|
The term colors
is used when referring to a motorcycle club's patch. They are typically
identified by two rockers and
a center patch.
The rockers are usually curved bars with the
top bar designating the club name and the lower bar designating the
location of the club. The two rockers
are separate from the middle,
larger graphic center patch,
hence the term three-piece patch.
Motorcycle
clubs differ from riding clubs or other types of motorcycle
organizations as they traditionally have “prospecting” time (a
probationary training period) required before the club members decide
to accept the individual into the group and that the individual fits in
with the group (the "fit" needs to be both ways) and allow him to wear
or “fly”
the colors of the group. Most club colors will also have MC printed
on the rocker or as an additional small, rectangular patch, sometimes
referred to as a "cube"
to further distinguish it as a motorcycle club rather than another type
of
organization.
• A one-piece
patch can signify many different types of clubs. These clubs can be MC
and have the MC on the patch itself, or a family club, riding club,
AMA-sanctioned motorcycle club or
political action/biker rights organization. Some require little more
than filling out an application (which is actually a release of
liability), agreeing to comply with a standard of behavior and mailing
a check for a patch or T-shirt (ex. Southern Cruisers Riding Club,
Patriot Guard Riders).
• A two-piece patch may identify a
motorcycle club in transition, awaiting approval from the
dominant club(s) to become a three-piece patch. These clubs are
sometimes, not always, in the
process of becoming an associate or support club. Some autonomous clubs will wear a
two-piece
patch as
a matter of choice (ie. California Military Veterans MC).
• A three-piece patch
signifies that the club is an "outlaw club" by definition but not necessarily a 1% club and
not necessarily territorial. With
very few exceptions, the club has been approved by the dominant club in
the state or other distinct territory (AO or "area of operation") and
has earned the right to fly their colors by following protocol and
earning respect. Or, they are the
dominant club in the area. It is in the best interest of
everyone who rides to know and understand the difference.
The hierarchy
and
traditions in the MC community are not without purpose.
They are valuable for maintaining order and avoiding trouble.
Three-Piece Patches (the historical perspective)
The American Motorcycle
Association (AMA) was founded in
1924 by motorcycle manufacturers to promote motorcycle riding
in America. Their goal was to sell motorcycles. In order to do so, it
was necessary to give them legitimacy as both a mode of transportation
and recreational activity. They cooked up classifications and rules,
staged events and,
essentially, invented a sport.
They sanctioned groups of riders from the same area that
rode together as motorcycle clubs. At events, the AMA gave awards for the
best-dressed club so groups began
wearing matching
outfits with the name and graphic emblem for their motorcycle club
stitched on the back of
shirts and jackets. The origin of the motorcycle club patch was as
dull and unobjectionable as a bowling shirt.
During a Fourth of July event in 1947 in Hollister, CA members of
the Booze Fighters
MC and Pissed Off Bastards of Bloomington (POBOBs ... who would become
Hell's Angels MC in San Bernardino the following year) made front-page
headlines
with a sensational news story about drunken lawlessness and the
takeover of a sleepy Central California town by rowdy motorcyclists.
The AMA published an article shortly
after the episode denouncing the offensive bikers
stating, “99% of all of their
members are law-abiding citizens and only
1% are outlaws”. Thus began what are today referred to as outlaw
motorcycle clubs and "one percenters." These clubs were not sanctioned
by the AMA and were banned from attending AMA events. Which was,
apparently, cool with the bikers. The titles of
"outlaw" and "one percenter" were embraced and worn as a badge of
honor.
In order to
designate themselves as an outlaw club, they defiantly cut their AMA
club jackets or shirts into three separate pieces, as
described previously, and sewed them on the back of leather jackets or
vests fashioned by cutting the sleeves off a denim work jacket. Thus
the origin of the "cut", the term used today when referring to a
biker's vest regardless of whether it is denim or leather. Outlaw
motorcycle clubs
organized their own events, held races and hill climbs without safety
rules or classifications, threw
parties and did the exact opposite of what the
AMA had done for nearly twenty-five years: There were no Best Dressed
awards. The goal was speed. The trophy was life on the edge. They
modified
("chopped")
down their bikes leaner and meaner, to go faster and look different,
tossed the
mufflers, guzzled beer, and demonstrated "wild" behavior which, with
the
help of a willing press and Hollywood character studies, created the cultural
icon of the rebellious outlaw biker.
