The AMA
American Motorcyclist Association
| The AMA was
founded in 1924 as an organizing arm of Motorcycle Manufacturers and mainly supported by the Motorcycle Manufacturers to promote motorcycle riding in America. They sanctioned groups of riders from the same area that rode together as motorcycle clubs. Some wore complete matching dress outfits with the name of their motorcycle club stitched on the back of their shirts and jackets. At events, the AMA gave awards for the best-dressed club so this was the start of motorcycle club’s patches. During an event in 1947 in Hollister, CA when a member of the Booze Fighters Motorcycle Club made the headlines with an exaggerated news story that was later made into a movie called The Wild Ones. The AMA wrote an article in their magazine, shortly after this stating, 99% of all of their members are law-abiding citizens and only 1% are outlaw. This then, began what is today known as Outlaw Motorcycle Clubs and one percenters. Clubs that were not sanctioned by the AMA and non-members of the AMA were banned from attending AMA events. In order to designate themselves as an outlaw club to all other clubs, the one percenters cut their club patches into three separate pieces. The top rocker was the name of the club, the center was the emblem of the club, and the bottom rocker was the local from which they came. These outlaw motorcycle clubs put on their own events and parties and did the opposite of what the AMA had been doing. There were no Best Dressed awards, they chopped down their bikes to go faster and look different, rode with no mufflers, they would drink, and do other wild things. Such is history. The term colors is used in referring to a motorcycle clubs patch set up. In the case of a 3 piece, One is placed over the top of the middle large graphic patch and one placed underneath it. 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 type patch, hence the term three-piece patch. Motorcycle clubs differ from motorcycling organizations as they traditionally have prospecting time required before the club members decide whether the individual will be accepted into the group and allowed to wear or fly the colors of the group. Most club colors will also have M/C printed on the rocker or a seperate cube patch with MC on it to further clarify it as a club rather than an organization. Many national organizations in the early 1980s set policy to unite their rockers with their patch to make it one piece to avoid any designation or confusion within the motorcycling club community. H.O.G. (Harley Owners Group) is one example. ***************************************************************************** As motorcycle club patches are recognized today: A one-piece patch normally signifies a family club or Social motorcycle club when it's done with respect to the area clubs. A two-piece patch can have many different meanings as long as it's done with respect to the area clubs. A three-piece patch normally means that the club is a Traditional MC club. With the top rocker being the club name, the middle being their patch and the bottom being the territory they exist in. There are also a few 3pc patch clubs where the bottom rocker has something other than territory, such as a saying. The traditional MC is one that adheres to the protocols and traditions established. There are few exceptions, but, traditional clubs are approved by the local dominant. The traditional 3pc patch club is not necessarily a 1% club or even the dominant club. The Diamond patch with 1% or 13 worn with the 3pc back patch signifies the club is a 1% or 1% support club. While rare, they may not be the dominant club for the area but will be sanctioned by the local dominant. There are also a few areas where the lead club is not a 1% club, but those are few. When one is just is hanging around, he has no part of the patch. Then when he is sponsored by a full member and approved by the club as a prospect he may wear the lower rocker that only says Prospect. In some areas, the prospect wears the Prospect rocker at the top of the vest. ome clubs even allow the lower rocker saying prospect and the upper rocker with the club name but not the main patch. Different clubs do things differently across the country. Different rocker combinations of what a prospect might wear differs depending on each club. If he is approved after his prospect time has been determine do be over and the vote goes in his favor, he then is allowed to have the full colors and is considered to be a full member, having all three pieces if that club uses the 3 piece patch. Nomad Rocker Some MCs entitle a Member to wear a "NOMAD" bottom rocker. This is only when that member continues to exhibit 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. THE WORD BROTHER The word "Brother" has become very abused in the motorcycle world these days. Seems like if you buy a bike and a new set of leathers, everyone else that rides has now become your brother. Some call it Brotherhood when sharing the wind on two wheels. Some call it brotherhood when you ride a few roads together. Just what truly is brotherhood? There are Brothers in Christ. Brothers in Masonic temples. Brothers in several organizations. Elite military units commonly form a brotherhood among the members of squads. Navy Seals for example, are more than the sum of their individuals. They become more than just a team. They become brothers, totally committed to one another up to and including giving their lives for one another if necessary. Men that have shared combat together have formed such close relationships as to call each other brother. While these are no less committed than any other Brotherhoods, when it comes to the motorcycle world, there is also a very strong bond among those that call themselves Brothers. What is a Brother in the MC world? Once you've gone through the hangaround period, the members of the Club have viewed your behavior, your attitude, your dedication, trust and loyalty, to be there. If you've actually completed this period, then you may be asked to become a prospect. During this time you are put under a much more intense review. You and the other members of the club find out if you are suited to be a part of the club and if you can accept the other members as Brothers just as much as if they can accept you and call you Brother. Can you dedicate yourself to the others as close as you would your own flesh and blood? Many times it is an even closer commitment than family. The person that you call Brother becomes family as a part of his as well as you being a part of theirs. A common phrase used in MC circles is I am my Brother’s keeper. This means you will support him and help him any way you can, sometimes to the point of selling your bike to help him, quitting your job to go help him and, in some cases, Brothers have even done things that they already know could get them put in jail because they were willing to take that step to help a Brother out. With all that commitment, it’s also that you would not ask a Brother to do something drastic without very good cause. Brothers may disagree, but they will always respect one another and treat each other with respect. Please take note that if you haven't had any experience being around some of the more serious MC's (1%, support clubs, etc.), they take the word Brother, or Bro very serious, and they'll only use the word as a show of respect towards their own club, their members, and any club who they've also bestowed that word upon. And if a club overhears someone throwing around the word lightly within their midst, it could cause them to aggressively educate those whom they felt disrespected them by abusing the word. |
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