Cindy Barnes and Lisa Erfourth became friends while working together in Norman, OK.  Cindy was a rider at this time.  Lisa, with much encouragement from Cindy soon got her first motorcycle and began to ride. Cindy and Lisa both liked the idea of a women’s riding club.  They had explored other women’s riding clubs but just did not feel they were right for them. 

Lisa knew another lady rider named Cheryl Raines and introduced her to Cindy.  Lisa and Cindy began talking to Cheryl about riding together and forming a club.  In the summer of 2011 they started to spend time riding together.  Cindy would go by the road name Romper due to the fact she would always be romping on the gas when riding.  Lisa would go by the road name Tribal due to her liking native tribal art.  Cheryl would go by the road name Knick Knack. These three women would be the founders of the club. Throughout 2012 the founders would continue to ride together and lobby for acceptance. 

Cindy came up with  several names for the club including Bike Riders And True Sisters or for a short version BRATS.    All 3 founders liked this name best and chose it for the name of the club as it was well known all 3 were in fact brats!!  The founders continued to ride and look for other women to be a part of this thing called the BRATS. Pam Risinger known as Lil EZ and Jennifer Ballard known as Cricket became BRATS.  Cricket would begin with the BRATS as a non-riding member.  These five women would be the “First Five”.  The “First Five” came up with ideas and worked on a design for the back patch.  A final version of the back patch that all 5 would approve of and love was born. At the March 2013 Oklahoma COC meeting it became official.  The BRATS were officially a club and member of the COC of Oklahoma.

THE FIRST 10 YEARS:

The love of riding motorcycles may have originally brought the BRATS together, however the love and respect we have for each other is what has kept us together all these years.  Throughout the years the BRATS have enjoyed riding, camping, hanging out together and generally having a good time no matter what the occasion.  Did dancing get mentioned?? Yes! The BRATS love to dance.  Over the years the Club has gone to various rallies in the area which were thoroughly enjoyed by all.  Rallies continue to be attended by BRATS whenever possible.  The BRATS have had many weekend get aways including trips to the Illinois River for rafting fun.  Beavers Bend and Arkansas have also been fun filled destinations for the BRATS as well as Rompers place in western Oklahoma.  The BRATS like parties!  BRATS have parties for the clubs’ anniversary, for Christmas, for Birthdays and can find just about any excuse to have a party.  BRATS also have a lot of fun attending other Clubs’ parties as well.

From the beginning the Brats have worked to help with fund raisers and benefits in the biker community as well as others in the area.  Beginning in 2013 the BRATS started having a scavenger hunt annually in October to enable the club to donate to various charities and causes.  Anyone who has ever participated in a BRATS scavenger hunt can attest to the fact that we do have a lot of fun with this fundraiser.  From finding purple items to the people games and all the camaraderie in between it is a great time for all.  In April of 2019 the BRATS added another event we call the ‘Easter Egg Hunt’. 

Again this is a fun filled event for all who participate as well as for the sisters. For a time during the COVID pandemic the BRATS, like most others, did not get together as much as we would have liked.

Over the years the BRATS have proudly donated to the Naysayer toy Parade annually, tornado victims, Valentines for Veterans, the Veterans Bike Show, Kids Corral, Miracles on 13^th St, and dozens of local benefits for our brothers and sisters in need.

Several times over the years the BRATS have worked on and updated our Bylaws to better reflect our club values and standards.  In March 2021 a new version of the Bylaws was drafted.  Through many meetings, discussions and revisions the final version was voted on and put in place in December 2021.

As a Club we have seen new members come in even as others go… At the end of our first decade against all odds, predictions and challenges, the BRATS have continued to grow.  In October of 2022 the BRATS approved the start of an additional chapter per Bylaws.  Sadly, unbeknownst to the club; one member/founder of the club had obtained a copyright in her name exclusively for the BRATS back patch a few months earlier on July 8, 2022.  CLICK HERE TO SEE COPYRIGHT. This member was against the club starting a second chapter and advised the membership that if any patches were put on new members they would be sued as she owned the copyright to the Club back patch. This kind of behavior was totally unacceptable to the membership of the BRATS Club as the BRATS club was never intended to be governed by the dictates of one person.  Although the BRATS back patch belongs to the BRATS club exclusively, the expense of taking this former member to court would be exorbitant and cost prohibitive.   Sadly after 10 good years; the decision was made to retire the original back patch, obtain the trademark for the name Bike Riders And True Sisters BRATS and to move forward with a newly designed back patch.  Just as the mythical phoenix of old, the BRATS raise up and emerge stronger than ever with a new image and back patch.