What is your opinion on Motorcycle Clubs?

[PotatoHead202...]

Talking specifically about the 1% style really.

Although I've been riding for the 14 ish years since I was 16 I only started going to bike nights etc the last few years. Every new bike night has slowly been taken over by the back patchers. Almost feels to me like those old westerns when someone walks into a saloon and everyone looks at them like they're a piece of shit. Have been to a number of meets with my neighbor who is an ex member of a few clubs and again you're treated as though you're a piece of shit or you don't exist.

What are your thoughts on them?
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Honda VFR1200F, Honda CBF500 ABS, CZ125 now CZ175

[Nobby the Bastard]

I neither care or worry about them.

Maybe you are giving out a 'I wanna be a prospect' vibe.
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha:"Remember this simple rule - scooters are for men who like to feel the breeze on their huge, flapping cunt lips."
Sprint ST 1050

[rpsmith79]

We mostly get MCC's round here (Chesvegas) with only really one dominant MC, of which they all "support" (whatever that actually means, who knows)

It does get a bit comical with the amount of MCC's here though, there are at least 7 i can think of, (and Chesvegas isn't really a big place) and as you say, they just seem to take over the Bike Night's, only 2 local meets are not affiliated with any club, and they are the 2 i tend to frequent

The yall advertise theur meets as "everyone welcomed", but unless you turn up dressed in all black leather, with a waitcoat on, they barely even acknowledge you
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Current Bike: Honda CG125 ES4 // Honda CB600FS Hornet // Triumph Street Triple R

[Fat Angry Scotsman]

I started biking in September 2020 and in the 4,500 miles I have done since then, so far I have only ever seen one MC member (who was a member of the Blue Angels).

Maybe the scene just isn't as big up here in Scotland?
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PRESENT: 2018 BMW S1000XR SE Sport.
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[Easy-X]

Even leafy Surrey has MCs. Met some of them at Newlands Corner, can't remember whether it was Red Devils or Undaunted but they seemed nice enough.
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Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[stinkwheel]

I just avoid going where they are and if they turn up to something, I keep out of their way.

Much in the same way as I would with any other sort of gang.

I know a couple of patch club members socially but people as individuals and a group as a gang when they are "on duty" can behave very differently. Prospects in-particular can be unpredicatable. I tend to avoid coloured up "feeder" support clubs for a similar reason.

A load of guys standing round with their arms crossed creating an atmosphere is something I can do without in my life. I'd walk out of a pub where a load of folks were displaying similar body language.

If there's a rally with a lot of people flying colours, I don't go to it again. Yorkshire MAG rallies are good in that respect. I'm sure plenty of backpatchers go but there's a no colours, no attitude rule.
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I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[stinkwheel]

[Zen Dog]

The big local 1% club to me are a bit of a running joke amongst the bikers I know. Lots of posturing, half of them riding Chinese 125s. I've stopped for them at the side of the road at least 3 times. Every time they've run out of petrol.

They take over the roads having a big ride out occasionally, but they aren't really any hassle to anyone. They do some charity work. Other than that I just really couldn't care less.
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My bike trip around S.E. Asia 2010/2011

[yen_powell]

I watched the How to Train Your Dragon cartoon on Christmas day about 10 years ago with the President of the Vikings MC. It was his DVD, he'd brought it with him. I think he had his waistcoat on whilst eating his Xmas dinner, he seemed to wear it constantly back then.
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[MCN]

I don't want to be in a club that would have a person like me as a member.
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Disclaimer: The comments above may be predicted text and not necessarily the opinion of MCN.

[pepperami]

Hmmm?
Well the patch wearers that I’ve come across in the past have not impressed me to tell the truth.
The ones I’ve came across have all liked to make it known they’re dangerous , but I’ve met far worse not wearing patches.

Insular & tribal is what I think!

Bit like football supporters, they belong to a particular gang/group and consider other gangs/groups a threat/wrong/an insult .
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[xX-Alex-Xx]

[ThatDippyTwat]

I still know a few people in a number of different 1% clubs.

