Motorcycle Clubs
Bandidos Make It to Australian Television
May 11th
Looking over the television listings in recent months it seems as though there’s suddenly a worldwide fascination with motorcycle clubs and the biker lifestyle. In the U.S. we have the fictional Sons of Anarchy series on FX, plus about half a dozen “reality TV” shows following around various biker clubs in different parts of the country. In Australia, they’re getting ready for the upcoming mini-series entitled “Bikie Wars: Brothers in Arms.”
The new mini-series chronicles the events surrounding the start of the Bandidos in Australia and their feud with rival club, the Comancheros. The president of Australia’s first Bandidos chapter was apparently a past member of the Comancheros until an internal dispute between two Comancheros chapters cause that group to split. When they split he left the club and applied with the Bandidos in the USA to start the first Australian chapter.
If you’ve never seen any of these television programs before you really ought to take a look. It’s more than just motorcycles, tattoos, beer, and guys wearing leather vests covered with club and stock patches. A couple of programs I’ve seen show bikers as real human beings loyal to one another and their families. Their loyalty is so strong that there’s nothing these bikers won’t do to support each other or watch one another’s backs. It’s truly a sight to see.
It will be interesting to see how the Australian mini-series goes and how well the Bandidos respond to it. If it does as well as Sons of Anarchy here in the States it will probably have a legion of fans wanting more once the series is over. Like it or not, motorcycle clubs are here to stay. We’re likely to see their custom club patches up and down the highways as long as there are motorcycles.
Hells Angels Go After MTV Star
May 4th
Anyone who knows anything about motorcycle clubs knows you don’t mess with a club’s custom patch, also known as their “colors.” So it’s a wonder MTV’s Rob Dyrdek was bold enough to “borrow” the flaming head logo from the Hells Angels for use in his Young & Restless line of clothing. The Hells Angels are obviously not taking this lying down; they’ve filed suit against Dyrdek for stealing the logo and MTV for airing images of it.
In their lawsuit the Hells Angels contend their logo is one of the most well recognized in the world. They accuse Dyrdek of doing irreparable harm to their name by using their logo on his clothes. Furthermore, associating it with the Young & Restless name simply furthers the stereotype frequently associated with the Hells Angels and other motorcycle clubs.
The lawsuit is not surprising given how protective motorcycle clubs are of their colors and images. They are so protective in fact, you can’t even go to a patch retailer who sells stock patches and purchase a Hells Angels patch the same way you could an NFL patch. Like most motorcycle clubs, the Hells Angels require you to earn the club patch through completing specific terms of service. Should you decide to leave the club, or you are dismissed, you must return the patch. You are also forbidden from displaying any other likeness of it in the future.
If you’re part of a small motorcycle club or other organization that could benefit from your own custom club patches, they are available at retailers like The Cheap Place. Just submit your design in digital format and they will take care of the rest. Just be careful that you don’t do what Dyrdek did; make sure your design is 100% original.
Pagans Stand in Defense of Their Colors
Apr 13th
In Camden, New Jersey the Pagans motorcycle club has found itself in a dispute with local police over the use of their colors. If you don’t know, the “colors” are a club’s custom motorcycle club patches adorning the back of their leather vests and jackets. In the case of the Pagans, their colors aren’t widely known outside their areas of operation because the group tends to keep to themselves and avoid drawing attention. However, that didn’t help them in July 2009 as a group traveled down the highway in Southampton.
Riding with a fellow biker from the Tribe motorcycle club, two Pagans were pulled over by local police allegedly because of illegal helmets. The Pagans claimed their helmets were perfectly legal, a claim that held up later in court. Furthermore, they believe the real reason they were pulled over is because the police wanted to remove their colors. According to videotaped evidence of the traffic stop one of the officers indeed had demanded the men’s remove their vests because, as the officer claimed, “on these highways these are the only colors [police uniform] you wear.”
Nearly 3 years after the fact the Pagans are suing the police in a question over a violation of their constitutional rights. They make the case that they have freedom according to the First Amendment to wear their colors as they choose. A judge with the U.S. District Court agreed, allowing the case to proceed. We’ll have to wait and see how it turns out.
Results of the case will set an important precedent for not only the Pagans but for motorcycle clubs around the country. Their colors are an import ant part of their identity; one that could potentially be lost if they lose the case.
