Motorcycle Subcultures in Australia: Sketching the Big Picture

Most research concerning motorcycle subcultures derives from the United States, Britain and Japan and is not particularly applicable to Australia. Furthermore, previous research into motorcycle clubs has dealt with only one type of subculture. This paper highlights the existence of two types of motorcycle subcultures in Australia, patch and non-patch groups. Based on five years of participant observation, comparison of the two types of subcultures and general overview of motorcycle subcultures is presented.