There's a lot of tradition among America's motorcycle clubs -- including how a club "flies its colors." For the uninitiated, the colors of a motorcycle club are the patches used to signify name and identity. Some motorcycle clubs use a single patch while others use three patches. There is a significance which we'll explain here.
The single patch option is typically chosen by motorcycle clubs deemed to be more family-friendly, civic minded, or with a specific charitable or social purpose. Examples of this type of group would be Bikers for Christ and The Patriot Guard. Almost every club that uses the single patch designation is American Motorcycle Association (AMA) sanctioned.
AMA sanctioning is not necessary for a club to be legitimate and, in fact, there are plenty of groups operating without it. Such clubs are known as "outlaw" motorcycle clubs. But be careful not to misunderstand "outlaw" to mean illegal or criminal in nature. Quite to the contrary, most of these outlaw clubs are upstanding in every way. They simply have decided to organize outside of AMA sanctioning.
To designate the difference, these non-sanctioned clubs typically use the three-piece patch system. The completed colors consist of a large patch in the center - usually with the club's logo - along with a rocker patch over the top and another underneath. The top rocker typically has the club name while the lower rocker designates the geographic location of the club. Generally, a local club must have its patches approved by a national organization if one exists.
Many of the clubs that use the three-patch system only issue the center patch and the lower rocker to new members still on probationary status. Only when a probate meets all the requirements for full membership will he be given the complete three-patch colors.
