What's the difference between a motorcycle club and a riding club?

Question

What's the difference between a motorcycle club and a riding club?

Answer 1

Motorcycle clubs have a more rigid structure. There are set policies for acceptance and  rules each member must follow to the letter. Clubs also claim territory. Riding clubs are just guys who get together socially to ride or hang out.

Answer 2

Motorcycle clubs are more like a fraternity with rank and structure where the riding clubs are just a bunch of guys with bike who choose to ride together.

Answer 3

This is a pretty wide open question.  I will start by saying that in both the MC and the RC world, nothing is 100% set in stone, meaning that there is variation between club to club and region to region.  In almost all cases, an MC will require people to spend a long period as a hang around and then if they and the club seem to be a good fit, they will invite the person to be a prospect for another length of time. A riding club usually just requires that someone send in a check to buy a 1 piece patch (and that often is not neccessary). MC members were a 3 or 4 piece patch called colors.  These patches are earned and a PH will defend and guard his colors.  The colors are owned by the club, that is why an MC member is called a patch holder and not a patch owner.  The colors usually consist of a top rocker with the club name, a center logo and the bottom rocker will contain eithor a geographical location or a neutral saying.  The 4th piece is the MC cube.  Some MCs instead have a 1 piece patch.  In a riding club, the patch is bought and not earned and is owned by the person who buys it.  The patch is usually a 1 piece patch. There are also 2 piece outfits, like associations etc that are a bit more than an RC but not an MC.  Also, in an MC, there is almost always a stronger sense of commitment.  Being that joining an MC is much harder than joining an RC. In an MC, a brother will always defend a brother and side with his brother, even if the brother is dead wrong in a conflict. An MC member will always jump in to help a brother, even if the odds are 10 againt 2. Also, in the MC world, a member is more active.  In an RC, there usually are very few if any mandatory events.  In an MC, you are constantly riding and hanging with your brothers and spend alot time doing club events. Another big difference is how clubs are viewed in the motorcycle world. MC's must follow a certain set of rules, known as protocol when dealing with other clubs.  These rules / traditions developed over time and all patch holders are expected to know them. A club will be shut down quickly if they do not know how to act within the MC community.  RC members should have a general awareness of who is who in the area but for the most part, MCs ignore RCs unless they are drawing unwanted attention.  As I said, these are just some general things and the 'rules' are a bit different from area to area.