My mates are my mates, irrespective of the patch they wear, and I'm not getting involved in their politics. I do not want to know about any clubs business, no matter how pissed they are or how cool they think it is. To be fair, so far this has been accepted without any drama. I don't generally frequent anywhere they're likely to appear in the polar opposite way to my teens and 20's.

My impression is that the membership is a lot older on average these days. That kind of bike/scene/attitude is not a "cool" thing any more, so there's little new blood to sustain them, and those that are attracted enough to go through the prospect route are outright gangsters to whom a bike is distinctly a secondary item. Back when, irrespective of how things were funded, the bike and the club was the primary reason for gaining membership. They're a different breed these days.

For avoidance of doubt, I'm not in any club, 1% or not. I'm also not naming names because I'm not fucking stupid.
All that being said, Having a patch designed to advertise how much you're not in a club, that looks like a club patch, and designed to piss clubs off is fucking retarded. almost a given it get's mentioned in any Club discussion. I hold those things with the same distaste I hold Polite vests, worn by slimy cock sockets.
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'98 VFR800 (touring) - '12 VFR800 Crosrunner (Commuting) - '01 KDX220 (Big Green Antisocial Machine)

[struan80]

I'm a member of the Peebles Motorcycle Clan as I was invited by a mate.

There is a lot of grey hair. They seem a decent bunch of lads, GS adventure type bikes with a splattering of ZZR1400's lol

I'm just too antisocial to have any more friends and I get anxious riding with others that I don't know.

PMC does a fair few charitable things though and it does no harm to follow the guys on their travels. Many are never off their bikes and round Scotland in a day seems to be an often occurrence.

I remember the Baader-Meinhof from my youth. they were the local bad boy club. I was a mod back then and preferred scooters, even though I couldn't ride one and if I did couldn't afford one.

[MarJay]

Never encountered one in person, I think they are a dying breed. I saw a guy at a local cafe with a patch the other day, but I was driving past in the car and just sort of thought "Huh. Never seen one of those in person".

I'm a member of a bike club, but its far from a patch club and it's just a group of people who occasionally hang out, and get good deals on trackdays and things. I went flat tracking with them a few weeks ago, and it was good fun.
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[Kentol750]

'I ride a bike coz I'm a rebel and like my individuality'.... I need to join a group of like minded people to prove this.

As others have said, ride with mates and have fun. It's why most of us do it.

Joining a club because you need to belong is just like religion, at least the god bothered let you in without a load of prospect bullshit!
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Some bikes.

[t121anf]

Only one I’ve come across is the Geordie Chapter of something, all I can say is they are a bunch of road hogging slow coaches.

I was making progress to get home from a camping trip with the family, car loaded with gear and they were just in the way, took ages to get past along the Helmsley to Stokesley road.

[Copycat73]

[Bhud]

I think there is something cool about them, even though that's not my bag and I don't fit into that scene. Among other reasons, I'm too individualist, I couldn't go out of my way for someone else and I'm not a cruiser fan. However, I tend to like retro things, retro bikes, retro people and retro situations, so this tends to tinge my perspectives and opinions in favour of many things I don't really have any knowledge about. Retro cool is good, in measured doses.

[Old Git Racing]

We take the piss, apehangers and helmets with horns on, birds with them usually have crap tatooes and look like crack whores. They are usually fat and smelly as well, blokes and birds, why would you?

OGR
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[MCN]

[grr666]

Nobcat MC

Nuff said....
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[j4ffa]

I like the idea of them if you join one it's like you have your own biker family which is never a bad thing.

I have been to a couple of biker nights and never had a bad experience with them all have been super friendly. Would I join one I don't know.

[Weisse Schlange]

I'm in Scotland. My son is MC and most of the guys I ride with are MC or Tribe (support Mcc)

It's not a lifestyle that would suit many. Although there are more now than there have ever been.

Most are not as you would imagine and are great blokes who are good to spend time with.
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Hing Oan

[rpsmith79]