businesses get found by the people who already speak their language. That is the same nod, pointed across the counter.
Who it is for
All riders, all bikes, all skill levels. New to riding or 30 years in, if you want to discover and share routes, ride solo, or ride with other people, this is for you.
What we hope it becomes
A place where the wave continues off the road. Where riders meet people outside their usual circles, go on rides they would not have planned alone, and end up at a table somewhere talking to someone who sees the world completely differently than they do.
We think human beings have an underrated capacity to see each other, nod, and appreciate another person’s existence without needing to know anything else about them. Riders have been doing it for decades. We are just building the place to take it further.