Motorcycle Patches to Avoid - A Complete Biker’s Guide

Motorcycles are in fashion. To complement the style and feel of motorcycles, most motorcyclists love to wear stylish motorcycle patches. These patches make them look cool, badass, rebellious, powerful, and even friendly.

With the addition of a biker patch to their attire, bike enthusiasts can express themselves without uttering a word. One look and you can guess whether the biker belongs to a motorcycle club, his rank in that club, his mood, color preference, individual style, and personality.

Needless to say, biker patches enhance your look and make motorcycling even more exciting. There is a large selection of chic motorcycle patches on the market. But there is a catch. Not just anyone can wear a patch of his choosing. A biker patch is a powerful accessory and should not be worn with nonchalance. A biker may face dire consequences because of his/her neglect and over-enthusiasm.

So before you go out on an adventurous motorcycle trip flaunting your favorite leather jacket and a brand new biker patch, read this article to make sure that your jacket or vest is not wearing a patch that can attract trouble.

• Motorcycle patches have to be earned, especially if they belong to a certain motorcycle club. If you haven’t earned it, you are not worthy of it.
• Some motorcycle clubs are involved in illegal activities. Wearing their patches can associate you with their criminal activities and can land you in jail.
• Some motorcyclists customize their patches. However, these custom patches are often inspired by other mc patches or have controversial text or images. Wearing biker patches with biblical maxims, numbers, skulls and bones, crosses, characters of Greek or Norse mythology, and other symbols may offend a biker club. Therefore, customizing biker patches without consulting the clubs can cause you problems.

Now that we have established the importance of knowing which motorcycle patches to avoid and why. Let's discuss those patches in detail.

The outlaw motorcycle clubs in America dominate the motorcycling scene. They are intimidating due to their strict rules and discipline. They are very particular about who can join them and extremely possessive about their mc patches. It irks them to see a non-member wearing a patch of their motorcycle club and may even harm the non-member in a fit of rage. Consider yourself lucky if they allow you to fix your mistake by removing the patch from your leather jacket or motorcycle vest. The best way to be safe is to avoid all outlaw motorcycle club patches.

If you are keen on wearing a particular patch, try to become a member of that club. This way, you will have camaraderie and you would be able to wear your favorite motorcycle patch without fear of getting assaulted.

If you do not reside in America, even then it is recommended you do not wear a motorcycle club patch if you are not a member or do not know the full meaning behind the emblem.

Here is a list of outlaw mc patches that you should stay away from.

The 1%er patch belongs to an outlaw motorcycle club called the 1% Motorcycle Club. The members of this club wear a black diamond-shaped patch with 1% stitched on it in white or gold threads.

The motorcyclists wearing cuts or vests with the 1% patch are immediately associated with the unfortunate incident that took place during a celebration after the Gypsy Tour Motorcycle Rally held in California ended.

The 1%ers are considered criminals and are not deemed a legal group of motorcyclists under the law.

The 2% is also a motorcycle club. The members of 2%er have severed ties with the 1%ers and have a distinct diamond-shaped motorcycle patch with 2% embroidered over it. Though 2%ers are extremely few in number, it is best to not show an affiliation with the gang.

Most people believe that the 3%er motorcycle gang is related to the 1%ers. However, that is not the case. The former is a patriotic group while the latter is an outlaw motorcycle club. The 3%er motorcycle club has vowed to resist the government of the United States whenever it violates the constitution. Though the club has bona fide intent, they are at times perceived as rebels. So it is best to avoid this biker patch so you won't get in trouble with law enforcement.

The biggest American outlaw motorcycle club has illicit business connections with the Italian Mafia. The Pagans deal in drugs, weapons, and also support bombings and terrorist activities.

The Pagans mc patch is a creative piece inspired by Norse mythology. The motorcycle patch of Pagans displays a “Surtr” or fire demon sitting on the sun with a sword in his hand.

It is not a wise move to sew on the Pagan patch on your motorcycle jacket or vest. Moreover, try not to customize a biker patch based on this motorcycle club.

When talking about outlaw mc clubs and patches, ignoring Hells Angels is a sin. The most notorious gang in America has a reputation for being involved in drugs and extortion. Their members work hard to help their gang prosper through illegal pursuits. Based on the years of service, each member of the Hells Angels gets an mc rank patch.

When non-members wear their patches, it is considered disrespectful. They do not think twice about using force and wearing their patches will put you in danger. So no matter how strongly you crave to flaunt the winged skull of Hells Angels, it is better to abstain.

Other than its traditional logo, Hells Angels award the dequiallo motorcycle patch to members known for assaulting law enforcement officers who dare to stop them. You neither want to be seen with this patch nor its wearer unless you want to spend a night behind bars.

The Mongols motorcycle club is the biggest rival of the Hells Angels and is just as dangerous, if not more. Their motorcycle patch displays Genghis Khan riding a motorcycle. It looks cool and badass but can be dangerous if you are riding in Southern California as that is where the Mongols have the most control.

The Sons of Silence is a ruthless gang with a large collection of arms. This motorcycle gang has been involved in turf wars with other gangs for territorial control. The Sons of Silence mc patch displays an American eagle with its wings spread out wide over the letter “A.”

