A few years ago, I read in a biker book an interesting take on bikers that wear vests. The writer of this book said, basically, that a vest was something a biker didn’t need to have. It had no real function. It offered no protection and didn't keep you warm. To him, a vest was nothing more than a shelf to hang your pins and patches.
I absolutely, totally, disagree with this guy. What a horrible message to send to those of us that are proud to wear our vests! I’m sure this guy got up on the wrong side of his Yogi Bear sleeping bag when he wrote that paragraph in his book with his crayons and finger-paints. He probably got kicked out of some riding clubs and/or was not allowed to prospect with a true motorcycle club. So, to him, he needs to whine like a baby girl who didn’t get the Barbie doll for a birthday present! He needs a good bitch slappin’ and a major reality check!
To me, a vest on a biker defines who they are! When I get the opportunity to meet new bikers when out on the road, I pretty much have them figured out within a few minutes by seeing what they have on their vests. To me, it’s such an amazing way to strike up good biker-related conversations! I absolutely love this time in my life; to meet a new biker friend!
Patches, pins, and mementos define a biker. To me the biker’s vest is a badge of honor. It is a large, “Hi, My Name Is…” where they don’t have to have a name unless it’s a cool road name like, Splat, Roadkill, Sweet Tea, and Snaggle Tooth. (And I have totally met these aforementioned people!). Interestingly enough, these folks prefer to be called by their road name. And I love it that they don’t fold under society pressure to be correct by always giving their birth name when introductions are made!
I love to see what patches are on a biker’s vest. It’s amazing to witness an in-depth knowledge of an individual when you’ve never met them before! You can pretty much sum the situation up if you’re meeting a military person – there are all kinds of pins and patches defining their loyalty to one military branch, lots of in memory patches for fallen brothers or sisters, and the occasional patch that conveys an immediate dislike for our government.
Then there are those that have some patches that define what they like in life, those friends that they have lost, and milestones they have accomplished! There are young biker children that wear biker vests and have adapted to this wonderful lifestyles! Little American Flags, Future Biker, Grandpa’s Passenger, and more patches make up the tapestry of their first leather or denim vest! How cool it is that they have parents and grandparents that encourage and support their love of the motorcycling lifestyle at such a young age!
The lady bikers out there are just as proud as our male counterparts. Their vests define the love of riding in the wind, riding their own bike, and the like. There are even some patches that proclaim their independence – something that wasn’t heard of when I started riding 30+ years ago! There’s also the patches that define she is a grandmother, a mother, a cancer survivor, and those that support the various club and organizations that their guys ride with.
Then there are the riding clubs. They all have the patches of their riding club with some sprinkling of pins of places they’ve ridden or events they have attended. They are generally a fun group of people that are always happy to be at biker parties and events. They come together en masse and always make a grand entrance. It’s such a positive note and one that I always look for.
The other vests I see are the motorcycle clubs. Generally, they are black leather with their three piece patch, MC cube, and the occasional 1% diamond. Many of these people are some of the nicest, kindest, and most honest people I have ever met in my life! Their vest, or cut, means the world to them. You will never, ever, ever see their cut lying on the back of a chair or on top of a picnic table. They earned the right to wear that cut and will defend its honor forever. Their Brothers or Sisters will defend the honor of that vest AND the person that wears it.
All in all, I have to say that I love it that bikers wear vests. It defines who the biker is. Trying to belittle the fact that bikers wear vests makes my head spin. When I read crap like that it told me right then and there that this idiot doesn’t understand this awesome badge of honor that means the world to the biker wearing it. The vest defines the biker. The biker defines the vest. They go hand in hand and cannot be one without the other.
Looking forward to seeing you on the road!
Much love and hugs to you!
Catnip Cougar
