Different people think of outlaw motorcycle clubs in different ways. For people who idolize these wild and free riders, being part of the brotherhood is the ultimate thrill. For anyone in the law and order department, outlaw MCs are more of a headache, and depending on which club they belong to, fall under various threat levels. To the people who just see them passing by on the roads, they are mostly a menace to society. Most would like to keep as far away from them as they can.
And while there are many things that outlaw MCs want people to know about them, stuff that they are proud of and preen about; there are some things they would not like publicized much. The reason is that these lesser-known facts may affect their bad-boy image in detrimental ways. Here are 10 things outlaw MCs like to keep quiet about and 5 facts they are rather proud of.
15 They’re Proud Of: They Are Veterans
The concept of motorcycling clubs began to come about when veterans returned from WWII and got even bigger when more veterans returned from the Vietnam war. The veterans are proud of having served in the army, if bitter at being sidelined by the government, so MCs are their way of retaining their lost brotherhood.
14 They Keep This Quiet: They Have Their Hierarchy And Structure
Outlaw clubs call themselves “free riders,” but each outlaw MC has a very strict hierarchy and structure within it, to be able to properly run as an organization. And this means that a senior member’s say is final, and the junior brothers have to go with it. Not much different from the army this, though they aren’t serving their country by being in an outlaw MC, for sure.
13 They Keep This Quiet: Women Are Mere Property
Many outlaw MCs and one-percenters do participate in charity events, sometimes even raising money for women’s rights. But the women in a one-percenter MC barely have any rights, and can only get in as “the property of an existing member.” A married woman has a little better standing than someone who is just a girlfriend, as well.
12 They’re Proud Of: There Are Films On Them
They are the bad boys of the road, so it's natural that Hollywood trips over itself in a bid to make movies about them. Two notable mentions would be the 1953 Marlon Brando movie The Wild One and the 1998 black comedy Fear & Loathing In Las Vegas starring Johnny Depp and Benicio del Toro.
11 They Keep This Quiet: Not All Outlaw MCs Are Famous
If you have to belong to an outlaw MC, it better to belong to a famous one. Think Hells Angels, Mongols, Bandidos, Outlaws, Pagan's, and Sons of Silence. The smaller outlaw MCs are often gobbled up by the big ones, or decimated by the law enforcement because they are too small to put up a fight.
10 They Keep This Quiet: Numbered Patches Are Codes
Number 18 is usually an exclusive Hells Angels patch and not used by any other MC. Meanwhile, 13 has a slightly different meaning. In the alphabets, the 13th letter is M so any biker wearing a number 13 patch is someone who is fond of illegal substances and either uses or distributes.
9 They’re Proud Of: The Legacy Of Their One-Percenter Name
In 1947, at a motorcycle rally, some 4,000 attendees rioted the event. The American Motorcycle Association, the AMA, released a statement saying “99% of motorcycle clubs are law-abiding and only 1% were outlaws.” From then on, all outlaw motorcycle clubs became so-called one-percenters and wear the “1%er” badge with pride.
8 They Keep This Quiet: Law Enforcement Considers Them A Threat
While outlaw MC movies and series like the Sons of Anarchy may romanticize what happens in one-percenter MCs, they are a pain for law enforcement to manage and keep track of. Not to paint them all in a bad light, but many outlaw MC members do engage in illegal activities.
7 They Keep This Quiet: Law Enforcement Uses Many Loopholes
In 2015, after key members of the Mongols MC were arrested, the federal prosecutors tried to seize the Mongols MC badge and logo, calling it an asset subject in their investigations. For a while, the judge agreed with them, before the case was dismissed and the Mongols MC won the right to their patch back.
6 They’re Proud Of: Creative And Witty Nicknames
Most MC members get a nickname when they join the club, and the more macho the name, the better. A sergeant-at-arms could be called Gunner or Trigger, while anyone with a clean image can get the name Preacher or Sir. Anything goes, but the name has to match the persona and be a masculine one.
5 They Keep This Quiet: The Difference Between Patches And Colors
A biker jacket can have many different patches, for things they stand for, represent, or even believe in, like ABATE: American Bikers Aimed Toward Education. However a biker’s colors are simply the three patches usually placed on the jacket’s back – the top rocker has the MC’s name, the middle one is the logo and the bottom rocker identifies the club’s territory or place.
4 They Keep This Quiet: They Use The Law To Their Advantage
Do not think of outlaw MCs as some sort of a do-hickey group with no brains. They are sophisticated organizations that know how to use the law to their advantage. For instance, Hells Angels once took Disney to court over copyright infringement for use of their title in the movie Wild Hogs. And they won. So then they sued Amazon, Saks, and even Marvel…
3 They’re Proud Of: Harley-Davidsons Are Their Favored Rides
Outlaw MCs may not see eye to eye with the law but they consider themselves to be patriots. For them, most foreign-made motorcycles are “Jap Scraps,” so they have to have an all-American ride. Obviously, for outlaw MCs, the Harley-Davidson is the only motorcycle worth riding, and many clubs also have rules about engine displacement.
2 They Keep This Quiet: They Do Indulge In Criminal Activities
Sadly, outlaw motorcycle clubs are not just about free riding brothers on the open road. Many of them have taken to illegal substance distribution not just as a lucrative pastime but as a prime means to profitability. Arms and ammunition is another big business for them, and none of it is licensed by the government.
1 They Keep This Quiet: They Are Very Territorial
Remember the bottom rocker, the patch that says which territory or state the MC belongs to? It’s there for a reason. There cannot be two outlaw MCs occupying the same territory, and violent battles are often fought over key states and cities between opposing MCs and their members. The results are not pleasant, or law-abiding.