MCs might have been cool back when. Now that they (as near as I can tell) all basically support the unlicensed pharmaceutical industry and demand fealty from affiliates... make the beast with two backs those guys (and that's not sexism from me, they don't let women talk out of turn as far as I can tell).
Um... NOT all Motorcycle Clubs are outlaws.
I mean, just because bunch of guys wearing colors and riding in a group doesn't mean they are like HA.
I was one of them. (No, not that I was a part of HA. But, for quite some time, I was a member of San Francisco Motorcycle Club.)
There are (basically) three different types of MC.
#1
Clubs like SFMC (founded in 1904), Yonkers MC (1903 New York), are basically just an old school motorcycle clubs.
Typically, membership is invitation only (meaning, you must be invited from the club, in order to join the club.
Then, you become a prospect. For how long? It depends. Depends on the club, depends on the time.
That part changes from time to time. But you will never just become a member the next day you walk into the club house.
During the prospect period, things like cleaning the club house (including the bathroom) is your job.
You don't have a name, the members call you as "prospect", not by your name.
It doesn't matter how rich or poor you are, or young or old, famous or not.
Everyone will have to go through this stage.
Then, after xx months (again, "how many month" depends on the club and "when"), there would be voting by members.
After that, you are officially part of the club, and you are allowed to wear colors.
This type of clubs, they intentionally makes it (kind of) difficult to become a member.
(By "membership by invitation only", and "prospect period that you have to clean the toilet", and "vote by members".)
And there's a good reason.
A group of motorcyclist wearing colors riding together, even though we are
just a motorcycle club, from the public, we look no different from those motorcycle gangsters, who also call themselves "motorcycle club".
So, naturally we don't want someone who'd get violent easily, someone who'd loose temper easily. Don't want road rage, don't want bar fight. Members are looking at your character, personality, while you are serving as a prospect.
Oh, btw, in SFMC's club house, no firearms are allowed. And, typically this type of motorcycle clubs have bunch of "bylaws", and you have to follow them, or you'd be asked to leave.
#2 Biker gangs, outlaws, whatever you call them ... such as HA, Bandidos, etc, etc
Err, these guys are what you are talking about, I guess.
One thing I was told (about 20 years ago) about their colors, is that their style is called "Rockers", and it is (basically) the color design for the outlaw bikers, or for those who just wants to make club / color quickly.
Example of "Rockers" colors
"Top Rocker" tells you the name of the gang ...
"Bottom Rocker" tells you which chapter (or country, area) this member belongs
"Symbol" of the club in the middle ...
"MC" in square stands for "Motorcycle Club"
"1%er" in diamond is for those outlaw biker gangs. The regular motorcycle club (NOT gangs) bylaws usually do not allow members to put this patch on.
!%er patch means, you are telling the public that you are one of the gangsters.
"13" in diamond is also the sign of gangsters. Motorcycle clubs that are not involved in criminal activities will not allow members to wear these patches, as well as "MC in square".
SFMC has very strict rule about colors ...
The color MUST be blue. The shade can be dark (such as Navy blue) or light (Royal blue), BUT NOT black.
The material should be leather or denim.
"San Francisco Motorcycle Club" letters MUST BE directly sewn on the leather / denim material.
In other words, 'NO PATCHES".
And the letters must be yellow.
"Rockers" style colors are easier / quicker / cheaper to produce.
Also, it is easier to remove.
To be honest, i didn't wear color most of the time.
I wore mine only in a big club event / ride, etc. Never really wore in the public.
To me, motorcycle is not a fashion / lifestyle statement.
And, I HATE so called biker fashion.
(I don't wear leather jacket & blue jeans. I don't wear engineer boots, I don't have tattoos, facial hair ...)
anyhow...
#3
Really small clubs, basically bunch of local guys get together and calling themselves as a club.
Up until 20 years ago, there are quite a bit of this type of group around here in the Bay Area.
Probably no so many these days ... it was the days before smart phones and facebook.
When you see guys wearing "color" next time, check what kind of "patches" they are wearing
(only if you are interested).
The guys wearing "AMA" patches don't have "1%er", and the guys with "1%er" wouldn't have AMA patches.
