Can you diiiggggg it??????

December 1, 2007 10:21 PM

My friends and I are going to start a low down dirty east bay motorcycle gang (we just need bikes!). Where can we get sweet jackets and where can we get them embroidered with our gang name (headless skulls!) and how much should it cost? Bonus question: where do we find kaiser helmets?
posted by Large Marge to clothing, beauty, & fashion (17 comments total)

I can't actually answer your questions (well, okay, the easy one: http://www.buymotorcyclehelmets.com/view_category.asp?cat=84), but I would love to be in the Peninsula adjunct to your East Bay gang, if such a thing can exist. Headless skulls, man! I can't even imagine what that looks like.
posted by crinklebat at 10:52 PM on December 1, 2007

awesome!
posted by Large Marge at 10:59 PM on December 1, 2007

Dang, I'm in Sacramento, and I want to be a headless skull. But I only have a Volkswagen Jetta station wagon :(
posted by luriete at 11:05 PM on December 1, 2007

what the hell is a "headless skull?"
posted by patricking at 11:43 PM on December 1, 2007

All leather jackets you can buy come complete with headless skull logos. It's the blank area in the center of the back.
posted by Malor at 12:03 AM on December 2, 2007 [2 favorites]

I suggest dropping into cafe Godspeed (Yelp reviews) and asking around. Odd place... it looks like a stylish motorcycle repair shop from the outside, but on the inside apparently they serve food. I've not been myself but I've heard the brunch is good even if the dining area is a bit small. I'm sure a visit will help you get your East Bay Easy Rider on.
posted by scarabic at 12:14 AM on December 2, 2007

I would be very careful about what you put on your jackets.
I suggest you do some research in to motorcycle clubs first (perhaps talk to some East Bay Rats) and make sure that you don't find yourself involved in a misunderstanding.
Motorcycle clubs, esp. 1%-ers and the like are usually very serious about protocol. For most patchholders it's not a lifestyle, it's their LIFE.
posted by black8 at 1:16 AM on December 2, 2007 [1 favorite]

i agree with black8. they will kill you if you snatch their design even if it is an accident. the people i met involved in motorcycle clubs in oakland were very scary.
posted by Infernarl at 5:04 AM on December 2, 2007

I really really want to know what the logo for the "headless skulls" would be. Sounds like something from Design Wars, that Discovery Channel show where dueling graphic designers get briefs from hell and 30 minutes in a junkyard.

As for what black8 and Inernari said, it's not just stealing their design that you have to be careful about: it's being mistaken for a "real" competing biker gang, and/or insulting them by mockery.

That is, you guys should probably all pre-agree on how you're gonna answer the question "Who are you fags and what are you doing in our city?"

I'm not saying don't do it. I'm saying Be Prepared. :)
posted by rokusan at 5:38 AM on December 2, 2007

its like in that one episode of The Simpsons...

but yea, those guys take that VERY serious. just be careful.

also when buying helmets, make sure they are at least DOT approved.
posted by ShawnString at 6:09 AM on December 2, 2007

Please do keep us updated, especially if it ends up like the climax to Wild Hogs, which somehow seems inevitable.
posted by The Deej at 8:03 AM on December 2, 2007

Reading the Wikipedia article, it sounds like the mere existence of your motorcycle club could put you into conflict with a "one percenter" club. Read this section on Relationships Among Motorcycle Clubs. The article says the one percenters will sometimes force other clubs to disband, or "face war."

How adults like these one percenters could act like such childish playground bullies is beyond me, but it sounds like it's something to consider.
posted by jayder at 2:42 PM on December 2, 2007

Getting told tod disband or face war would possibly be the best thing that could happen to us. what a story that would make. The getting killed by angry bikers might not be so awesome. BUT WHERE DO I GET THE SWEET STITCHING?
posted by Large Marge at 8:46 PM on December 2, 2007

Is this related in any way to the The Legless Femurs motorcycle gang?
posted by nineRED at 11:50 AM on December 3, 2007

Aw no fair! After we never got our motorcycle with sidecar?!
posted by you're a kitty! at 2:11 PM on December 3, 2007

As a member of an MC (but not a 1%er) I agree with the rest of the suggestions. As far as stitching goes. I recommend going to an embroidery store in your area - I'm sure there are a few of them - and having patches made. It's a lot cheaper and easier than getting embroidery directly on your jackets. Also, you can have extra patches for new members without having them go get the embroidery themselves. Good for standardizing. Basically, everyone does patches, not directly onto the jackets.
posted by Sophie1 at 6:05 PM on April 3, 2008

BTW - if you get a photo of your design, I'd love to see it.
posted by Sophie1 at 6:06 PM on April 3, 2008