Choose the Best Harley Patches: A Guide for Harley Davidson Riders

You don’t have to be a hardcore motorcyclist to know the name  Harley Davidson. The company is the symbol of motorcycle excellence around the globe and an important factor in the famous American biker dream.

Harley Davidson has actively participated in American history and has become an important pillar of the American motorcycle culture.

The role of the Harley Davidson motorcycles in World War II and their undeclared association with outlaw motorcycle clubs have given them a paradoxical identity. On the one hand, these motorcycles are a symbol of freedom and patriotism, and on the other hand, they signify rebellion and mutiny.

Anyway, the motorcycle company has been going strong for 119 years and over the century, it has managed to create a vast empire and a constantly evolving identity for itself.

Launched in 1903, the Harley Davidson motorcycles continue to dominate the American motorcycle scene. The motorcycle company’s growing influence has led to the beginning of a new subculture known as “Harley culture.”

Today, Harley culture has developed its own motorcycle club, chapters, hardcore members, and Harley motorcycle patches.

Let’s look at each component in detail.

The motorcycle company established a community called the Harley Owners Group (H.O.G.) in 1983. The group was part of a marketing campaign to increase sales and establish a stronger relationship between the company and Harley Davidson owners. What started out as a desperate attempt to promote the products soon became the company’s life-line for maintaining profit gains. But for Harley fans, it was a whole new lifestyle so they didn’t mind the advertisements. Consequently, with more than 10 million members worldwide, the Harley Owners Group is the largest company-owned motorcycle club.

Since Harley Davidson is an American brand, the owners feel a sense of pride and connection to their country, happily spending their money on memberships, events, and other motorcycle products.

On the other hand, H.O.G. chapters in other countries have resulted in a well-knitted global community that is not defined by borders.

The Harley Owners Group currently boasts 1,400 chapters in more than 90 countries. All Harley dealerships are allowed to finance a H.O.G. chapter in their local area. These chapters are supervised by the Harley Davidson employees in the Milwaukee Headquarters in Wisconsin. Once a H.O.G chapter loses its dealer sponsorship, it can no longer continue as per the H.O.G rules.

Anyone interested to join the Harley Owners Group needs to own a Harley motorcycle. If you can fulfill this one requirement, you can become a member and get various discounts. The H.O.G. organizes many exciting motorcycle events and riding trips on weekends. As a member, you can participate in them.

The greatest benefit of being part of the Harley Owners Group is being able to meet people who you can bond with over a glass of beer or a cup of coffee.

Once you buy the national membership, you can become a member of as many local H.O.G. chapters as you wish.

When riding through interstates, it is impossible not to meet a Harley rider wearing a unique Harley Davidson patch that displays a ferocious American eagle over the company’s name. If the member is part of the auspicious Harley club, then he/she may also have another biker patch that displays the location of the chapter to which he/she belongs.

Members of an outlaw motorcycle club tend to wear a 1% motorcycle patch or the insignia of their club along with their Harley patch to show his/her affiliations.

There is a large variety of Harley biker patches available on the market. The most popular types include:

Most male members prefer to wear their Harley Davidson biker patches on their vests. These patches are a great way to accessorize the denim or leather vest with striking patterns.

Leather jackets are the safest piece in a biker’s wardrobe. Riders wear their Harley patches on jackets so they can ride in style.

The Harley patches available on the market come with an iron-on backing. This is a durable patch backing, but most riders avoid it because they fear that heat may damage the leather jacket or vest. However, the key to putting on an iron-on patch is to keep the heat to a minimum and use the weight of the iron to press the patch against the surface of the jacket or vest.

Sewing is the best method to attach a Harley Davidson patch to your jacket or vest. As a Harley owner, you can wear your biker patch for as long as you ride the motorcycle. Harley sew-on patches are a long-lasting and worthwhile investment. While using a sewing machine is the best way to apply a Harley patch to your leather jacket, you can also hand-sew it. Use a special leather needle for this purpose. Regular needles can break or damage the leather.  

