Black biker club shatters stereotypes, raises money for charitiesUNLIKE THE BIKER CHARACTERS
IN MOVIES SUCH AS 'THE WILD ONE' AND 'EASY RIDER,' THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN BIKERS
WHO CAME CALLING SATURDAY ARE MODERN-DAY REBELS WITH A CAUSE
BY HELEN BERGGREN
Special to The Miami Herald
'THE UNTAMED HOG' BROWN,
founder and president of the
Black Global Bikers Association
Drive-in movie images of outlaw bikers on choppers that scream across America's roads still spell
trouble in the minds of many.
But those B-rated stereotypes are soon shattered when meeting today's biker.
''You need a job and one that pays a lot,'' said Jerome Marshall, a biker who is director of South
Miami Hospital Baptist Health.
``It's a hobby like anything else, except it's an expensive hobby.''
Whether a doctor, a lawyer or an airline pilot, like many modern motorcyclists Marshall is a
professional in the community.
''Because our 9-to-5 [job] is so stressful, this is an opportunity to relax,'' said Mark ''The Untamed
Hog'' Brown. ``Here everyone is equal.''
Brown spends his working hours as district director for County Commissioner Barbara J. Jordan
and is the founder and president of Black Global Bikers Association (BGBA). He got the idea for
the seven-month-old club when he noticed ''a growing number of male and female African-
American motorcycle enthusiasts'' who were often riding alone.
''This whole culture is sort of unknown,'' Brown said. ``This is something new and different. We
promote networking and fellowship.''
''Full Throttle Biker Party With a Twist,'' BGBA's first meeting, was held at Pogie's, 1321 NW 155th
Dr., Miami Gardens, Saturday night.
The event attracted bikers Joel ''Jostuff'' Shaw and his wife, Rhonda, from as far as
Detroit.
''We saw BGBA on the Web while we were in Daytona and drove down,'' Joel Shaw said.
Both are retired: Joel Shaw was a project manager for Motorola and Rhonda Shaw was a
communication specialist for AT&T.
''We are just normal people, just folks,'' Joel Shaw said.
Close to 100 people came to the party behind the Modernage arches off State Road 826.
''This is only the beginning,'' Brown said.
BGBA plans to hold one meeting a month at the cafe.
''We are cool people on cool bikes doing cool things,'' Brown said.
But the group is not just about parties.
BGBA rides to help community charities in their causes: Leon Stewart Foundation's Christmas toy
drive and The Village's Red Ribbon Motorcycle Ride to fight AIDS held at the El Palacio Hotel in
Miami Gardens on Sunday.
But BGBA is not the only motorcycle organization in town.
Brown estimates there are more than 100 black biker clubs in Miami-Dade County. Whether
embroidered in baby blue on a shirt or emblazoned in red on leather, club names such as Down-N-
Dirty, Flawless Touch Ryders, and Fire-N-Dezire were visible at the Red Ribbon event Sunday.
''Our club helps feed the homeless and partners with Big Brothers/Big Sisters,'' said Nicole ''Shorty
Fat'' Crane, a maintenance manager with the Broward Sheriff's Office.
Like most clubs, BGBA requires that its members are ''responsible riders'' who have motorcycle
license endorsement and are law-abiding citizens.
''We never race and we never speed,'' said Howard Baugh, a retired United Airlines pilot.
And despite Florida law that exempts riders 21 and older who have at least $10,000 medical
insurance coverage from wearing a helmet, Baugh recommends the helmet regardless.
''We never ride without one,'' said his wife, Cynthia, a retired Eastern Airlines flight attendant.
In case something should happen, the safety-conscious couple suggests dressing head-to-toe in
leather on the road.
''The first hide that goes off has to be rawhide, not my hide,'' said Howard Baugh.
