Are Prospects of Motorcycle Clubs Members

Black Dragon Biker TV Podcast Episode: Prospects, Bylaws, & Social Media RecruitingWelcome back to Black Dragon Biker TV! Today we're diving into three hot-button questions that stir up strong opinions in the MC world. No fluff—just real talk from 38+ years on the set.1. Are Prospects Members or Not?Short answer: Prospects are members—of a kind. They're not full patches with voting rights or equal say—that's earned. But calling them "not members at all" is wrong and dangerous.Prospects wear the club's colors (bottom rocker, prospect patch).They represent the club 24/7—on rides, at events, in public.They take risks for the club (backing brothers, handling tasks).If something goes down, they're expected to stand tall like any patch.Treating prospects like outsiders ("you're nothing") breeds resentment and turnover. Good prospects are investments—treat them as probationary members with limited privileges but real belonging. They earn the full patch by proving loyalty, not by being treated like dirt.Bottom line: Prospects are part of the club family, just not the inner circle yet. Respect that, and you'll patch better brothers.2. Should Prospects Be Allowed to See the Bylaws?Hell yes—they absolutely should.Hiding bylaws from prospects is crazy. How can someone commit to a club without knowing the rules they're signing up to live (or die) by?Common arguments against:"Bylaws are sacred—only for full patches.""Prospects might leak them.""They haven't earned it."All weak.Trust is built early—if you can't trust a prospect with bylaws, why trust him with your back on a run?Informed prospects make better decisions—if bylaws are too harsh, they'll self-select out early (saves drama).Transparency shows confidence in your club's structure.My take: Give prospects the bylaws day one. Let them read, ask questions, understand quorum, discipline, patching requirements. It weeds out the wrong fits and builds buy-in from the start.Clubs hiding bylaws often have something to hide—or fear scrutiny. Strong clubs stand by their rules.3. Should MCs Advertise on Social Media to Gain New Members? Is It Against Protocol—and Should Protocol Change?Traditional protocol says no advertising—clubs grow organically: word of mouth, hangarounds proving themselves, reputation drawing the right men.Social media recruiting (posts like "Join our brotherhood—DM us") breaks that. Reasons:Looks desperate—strong clubs don't beg.Attracts wrong types: wannabes, cops, drama queens.Exposes club to scrutiny (LE monitoring pages).Dilutes vetting—hard to screen online strangers.But times change. Younger riders find clubs online. Some new/support clubs openly recruit on Instagram/Facebook with success.Is it against protocol? In traditional/1%er circles—yes, big time. In riding/support clubs—more accepted.Should protocol change? For outlaw/traditional clubs—no. Organic growth preserves quality and security.For newer/riding clubs—maybe. But even then, never direct "join us" posts. Better: Show club life (rides, charity, brotherhood) and let interested men approach privately.Smart compromise: Maintain public pages for events/pride, but recruiting stays old-school—face-to-face, proven worth.Final word: Protocol evolves, but core values (loyalty, respect, organic brotherhood) shouldn't. Advertise rides and charity—never membership.That's today's discussion—prospects as probationary members, show them the bylaws early, and keep recruiting personal, not public.What do you think? Prospects members? Bylaws for prospects? Social media recruiting—yes or no?Drop comments, call in next show. This is Black Dragon Biker TV—ride safe, stay loyal. Out.Become a supporter of this podcast: