Browsing through biker forums I've noticed there are a handful of questions that come up quite frequently. One of them has to do with whether or not a motorcycle club member can keep his colors upon his retirement. It's an interesting question with no concrete answer due to the fact that individual club rules differ. But there are some general guidelines that can help shed some light on the topic.
First of all, understand that unlike stock patches, a club's colors are extremely important and treated with the utmost respect. Very few even allow members to wear colors until they have completed certain requirements for full membership. Club colors usually consist of the club's back patch and rockers; some clubs include the leather vest (also known as the "cut") as well. At any rate, colors are generally the property of the club rather than the individual biker.
With that knowledge, it's easy to understand that motorcycle clubs have very strict rules regarding how, when, and where colors can be displayed. If a member is dismissed and not in good standing, he'll almost always have to return the colors.
A biker who retires or leaves a club in good standing may be allowed to keep his colors as a memento. Usually a minimum number of years of service are needed along with approval from club officers. Yet even when the biker is allowed to keep his colors he still isn't allowed to display them in public. Should he later decide to join a new club, he'll probably have to return the colors of his old club.
In the end, colors are not stock patches; they are a representation of a motorcycle club and its members. How they are used and displayed are extremely important.
