Personally, my vest is mainly a memorial vest for my son that was KIA so on the back I wear a big patch in his honor. The much smaller patches that I have in the front represent things that I've done/earned. While many want to buy patches to put on their vest to try and fit in or be cool or whatever, mine were earned.
People adorn their jacket or vest with pins and patches for a lot of different reasons. I suggest that if you really feel the need to know, you ask when you see someone that has them. There is no catch all answer to your question.
That said, I do realize you can get many here to answer that question but, I think face to face will get more honest answers with less chest puffing.
People adorn their jacket or vest with pins and patches for a lot of different reasons. I suggest that if you really feel the need to know, you ask when you see someone that has them. There is no catch all answer to your question.
That said, I do realize you can get many here to answer that question but, I think face to face will get more honest answers with less chest puffing.
While the personal histories or reasons are interesting, I'm more interested the overall, big picture, "what's with the patches"? Did they start with the motorcycle gangs after the world wars where instead of service medals ex-soldiers who rode motorcycles would pin patches on their riding vests/jackets?
Why is it a thing in the motorcycle world? As opposed to the truck driving or scuba diving world?
Harley Davidson seems to even promote and sell these patches.
Wet suits, or bare skin, don't hold patches too well, and you certainly wouldn't want to sew on a wet suit (or skin for that matter), thus explaining the lack of patches in the scuba world.
Truckers are hidden in their cabs- so their patch is on the front of their cap. Or painted on their rig.
Motorcyclists are visible while riding, so their patches are as well.
There are infinite sources of patches, and infinite ideas behind the display of them.
Wet suits, or bare skin, don't hold patches too well, and you certainly wouldn't want to sew on a wet suit (or skin for that matter), thus explaining the lack of patches in the scuba world.
Truckers are hidden in their cabs- so their patch is on the front of their cap. Or painted on their rig.
Motorcyclists are visible while riding, so their patches are as well.
There are infinite sources of patches, and infinite ideas behind the display of them.
Back at you-
What do you consider MC gang?
Historically a gang would simply be a group of riders from a certain area that hang out together possible branded by their AMA patch. Now-a-days, I'm sure the word "gang" carries more negative connotation than anything and the word "club" is used instead.
Last edited by ChickinOnaChain; 09-28-2018 at 03:28 PM.
Reason: Multiple posts
I've seen several threads discussing patches, Broken Wings, Pikes Peak, etc...
They seem to represent accomplishments (or incidents) on a motorcycle?
What is their history? Do you have to belong to a club or is it an individual thing?
What are the patches all about?
It's a bit like a boyscout sew-on badge patch... a little "well done, you accomplished [this or that]".
Usually far far less actually indicative than a scout badge - at least they (well, they used to, dunno about now) actually did something, survival exercise, etc, not just "Mummy, look. I wode my big bike up a big hill" or "owwie, Mummy, I fell off my big bike".
Essentially, they are just (often self-awarded) "medals of participation".
09-19-2018, 01:01 PM
What are the patches all about?