M O R E N E W S F R O M
• Miami, FL
• Holidays
• Life
• Florida
• Christmas
• Miami Dade County, FL
• African-American
• Miami Gardens, FL
• Discuss Miami Gardens, FL
IN MOVIES SUCH AS 'THE WILD ONE' AND 'EASY RIDER,' THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN BIKERS
WHO CAME CALLING SATURDAY ARE MODERN-DAY REBELS WITH A CAUSE
BY HELEN BERGGREN
Special to The Miami Herald
'THE UNTAMED HOG' BROWN,
founder and president of the
Black Global Bikers Association
Drive-in movie images of outlaw bikers on choppers that scream across America's roads still spell
trouble in the minds of many.
But those B-rated stereotypes are soon shattered when meeting today's biker.
''You need a job and one that pays a lot,'' said Jerome Marshall, a biker who is director of South
Miami Hospital Baptist Health.
``It's a hobby like anything else, except it's an expensive hobby.''
Whether a doctor, a lawyer or an airline pilot, like many modern motorcyclists Marshall is a
professional in the community.
''Because our 9-to-5 [job] is so stressful, this is an opportunity to relax,'' said Mark ''The Untamed
Hog'' Brown. ``Here everyone is equal.''
Brown spends his working hours as district director for County Commissioner Barbara J. Jordan
and is the founder and president of Black Global Bikers Association (BGBA). He got the idea for
the seven-month-old club when he noticed ''a growing number of male and female African-
American motorcycle enthusiasts'' who were often riding alone.
''This whole culture is sort of unknown,'' Brown said. ``This is something new and different. We
promote networking and fellowship.''
''Full Throttle Biker Party With a Twist,'' BGBA's first meeting, was held at Pogie's, 1321 NW 155th
Dr., Miami Gardens, Saturday night.
The event attracted bikers Joel ''Jostuff'' Shaw and his wife, Rhonda, from as far as
Detroit.
''We saw BGBA on the Web while we were in Daytona and drove down,'' Joel Shaw said.
Both are retired: Joel Shaw was a project manager for Motorola and Rhonda Shaw was a
communication specialist for AT&T.
''We are just normal people, just folks,'' Joel Shaw said.
Close to 100 people came to the party behind the Modernage arches off State Road 826.
''This is only the beginning,'' Brown said.
BGBA plans to hold one meeting a month at the cafe.
''We are cool people on cool bikes doing cool things,'' Brown said.
But the group is not just about parties.
BGBA rides to help community charities in their causes: Leon Stewart Foundation's Christmas toy
drive and The Village's Red Ribbon Motorcycle Ride to fight AIDS held at the El Palacio Hotel in
Miami Gardens on Sunday.
But BGBA is not the only motorcycle organization in town.
Brown estimates there are more than 100 black biker clubs in Miami-Dade County. Whether
embroidered in baby blue on a shirt or emblazoned in red on leather, club names such as Down-N-
Dirty, Flawless Touch Ryders, and Fire-N-Dezire were visible at the Red Ribbon event Sunday.
''Our club helps feed the homeless and partners with Big Brothers/Big Sisters,'' said Nicole ''Shorty
Fat'' Crane, a maintenance manager with the Broward Sheriff's Office.
Like most clubs, BGBA requires that its members are ''responsible riders'' who have motorcycle
license endorsement and are law-abiding citizens.
''We never race and we never speed,'' said Howard Baugh, a retired United Airlines pilot.
And despite Florida law that exempts riders 21 and older who have at least $10,000 medical
insurance coverage from wearing a helmet, Baugh recommends the helmet regardless.
''We never ride without one,'' said his wife, Cynthia, a retired Eastern Airlines flight attendant.
In case something should happen, the safety-conscious couple suggests dressing head-to-toe in
leather on the road.
''The first hide that goes off has to be rawhide, not my hide,'' said Howard Baugh.
M O R E N E W S F R O M
• Miami, FL
• Holidays
• Life
• Florida
• Christmas
• Miami Dade County, FL
• African-American
• Miami Gardens, FL
• Discuss Miami Gardens, FL
Article printed in the Miami Herald on
Feb 22nd 2007........
We was just hanging out!!
Feb 22nd 2007........
We was just hanging out!!