Some of the most beautiful Harley patches have embroidery on them. The embroidered Harley patches look cool and give an edgy look to the jacket or vest.

Harley motorcycles have kept the vintage style relevant for years. Wearing Harley vintage patches with sequins and old designs gives the rider an unconventional Bohemian-inspired look.

Harley patches are available in various sizes. When buying a patch, pay attention to the size. If it's not a perfect fit, it won’t look good. Usually, smaller Harley patches are preferred by women and shorter riders while larger Harley patches are worn by members of outlaw clubs and hardcore riders. Based on the design, imagery, or script, you can have the patch size customized.

Most North American outlaw motorcycle clubs such as the Hells Angels require their members to ride a Harley motorcycle. To show their preference for the motorcycle brand, 1%er outlaw club members wear Harley Davidson rocker patches.  

These rockers are worn at the top or bottom of the centerpiece and display the brand insignia, name, or initials. Non-members cannot wear biker rocker patches as its banner-like shape is exclusive to outlaw clubs.

Whether you are a member of Harley Owners Group or an independent Harley rider, you must adhere to these rules:

• Never wear a bottom rocker with your Harley patch. Some Harley riders like to wear a chevron patch to display the H.O.G chapter they belong to. This is a grave mistake since bottom rockers displaying locations clash with the outlaw motorcycle clubs. Even if your bottom rocker does not display location, you cannot wear it according to the agreement Harley groups have with outlaw clubs.
• Do not combine your Harley patch with a diamond-shaped biker patch displaying either 1% or 2%. These are exclusively outlaw MC patches.
• Out of tradition, H.O.G. members receive new Harley rockers that display every new year. You can wear these patches as they are made with consent from other motorcycle clubs.
• H.O.G allows you to wear a top rocker displaying the name of the official chapter. But if you are a non-H.O.G Harley rider, stay away from all types of rockers and patches with locations on them. Period

While H.O.G members can get their patches from the riding clubs they are part of, non-member Harley riders can purchase Harley patches from the nearest biker clothing shop or have them designed from an embroidery shop. Non-member Harley riders can also buy Harley patches online. The most popular patches available online are:

1. Harley Goldwing patch
2. Harley eagle patch
3. Harley skull patch
4. Harley one patch
5. Harley Davidson American flag patch

If you don’t like what online stores have to offer, have your Harley patch custom-made based. As long as your custom Harley patch doesn’t resemble any outlaw motorcycle club patches, you shouldn’t have any problems.

Your custom Harly Davidson patch can display unique artwork, scripts and, even beads.

Harley owners wear biker vests for various reasons. Their leather vests protect them from deep cuts and abrasions in case they fall down or get into an accident. Vests also protect riders from gusty winds and keep their clothes clean. Most importantly, Harley owners wear vests to display their Harley patches.

There is no simple step-by-step manual to join an outlaw club such as the Hells Angels. The requirements of becoming a member of Hells Angels go far beyond owing a Harley Davidson. Making connections and becoming a fully-patched member is near to impossible as there are no legal channels available.

In the past, the Harley subculture was about riding the Harley motorcycle with the utmost freedom and no rules. Over the years, bikes have become so expensive that only a small group of people can own them. Unfortunately, for these people, Harley is an expensive garage decoration and not a means for transport and recreation. Every now and then, they flaunt their biker patches and Harley motorcycles in the rallies and events but that’s all.

Hardcore riders are not inclined to buy Harleys because of their exorbitant prices. They are content with other, more affordable bikes as long as they are fast and reliable. But because Harley culture is ever-evolving the bikes will stay around for a longer time as evident from the production and used markets.

Harley subculture has seen drastic changes over the years. But some things remain unchanged, including Americans’ love for Harley bikes and patches. You too can join the bandwagon by wearing unique Harley biker patches. There is a large variety of Harley patches on the market, plus you can have them custom-made. To be safe, make sure your jacket does not have any outlaw patches.