During the 1940’s and 1950’s in the United States, the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) arranged rallies and gathering in which prizes were awarded for the smartest club uniform, prettiest motorcycle and so forth, and many clubs started a backlash against this clean cut image, and adopted the “one percent” epithet to separate themselves from the mainstream bike culture of the time. These clubs created a diamond shaped 1% patch to wear on their vests, and subsequently, the one piece patch was cut into 3 separate pieces, as a form of protest, and today is worn as three- piece colours, showing the wearer to be a full member of a hardcore MC - “one percenter”. Members are required to closely guard the colours and must never allow them to fall into the hands of an outsider, which would be an act of disgrace.
Members of “one percenters” maintain that the term simply denotes their total dedication to “biking” and the biking brotherhood as a way of life, rather than just a weekend activity, and assert that law enforcement agencies have misrepresented the term to paint them as ‘law breakers’ and criminals.
Many MC’s, including “Hells Angels”, have a strict code of conduct which allows a level of violence within their own group, but requires members to keep themselves to themselves and for the most part, they do not make trouble or beat up on the general public. They point out that in any large organisation or federation; there will be a small minority of members who may carry out criminal activities, and that they are not a criminal organisation, no more than any police department, who may have a few “bad cops”.
They also remind us that they sponsor and participate in many charitable events.
Members of “one percenters” maintain that the term simply denotes their total dedication to “biking” and the biking brotherhood as a way of life, rather than just a weekend activity, and assert that law enforcement agencies have misrepresented the term to paint them as ‘law breakers’ and criminals.
Many MC’s, including “Hells Angels”, have a strict code of conduct which allows a level of violence within their own group, but requires members to keep themselves to themselves and for the most part, they do not make trouble or beat up on the general public. They point out that in any large organisation or federation; there will be a small minority of members who may carry out criminal activities, and that they are not a criminal organisation, no more than any police department, who may have a few “bad cops”.
They also remind us that they sponsor and participate in many charitable events.