A fictionalized version
of the Hollister "raid" later became the story line for a movie titled "The Wild One"
starring
Marlon Brando as leader of the fictional Black Rebels Motorcycle Club
and Lee Marvin as leader of The Beetles. Brando's character helped
build the Hollywood template for tragic, malcontented youths (Mildred: What are you rebelling against, Johnny?
Johnny: Whaddya got?),
Marvin's character,
Chino, was based upon the Booze Fighters MC's infamous Wino Willie. And so it went. More movies, more
headlines, more pulp
fiction,
more
bikers, more fear.
The Process (condensed
version)
The three-piece patch is awarded in three parts as a
prospective member earns the privilege to wear the full patch. A
"hangaround" is someone who is eligible for membership and has been
invited to attend club events and runs, but wears no part of the patch.
If he is sponsored by a full member and approved by the club members he
may wear the bottom rocker and is considered a “prospect” or "probate".
If he successfully completes the training period and is approved by
100%
of the members, he is allowed to have the top rocker and the "center
patch" or club insignia. His colors are then complete and he is
considered to be a full member or "patch holder." The
traditional, or "old school," three-piece patch MC is one that
adheres to established
protocols, traditions and a code of conduct.
The gray area gets
wider (and weirder)
A dramatic increase in the number of recreational motorcyclists in
recent years has clouded the issue of what differentiates a motorcycle club from a riding club. Some military or
veteran's
motorcycle clubs (referring to themselves as either MC or VMC) are
actually AMA-sanctioned,
non-outlaw clubs, wearing colors while not engaging in
the established MC tradition of prospecting. These
clubs may simply
require evidence of prior or current military service (some are
specific to a branch of the military or a particular time/place served)
and ownership of
a motorcycle for membership. While the wisdom of this practice in the
larger context of the MC community could certainly be questioned, they
do
provide a pleasurable group riding experience for many individuals and
couples, and often accomplish many patriotic and charitable objectives.
Territorial
motorcycle clubs aren't under any obligation to keep up with which
clubs
prospect their members, thereby educating them in established
customs and courtesies, and which clubs don't. All too often, they find
out
when a patch holder violates a point of protocol (eg. "steps on his
dick") and creates a
situation impacting the entire club or chapter's ability to ride free.
The function of looking after veterans' MCs and RCs and making sure
that
they are properly schooled may
be
delegated to one particular military/veteran MC in the area. This is at
the discretion of the dominant MC and is sometimes determined by the
size or seniority of the club in relation to the other military/veteran
clubs in the area. More often than not, this dubious distinction is
earned by actions; a demonstrated commitment to MC customs, courtesies
and protocol; and a history of taking care of business which, at times,
can be unpleasant. This role
among military/veteran clubs sometimes provides a hard reality and is
often viewed with mixed feelings.
Law enforcement motorcycle clubs (LEMC) often DO engage in the practice
of
prospecting, providing them with the knowledge and understanding of
protocol necessary to
become functioning entities (and, occasionally, intelligence gatherers)
in the MC community. They pretty much do
their own thing while maintaining a code of ethics consistent with
their profession. Strangely enough, LEMCs seem to experience
considerably more rejection
from individuals among their own ranks than from other bikers. It's
as though bikers know that they're cops, but other cops don't know that
they're not bikers. Go figure.
Several organizations
have designed (or re-designed) their colors so that the rockers are
joined with their
center patch to create the appearance of a one-piece patch (ex. H.O.G).
Some veterans advocacy groups wear
colors and ride motorcycles (or
not) yet they are quick to point out in their statement of purpose or
website that they are not a motorcycle
club (ex. Rolling Thunder, American Legion Riders). These groups, more
often than not, earn respect by showing
respect and often function well in the greater community context.
Occasionally,
a riding club or military/veterans motorcycle club will claim that they
are not an MC, and then behave otherwise. This typically results in the
aforementioned unpleasantness.
Health Tip: Do not presume that since you paid $150 for the design on
the back of
your vest that you are entitled to wear it any old time and any old
place that pleases you. The privilege of flying club colors is known to
have been revoked for an entire
organization due to the actions of a careless or arrogant individual.
In certain cases, he was in the company of friends with names like Jack
Daniels and Jim Beam at the time of the indiscretion. No excuse. When
you wear a patch, you are representing the whole club. Even if
you are not wearing your patch at the time of an indiscretion,
but are known to be a part of a club, your actions will reflect on the
club.
The
Diamond Patch
The diamond patch with
"1%" worn on the front of a "cut" (vest) with the
three-piece back patch signifies the club is either a 1% or 1% support
club. They may not be the dominant club in the area but will almost
certainly be sanctioned by the local dominant. There have been
situations where the dominant is not a 1% club but those are rare
indeed. The
number "13" is also sometimes worn in a diamond patch. It is alleged to
represent the thirteenth letter of the alphabet, "M" which stands for
marijuana.
Or maybe it's just a cool number.
Rightly or
wrongly, law enforcement
organizations (LEO) regard the diamond patch as an outward, visible
indicator of criminal activity within the motorcycle riding community. More
often than
not, LEOs tend to lump all three-piece patch motorcycle clubs together
with
faulty
generalizations. While the best propaganda usually contains some
element of truth, the distortions are often outrageous. Undercover operations
to inflitrate MCs are not uncommon.
Nomad
Rocker
Some MC members have
earned the right to wear a "NOMAD" bottom rocker. This is only
when that member maintains a lifestyle within the common definition of
the word nomad.
(no·mad)
A
member of a group of people who have no fixed home and move according
to the seasons from place to place in search of food, water, and
grazing land. A person with no fixed residence who roams about; a
wanderer. It is a valued distinction of lifestyle that only a few can
truly live up to, and as such, causes unfavorable notice when seen used
by those most obviously not living up to the common meaning. By
definition a "NOMAD", more often than not, will be traveling alone and
needs an ability to represent, maintain & otherwise survive under
circumstances unusual from the norm.
|
|
Summary
- A little common sense goes a long way in the
motorcycle club community.
Be honest with yourself and others. If you are not prepared to fully
accept the responsibility of wearing an MC patch, explore other
alternatives for a group riding experience.
- Being a motorcycle enthusiast or having prior
military service does not, in itself, prepare an individual for wearing
a three-piece patch. The trial and error method of learning MC customs
and protocol is not recommended. Absolutely
everyone prospects to earn a VNVMC/LVMC patch. No exceptions.
- Consider
very carefully any ideas that you and your pals might have about
starting a motorcycle club. In all probability, a group already exists
that would suit your style and the important work has already been
done. Please, for God's sake, do NOT buy fake rockers or a diamond
patch on eBay or
at the flea market and sport 'em around town. It's just not worth it.
- Questions that could be interpreted as
intelligence gathering will not be well received ("So, how many guys are in your chapter?"
isn't a good question under any circumstances. "Hey. Does that '13' on your vest mean
that you guys smoke pot?" probably isn't a good one either).
Never, ever interrupt
patch holders while they are conversing with one another and stand at a
respectable distance while waiting to be acknowledged. You may be
surprised at how much some basic courtesy is appreciated.
- MC members
understand
the meaning and importance of respect. They
demand it
for themselves and their club brothers, they provide it to patch
holders outside of their own club until given a reason to do otherwise.
Regardless of what's on your back, or how you got it, it is of the
utmost importance to show an appropriate degree of respect to those who
earned their colors in the old school tradition.
|
| Viet Nam
Vets
/ Legacy Vets
MC is not a 1% club and we do not claim territory. Geographical
distinctions within our Club (AOs) are for organizational purposes. We're
not a criminal organization nor do we have any intention of becoming
one. We are not concerned with disputes, territorial or otherwise,
between other clubs. We owe allegiance to no colors except those
of the flag of the United States of America, and those which we proudly
wear on our backs. We fought our wars and have
no desire other than to RIDE FREE. |
|
This article is
a synthesis of the author's personal experience; elements of the original Thirteen
Pages written by
Viet Nam Vets MC; and historical research. References include: History of the Three Piece Patch,
published by HellBentForGloryMC;
the article Motorcycle Menace by Dr. Ross
Fuglsang, Morningside College Dept. of Mass Communications; and
information obtained from a
comprehensive internet resource titled Motorcycle
Club and Riding Club Education. Links to resources are embedded in
the text of this article. To print
or save as an Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) file, click this link.
|
 |
 |
|