If you want to wear the Sons of Silence logo, then you would have to join their club and participate in their illicit activities. Wearing their patch for fun is not an option so avoid this motorcycle patch at all costs.

The Bandidos is America's largest outlaw motorcycle club. The gang is known for its horrifying activities and distinct motorcycle patch. The Bandidos mc patch displays a fat man with a large cowboy hat, a pistol in his right hand, and a sword in his left hand.

Known for murder and drug smuggling, if any member of this motorcycle club catches you wearing their patch, they can cause you serious harm. So avoid the Bandidos mc patch at all costs.

The Vagos is an outlaw motorcycle club that dominates the Mexican borders and is involved in drug smuggling. The Vagos gang is known for its legendary mc patch inspired by Norse mythology. The Vagos patch displays the text “Vagos MC” in green and an image of the god of mischief, Loki, riding a motorcycle. Just like all other outlaw motorcycle patches, it is best to avoid the Vagos mc patch. Buying a custom-made replica of this logo is also not a sensible option.

The Outcast is a 1%er outlaw motorcycle club and is feared for killing people in cold blood and dealing drugs. The Outcast MC patch displays a black background with a thinly stitched hollow iron cross. In front of the cross, there is a laughing skull featuring a cornrow braid. The outcast mc patch looks undeniably badass and hardcore. You can admire it all you want, but it is not prudent to wear one yourself.

Skulls and crossbones are popular graphics. We have seen people wearing masks with skulls and bones for Halloween. Many men and women love flaunting ghost-rider-inspired bandanas and neck gaiters with skulls printed on them.

Following this Gothic trend, many bike enthusiasts tweak around with the skull and crossbones to design motorcycle patches and wear them on their motorcycle vests or jackets.

In many parts of the world, the skulls and crossbones are symbols of death, life hazard, and danger. Similarly, in the mainstream motorcycle culture, the skulls and crossbones signify murder. Some motorcycle clubs award the skull and cross bones patch to their members if they have committed murder to protect their club. Wearing a cross and bones motorcycle patch can attract enemies and get you in trouble with the police.

Most motorcycle clubs use meth, cannabis, and other drugs for the enhanced focus required to ride motorcycles at top speeds.

The Dope Forever, Forever Loaded patch shows that the motorcyclist wearing it uses drugs to ride motorcycles. Moreover, wearing this patch could also be interpreted as endorsing the use of drugs, so it is best to keep away from this particular motorcycle patch.

The Iron or Maltese Red Cross motorcycle patch displays a red cross usually stitched to a white square piece of fabric. The red cross patch means that the wearer had been or continues to be involved in homosexual activities.

The red cross also denotes that the wearer has explored homosexuality in prison. Many motorcycle clubs renounce members who become homosexuals or refuse membership to gay individuals.

In America, bikers wear the Iron or Maltese crosses to express their rebellion, disobedience, and resistance against the government. When these Iron or Maltese crosses are white in color, stitched on a biker patch, and worn by a biker, they have a completely different meaning.

In the design, the white cross often has smoke or fog clouds around it. This may give pure angelic vibes but has demonic interpretations.

The motorcycle clubs award the white cross patch to members who exhume a corpse from his/her grave to steal clothes. Once successful in their attempt, they proudly flaunt a white cross patch or pin.

Unless you want to be associated with the heinous act mentioned above, avoid this motorcycle patch.

The number 13 is considered unlucky and a bad omen in various cultures of the world. In motorcycle culture, the number 13 indicates the “M,” which is the 13th alphabet in the English language. The letter M signifies motorcycle and marijuana. When decoded, the 13 motorcycle patch means that the wearer of this patch uses or trades marijuana and other drugs.

The use of anti-semitic slogans and symbols can quickly associate you with Nazism and the outlaw motorcycle clubs who have used Nazi emblems to mock American bikers and have tried to dominate motorcycle culture for generations. However, they are quickly losing their popularity.

A biker can wear skull rings because it is a discrete accessory and won’t attract much attention. On the other hand, the biker patches are displayed on the jacket or vest for the world to see. As discussed above, wearing a skull patch can get you in trouble because it signifies committing murder.

If you are adamant about wearing a motorcycle patch with a skull, it is better to study the patches of other outlaw mc gangs and customize one that has no affiliation with them.

The 2%ers is a motorcycle club of passionate bikers who deny all association with the 1%er outlaw motorcycle clubs.

The 1%er means an outlaw motorcycle gang that participates in illegal activities such as racketeering, smuggling, drug use, and murder. A riding club with members who  ride motorcycles for fun and recreation  should not wear the 1%er mc patches or you may fall under the radar of law enforcement agencies.

The number 8 indicates the letter “H” and the number 1 indicates the letter “A.” These two letters are the initials of the Hells Angels motorcycle club. Any biker wearing the 81 biker patch is a member of Hells Angels. Non-members should not wear this number on their clothing.

Motorcycle riding is a thrilling experience and always involves a hint of danger. But never go out looking for trouble by wearing the wrong biker patches. Viking Bags cares for your safety, which is why we recommend you follow this guide to fulfill your wish of looking cool while riding a bike without jeopardizing your safety. Simply adhere to the list given above to avoid getting into dangerous circumstances.