Types of Motorcycle Clubs Explained: MC, RC, Veteran, Brand, and More

The word "club" covers organizations that have almost nothing in common beyond motorcycles. A Harley Owners Group chapter that meets for breakfast rides and a traditional three-piece-patch MC with a prospecting process are both clubs, but joining one tells you nothing about the other. This guide sorts the clubs you will find in this directory into the categories riders use, with the markers that let you tell them apart.

Traditional motorcycle clubs (MC)

An MC is a membership organization with officers (typically president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, sergeant at arms, and road captain), bylaws, a prospecting process, and a patch that members earn and the club owns. Many wear a three-piece patch: a top rocker with the club name, a center emblem, and a bottom rocker with a territory. Others wear a one-piece or two-piece patch by choice or by regional custom. MCs vary from family-oriented clubs that run charity events to clubs that are strictly closed to outsiders. The letters "MC" on a vest or in a name are the simplest marker.

Riding clubs (RC) and riding associations

Riding clubs exist to ride together. Membership is usually open to anyone with a motorcycle and the dues, there is little or no prospecting, and members can leave freely. Many RCs wear a one-piece patch or no patch at all, and most avoid the territorial bottom rocker out of respect for local MC custom. Riding associations and social riding groups are the same idea at larger scale, sometimes with regional chapters under a national charter.

Brand and owners groups

Manufacturer-sponsored groups are the largest riding organizations in the country. The Harley Owners Group (H.O.G.) runs dealer-sponsored chapters. The Gold Wing Road Riders Association, the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America, the Indian Motorcycle Riders Group, and marque clubs for Ducati, Triumph, and others serve owners of those brands. Membership typically requires owning the brand, and activities center on group rides, rallies, and technical help. These are the easiest clubs to join and a good first step for a new rider.

Veteran and military clubs

Veteran clubs make up a large share of this directory. The Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association requires proof of combat service and has chapters in nearly every state. Leathernecks MC and similar clubs serve Marines. American Legion Riders and VFW Riders operate as programs of their posts and are open to post members. Rolling Thunder chapters advocate for prisoners of war and missing in action accountability. Many veteran clubs admit supporters or auxiliary members without service records, but full membership is usually restricted. Expect strong involvement in escorts, funerals, and fundraising for veteran causes.

Women's clubs

Women's clubs range from national organizations such as Women On Wheels and the Motor Maids, founded in 1940, to local riding groups and women-only MCs. Some admit only riders, not passengers. Some welcome male associate members for events. The common thread is leadership by women and rides organized around women riders' interests, from skills clinics to long-distance touring.

Law enforcement and first responder clubs

The Blue Knights accept active and retired law enforcement officers. The Red Knights serve firefighters, and similar clubs exist for emergency medical personnel and corrections officers. These clubs are structured like MCs, often with three-piece patches, and they fundraise heavily for the families of fallen officers and firefighters.

Ministries and recovery clubs

Motorcycle ministries, such as chapters of the Christian Motorcyclists Association and independent church-based clubs, ride to serve rather than to compete for territory. Many wear patches with crosses and avoid MC symbols. Recovery clubs, including Sober Riders MC and local clean-and-sober groups, require members to maintain sobriety and provide a riding community for people who no longer go to bars. Both kinds of clubs tend to be welcoming to new riders and to families.

Off-road, trail, and competition clubs

Enduro, trail riding, motocross, trials, and vintage racing clubs organize events, maintain riding areas, and work with land managers to keep trails open. Many are chartered by the American Motorcyclist Association, which lets them sanction competitions and carry event insurance. If you ride dirt, these clubs are where the organized riding happens, and most hold work days that new members are expected to attend.

Rider rights organizations

ABATE chapters, the Motorcycle Riders Foundation, and the American Motorcyclist Association lobby on helmet laws, lane filtering, insurance, and land access. They are membership organizations rather than riding clubs, though most chapters hold rides and rallies. Membership is open to anyone, and these groups are a practical way to meet riders from every other kind of club in your area.

What the 1% patch means

The "1%" diamond traces to a mid-century claim that 99 percent of motorcyclists are law-abiding. Clubs that wear it identify as outlaw clubs, meaning they operate outside the American Motorcyclist Association rather than any statement about criminality. Some 1% clubs appear in public business listings and therefore in this directory. A listing is a record of a public presence, not a recommendation. New riders looking for a club to join should start with the categories above and treat 1% clubs as closed organizations that do not recruit from the public.