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Prospecting 101-How to Survive Biker Basic Training

By RJ “Cowboy” Carter

First of all if you are thinking of making the leap from independent biker to club life, think twice and ask yourself, why do I want to be a club member? Now I’m not talking about corporate clubs or organizations, I mean old skool three-piece patch holders and be honest is it to be tough, cool, or the envy of all your friends, if so do everybody a big favor, stay an independent and enroll in a self-esteem class. Club life is anything but easy and its not for everybody Being a club member means a lot of hard work but aside from that you lose many personal freedoms such as where you go what you wear and who you talk to. All things to think about before taking that next step.

Prospecting is much more than a tiring obligation.  It’s a proud time tested tradition that unfortunately some bikers seem to feel is beneath them and that they should just become instant club members (yeah right!) probably the same guys whose parents bought them a brand new car for their sixteenth birthday.  I believe in prospecting every member of every club should have paid their dues in this manner, that’s what separates us from all the rest, no shortcuts and no free rides.  No one should be aloud to beg or buy their way into any club.Patches must be earned not handed out like party favors.

STEP 1: The Hang-around

From independent the next step is club hang-around.  Hangarounds have to be invited to club meetings usually by someone who will sponsor them in the future. A sponsor is someone who will except full responsibility of instructing his prospect on club courtesies, rules and obligations.  Also the sponsor will be held fully responsible for their prospects actions. That’s why finding someone to possibly sponsor you and invite you to your first club meeting might not be the easiest thing you’ve ever done. The older and more respected clubs you’ll almost have to be born into. .  As a hangaround club meetings give you the opportunity to try the club on for size, so to speak, you know hang with the guys and get to know a little bit more about the club itself.  But here is what you have to keep in mind; all clubs are not the same, if your dead set on the idea of being in a club know its history, meet the members. Clubs support themselves in a variety of different ways, if you get my drift (know what you are getting into!)  With a little luck in about three to five months, you be voted on to become a prospect.  That’s when the fun begins!!

STEP 2: The Prospect
Once voted in, for the prospect the rules are simple, keep your mouth shut, work as hard as you can, and never discuss club business with anyone.  In my club, we fondly refer to prospect as WHALE SHIT. (Nothing’s lower than whale shit!)

To be a really good prospect, here’s a couple of tricks that will help, first get you hands on a club roster, memorize all the names of the club members so it’s easier to distinguish the members, also know their occupations, hobbies, etc.  After all a club is a brotherhood, to be a brother, know your brother!  Also volunteer as much as possible. All prospects will be expected to do what their told, that’s a given.  But go that extra mile.  It doesn’t matter if an officer needs his back watched at a run or if its jumpin’ in your truck at two a.m. in the morning and traveling’ a hundred miles or so to pick up a brother and his broken scooter DO IT!  Trust me the more trash you pick up or scooters you wash, the more you get noticed in all the right ways. It may not seem like it but your being watched or should I say scrutinized constantly. Always remember as a prospect you’ll have no rank or privileges and upon introducing yourself to any patch holder you must only introduce yourself as prospect of the club your prospecting for all other conversation after that kept to a minimum. It's time to start thinking about a road name if you don't already have one.  Some clubs don’t require them, but most do.  Some kind of dog is always nice, like Big dog, Bull dog Road dog, Wild dog, well you get the idea. A road name could mean something personal to you or describe your personality whatever but if you don’t come up with one quick, I guarantee the guys in the club will be more than happy to name ya. We got a guy in our club named Asshole, nuff said!!!  One last thing if you don’t get voted in first time around don’t give up, talk to your sponsor and try to figure out where you screwed-up.  Most clubs require a 100% of its members to give a yes vote before a prospect can patch-out.  Out of every 10 hang-arounds maybe 5 will make prospect and 3 will patch-out.  If all goes well you can expect to patch out and take the oath in around 8 months to a year after becoming a prospect.  Believe it or not, some of the most well known and respected heads of clubs today prospected over 5 years, that’s why prospecting shouldn’t be looked at as a necessary evil, but instead a labor of love!!  Oh yeah, by the way all the horrific shit you’ve heard about the initiation or the rite of passage ritual from prospect to member is true.  Good luck.  Till next time, keep your knees in the breeze and the shinny side up.