Mongols O.C. Celebrating 14th Anniversary
Apr 6th
The Mongols Motorcycle Club was first established in 1969 by a handful of motorcycle loving Vietnam veterans. In the years since their establishment they have grown to include dozens of American chapters, mostly in Southern California, as well as organizations in Europe, Mexico, Scandinavia, and the Middle East. But come Saturday, April 7 2012, the club’s attention turns to their Orange County, California chapter which is celebrating its 14th year of existence.
The celebration will include a chapter ride in which members are encouraged to “put your money in your tank and let’s ride!” Unlike rides typically conducted by motorcycle clubs, this one will have no band, no food, and no cover charge. It appears to just be a day set aside for chapter members to enjoy the open road, sunshine, and the brotherhood of the club.
Rides like the one scheduled for this weekend are central to the existence and functioning of motorcycle clubs like the Mongols. In other words, simply having a name, logo, and a custom club patch doesn’t do a whole lot to build loyalty and fellowship within a group. Those things are important but the brotherhood only comes in spending time together doing the things that the club is centered around. And since motorcycle clubs are centered on a love of motorcycles, going on group rides is the best way to build that fellowship and brotherhood.
If you’re anywhere near Orange County this weekend don’t be surprised to see the local Mongols out on their 14th anniversary run. You’ll recognize them by their patches. They’ll be soaking up the warm spring sun as they ride in a unified effort to celebrate more than a decade as a recognized Mongols chapter.
Patriot Guard Honors North Carolina Soldier
Mar 23rd
On March 19 2012 Air Force Captain Ben Ward arrived in Colfax, North Carolina after completing a deployment in Afghanistan. Fully expecting to quietly head home, Ward was surprised when an entire contingent of Patriot Guard motorcycle riders met him and escorted him and his family to their house. Throughout the emotional experience and the inevitable media interviews that followed, Capt. Ward was visibly touched and had to fight back tears.
The love, honor, and show of support from the Patriot Guard that evening is nothing new. They are a nationally organized motorcycle club whose mission is to support troops and their family members by providing escorts and standing with them at funeral services, welcome home gatherings, and so on. The group is most often known for providing “protection” against disruption of military funerals. But every now and again we see them doing what they did in Colfax.
The Patriot Guard custom club patch features a golden triangle against a blue background with white stars in the middle and the slogan “Standing for Those Who Stood for US” underneath. And while there appears to be no special significance attached to his design, the use of the pyramid clearly demonstrates the group’s belief that our entire nation benefits because of the service of just a few.
Even though you don’t have to own a motorcycle to be a member of the Patriot Guard they are similar to other motorcycle clubs in that you can’t simply go down to the store and buy a patch. You must be a recognized member in good standing and you must wear it according to the organizations guidelines; a rule that is much more important for the Patriot Guard because of what they stand for and what they do.
Bikers for Christ Ministers to Fallen Biker
Mar 16th
Bikers for Christ are a lot like most other motorcycle clubs in some ways. They look a lot like your typical bikers with leather vests and jackets, plenty of tattoos, and long hair and beards. But one of the things that set them apart is their desire to minister God’s love to all bikers regardless of their club affiliations. A recent example involves Pastor Fred (the club’s national “president”), his wife Esther, and a fallen biker by the name of Joff Paradise.
Paradise is a custom motorcycle builder from Southern California who has been featured on the American Thunder TV show and other projects from Discovery Channel. Unfortunately, Joff was involved in a terrible accident which resulted in him losing his left leg below the knee. Fred and Esther visited him in the hospital on behalf of BFC to pray with, cry with, and encourage him, and to present him with a check from club’s Fallen Bikers Fund.
Little did they know that just a day earlier the director of the Fund also visited Joff and presented him with a check. The two checks combined ended up being exactly the amount Paradise and his wife needed to cover their mortgage. BFC plans to visit again in April and set up a fund to help cover Joff’s medical expenses.
If you look at the BFC custom club patch you’ll notice a heavy dose of flames surrounding the perimeter. According to Pastor Fred those flames symbolize the power of the Holy Spirit as he changes the lives of believers. That changed life is clearly demonstrated by BFC members who minister to others in the same way they been ministered to. It is an honor to wear the BFC colors because it signifies something so much more than mere motorcycles.