Biker patches are actually more than just designs added to a biker's vest, these patches are the ones used to tell what bike clubs the bikers are from. Aside from denoting the affiliation of a biker, these patches can also be used to express one's motto, beliefs, philosophies or achievements.
One, Two, or Three Piece Patch
When you see a one-piece biker patches, this usually means that the rider belongs to a certain motorcycle organization. Two-piece patches mean that the rider belongs to a motorcycle club. Lastly, the three-piece patch is used for outlaw motorcycle gangs.
The design of the patch may vary according to the club, but the basic parts of a patch are two rockers found at the top and bottom (crescent shaped rockers mostly), and the emblem of the club located at the center. There are times that you will see the letters M.C. beside the emblem or the rocker to note that is a Motorcycle Club.
Commonly Seen Patch Designs
The most common one is the 1% patch, this is usually worn by outlaw motorcycle gangs to denote that there are only 1% of US bikers that do not abide by the law. The Ace of Spades seen on a patch means that the wearer is willing to fight to his death for something that he strongly believes in. The flag patch shows where the biker is from or where his lineage is from.
If you have an important position in your club, you will also have specific biker back patches denoting your position, specifically the president and vice-president among others.
Other Types of Patches
It is a common thing to see wings on a biker's patch, although the wings can mean different things, they are mostly known for sexual acts or crimes perpetrated by the biker.
Meanings of Other Patches
If you see a number 13, this usually refers to the thirteenth letter of the alphabet: the letter M. It can mean a lot of things like marijuana, motorcycle or methamphetamine, sometimes it can be also be something different that only the members of the club know of.
A skull with crossbones (like the one you see in pirate ships) may mean that the biker has gotten into previous fights and may have killed someone.
Since Native Americans are more commonly known as Indians, 9er is used to denote that the biker has Indian blood since the ninth letter of the alphabet is letter I.
As you can see, biker patches can mean a lot of things, but whatever the meaning may be these patches are treated with honor and respect by the bikers whether they are law abiding citizens or not.