Don’t judge a biker by their patch

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It was a hot summer day for our yard sale. The two youngest of our kiddos honed into their entrepreneurial mindset and started small businesses. Daxton, 12, decided to sell chips, Davina, 6, made lemonade. The marketing signs were made with a street corner set-up.

A large “gang” of motorcycles drove by. The kids waved and they did a U-turn and came back. Their bikes rumbled towards our house and they parked.

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Men and women, clad in leather donning their club patch of a skull wearing a pirate patch, and their club’s name “Bad Bones” written boldly. The kids were excited for business but slightly in awe (and perhaps slightly taken back) by their appearance. The bikers enjoyed a glass of ice-cold lemonade to wet their whistles, while making friendly and fun conversation and tipping the kids very generously. One biker even gave Davina a “bad bones” coin.

They mounted their steel horses and roared away while we all smiled ear to ear, waving good bye. Daxton who has a knack for saying things precisely as they are said, “It’s funny because they look so mean, but they were so nice.”

It was a great lesson to talk with them about the timeless teachings of “don’t judge a book by its cover.”

I reached out online to the club’s founder and president, Moe Weso, as well as the Tri-county chapter president, Brad Geil. I could tell this “bike gang” was different but had no idea until I spoke with them.

Moe founded the club in 2016. He had been a part of other riding clubs, but wanted to start one that had a family focus full of values and principles. They have yearly dues and the money goes to building better bonds and connection with each other, their children and grandchildren through celebratory barbecues, holiday dinners and weekly rides.

Their goal and requirement for membership is family and community. They’ve done awareness rides wearing orange for children of residential schools and First Nation’s support, rides for fallen soldiers and officers, for R.O.C.K. (Ride for our Cancer Kids) and J.O.E. (jobs opportunity enterprises) for adults with disability. They have even done ride-escorts home for a woman that had been hospitalized for one year after being paralyzed from a severe car accident.

I asked the founder, Moe, how they came up with their logo (eye patched skull) and name. He explained it came together quickly from various influences. As an avid documentary watcher, Moe remembered one that explained that when you see a skull it is all inclusive, “you don’t see race, or sexuality or gender, just the human.” The eye-patch comes from a movie he watched about Somalian Pirates (as Moe is Somalian) and the name “Bad Bones” was homage to the popular song he loves “Bad to the Bone” by George Thorogood.

I asked about the coin they gave Davina. Brad Geil shared with me that “a challenge coin is a specially designed coin. These have a military background but we won’t get into all that. In a situation like this, the coin is being given to your kids to honour them for their efforts which are rarely seen these days, so we consider it a special achievement and believe it deserves recognition. Supporting this is something we are proud to do.” Geil also shared he wants Daxton to have a coin too, so will make a special ride to the house.

This group is all about promoting what is good in the world and supporting those that need support.

“If any of our members are caught disrespecting anyone for any reason, they are no longer a part of this club. We wear our crest with honour as a symbol of our riding family and our values,” said Moe Weso, Bad Bones Club Founder.

Riding also with this group and spreading goodness were some members from Cerberus Riding Club, an affiliate group. Judy Shepherd, a member said, “It was the highlight of my day to stop for lemonade.”

These people are inspirational and an example of what we all should strive for.

So, remember, love and kindness looks and arrives in all different styles, and sometimes it’s leather, skulls, and arrives on a kick-butt motorcycle.