"If you’re gonna be dumb, you gotta be tough!"
Continued from part one.....
The infamous ‘Hollister, California’ incident in 1947, the motorcycle community changed. With the end of WWII, many combat vets found it difficult to transition into peaceful civilian life. With some being officially trained and others riding to relieve combat stress, it seemed natural that they would take to riding motorcycles when they returned home. Forming clubs that were more outgoing and rowdy compared to the regular AMA clubs soon led to the declaration that 99% of the motorcycling public were law-biding solid citizens, while only 1% were the rowdy outlaw troublemakers. This led to the so called outlaw factions, the 1%ers, to split their club patches into three pieces to differentiate them from the AMA sanctioned clubs. A diamond 1% patch was designed to be worn by outlaw clubs that deemed themselves members of the 1%ers.
To join a club utilizing a one piece patch such as a family oriented, a bike specific, or a cause specific organization/club, all that is required is to fill out an application and pay a fee to obtain your patch. Then as long as you pay your dues you will be a member. Nobody really checks so you don’t even need to have a bike, just say you do.
A two piece patch has many variations from a new club in transition to acceptance by a dominant 1% club to be allowed to graduate to a three piece patch to a club who doesn’t want to be grouped with the family clubs or the outlaw clubs.
A three piece patch must be earned in a designated progression, starting as a ‘hang around’ who is invited to the club functions, but is not allowed to wear a patch or any club related paraphernalia other than support items.
When a predetermined time has passed and/or he has earned the support of the required number of full patch holders, then he may progress to the class of prospect. (some clubs use probate or probationary). He is now allowed to wear a rocker showing he is a prospect for the club. Most clubs only use the bottom rocker for this purpose. Now he is under more intense scrutiny while he proves his dedication and loyalty to the club.
If the prospect is able to finish his probationary period and has the approval of ‘all’ the members, he then can wear the top rocker & the club insignia so he can fly his colors with the rest of the club.
It will be noticed that most ‘cuts’ have a rectangular ‘MC’ patch to denote a motorcycle club. There is also a diamond ‘13’ patch that some wear, which has varied meanings sometimes differing with every club. The number 13 stands for the thirteenth letter in the alphabet, the letter ‘M’. This can mean ‘marijuana’ or ‘methamphetamine’, or maybe something else know only to the club, which might be that he is drug user, a drug manufacturer, or a drug dealer.
There are no women members in a 1%er club, but there are outlaw women clubs who wear a 3 pce patch.
I hope that this has cleared up some misconceptions about biker patches.
More in-depth information will be revealed as we delve deeper into The Biker Lifestyle.
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Bodies of 3 missing men found; Hells Angel and accomplices charged with triple homicide
France: A tsunami of angry bikers cause chaos again!
Harley Davidson commercial gets motorcycle world talking
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The Heart Surgeon and the Motorcycle Mechanic
A mechanic was removing a cylinder head from the motor of a motorcycle when he spotted a well known heart surgeon in his shop. The surgeon was there waiting for the service manager to come take a look at his bike. The mechanic shouted across the garage,
"Hey Doc, can I ask you a question?"
The surgeon, a bit surprised, walked over to the mechanic working on the motorcycle. The mechanic straightened up, wiped his hands on a rag and asked,
"So, Doc, look at this engine. I open its heart, take valves out, fix 'em, put 'em back in and when I finish, it works just like new. So how come I get such a small salary and you get the really big bucks, when you and I are doing basically the same work?"
The surgeon paused, smiled and leaned over and whispered to the mechanic ...
"Try doing it with the engine running!"
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‘Hang in there’.............. J D Redneck
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