Motorcycle Gangs: From Outlaws to Any Joe Throughout history any person that rode a motorcycle was considered an outlaw or some sort of bad ass. The beginning days of motorcycle gangs weren’t the everyday Joe that had a nine to five job. These people were in their own class and were feared by anyone that crossed their path, but times have changed. Now anyone can ride a motorcycle without being labeled as a deviant outlaw. From the 1950 to today, the world has changed their perspect on a person that rides a motorcycle. Motorcycle gangs began after the veterans of World War Two returned home. Many of the return veterans started to ride motorcycles to feel the excitement that replaced the emotions from the war. On 4th of July 1946 the American Motorcycle Association held a motorcycle event in the small city of Hollister, California. At that time there were two motorcycle gangs that were know as the Pissed Off Bastards of Bloomington and the other gang was known as the Market Street Commandoes (CTGIA). The small city was filled with bikers and the police department consisted of only seven officers. The night got rowdy and the officers arrested one of the P.O.B.O.B. The gang ordered the police to release their fellow member and when they refused, the gang tore the city apart. This one event created history for motorcycle gangs because from that day on their will always be a July 4th run and the one percent image came into play. The Pissed Off Bastards of Bloomington late changed their name to the Hell’s Angels. In the 1950’s the motorcycle gangs were known as a rowdy group of people that rode motorcycles, but they reorganized in the 1960’s. During this time the gangs became involved in organized crime. The gangs were involved in murder, rape, narcotics, prostitution, weapons and intimidation. All the gangs that are associated with the American Motorcycle Association were all obeying the laws and are known as citizens (CTGIA). The gangs that were involved in crime were labeled by the American Motorcycle Association as the one percenters. There are gangs that obey the laws, but the ones that do not are considered outlaws and are called the one percent. There are many outlaw motorcycle gangs, but there are four gangs that are considered sophisticated criminal organization which are referred to as the “Big Four” (Custom Chopper). The fours gangs are the Hell’s Angels, Pagans, Outlaws and the Bandidos. The Hell’s Angels are the first known gang that gave the bad name to motorcycle gangs. The Angels are prototypes for all other gangs and they are known to do whatever they want, whenever they want regardless of the consequences. The gang makes money by producing methamphetamine, PCP, LSD and other drugs. They are also involved in prostitution and stealing cars and motorcycles to sell for parts. They didn’t want to obey the rules of the American Motorcycle Association and since they were already being labeled as the one percenters. They decided to make a patch that would be worn by the whole club and was later worn by any outlaw one percent gang. The patch was a simple design with the number one followed by the percent sign. Even with all the illegal activity that the Hell’s Angels are affiliated with they have had books and movies made about them that the regular people want to buy. In 1967 Jack Nicholson came out in the movie called “Hell’s Angels on Wheels.” The movie was all about the Hell’s Angels and Ralph Hurbert “Sonny” Barger was a chapter president that had a part in the movie with no lines. Sonny may not have said any words in the movie but he was a credited consultant for the movie. Sonny is now 71 years old and is the longest standing member of the Hell’s Angels. He is now an author of his sixth published book that is all about the life he lived in the gang (Carpenter). Even though the gang was considered deviant 50 years ago and are considered outlaws today. Sonny is still able to sell books about the deviant acts that were committed over the years to normal people. The next well known outlaw gang is the Pagan’s that are well established in Florida and New York. This gang is different from other gangs because of the way they meet and the location of the gang. The Pagan’s don’t have a set location on where they are from and they travel to different areas where other members are located. Rather than having a clubhouse like every other gangs, the Pagan’s meet at members’ houses. The president of the club is named Paul “Ooch” Ferry and he is considered the top figurehead of the gang, but doesn’t tell anyone what to do. The only control he has is the price that is set for the drugs that the gang sells. The members see Ooch the same way the United States sees President Obama, which is why the gang pays their president the same $200,000 a year salary that President Obama receives (CTGIA). The salary for the president is pennies compared to the amount of money the gang makes per year. The Pagan’s profit more than $15 million dollars a year selling methamphetamine and PCP in the northeastern states. Besides the drug operation, the Pagan’s put their woman to work as prostitutes. Many of the prostitutes are runaway girls that the gang finds. The runaways are gang raped for practice and then put to work. All the money the girls make is given to the club. The girls are photographed or video recorded to use the footage as a way to blackmail the girls from leaving. Many of the girls take the abuse and stay with the club, while some girls may be released, but many other girls are less fortunate and never found. The Pagan’s are the only gang associated with mob families. The gang does a lot of work for the Genovese and Gamino family which includes drug dealing, body guarding and taking someone out. Another outlaw gang goes by the name Outlaws. They are located in the United States and in Canada. They are known for producing Canadian Blue which is a drug that they make in laboratories in Canada. The drug is also known as Valium. Other chapters in Florida have property along the water to smuggle drugs in by boats. The gang also makes money by contract murders and prostitution. Every Outlaw member is required to sell drugs and has a handgun on their body at all times. Sometimes you will see two bikers together, but you will never see one Outlaw by himself. The last outlaw gang is the Bandidos Motorcycle Club. The Bandidos are considered a Texas based motorcycle gang (Custom Choppers Guide). The Bandidos are the fastest growing motorcycle club in the United States. This is the gang that we as Texans will see the most. The gang was formed in Houston in 1966 by Donald Eugene Chambers. The president was looking at a Frito commercial on TV and it was about a bandido raising hell to sell potato chips. This is where he came up with the name and he used the cartoon character as the clubs logo. The gang was formed to control drug trafficking and prostitution is Texas. The Bandidos work with the Outlaw Motorcycle Club when it comes to drugs. The Outlaws import the drugs in and sell it to the Bandidos to distribute in Texas. Both clubs socialize together in each others’ towns and own businesses together. Both clubs consider themselves sister organizations. The Bandidos developed a Nomad chapter that takes care of security, counterintelligence and internal discipline (CTGIA). Now that we have seen the well known outlaw motorcycle clubs we now have an idea of what they do for money and why they were viewed as deviant. Even though they may have committed many crimes in the past and many are still affiliated with crime today they are viewed differently today. There are thousands of motorcycle clubs across the nation, which many of them are affiliated with the American Motorcycle Association, while many others are considered the one percent outlaws. There is always going to be some bad apples in a group and many of the gangs will still continue on to sell drugs and prostitute woman, but the idea of the motorcycle gang has changed. We will now see motorcycle gangs collecting toys for the less privileged children at Christmas. The toy run is an annual event that takes place and even the outlaw Bandidos participate in the run. The Bandidos also sell stickers that people can place on their bikes to show respect. The sticker cost pennies to make and they sell them for ten dollars, but it is legal to sell stickers. We are seeing all types of motorcycle gangs today that everyone is less intimated by. People love looking and riding motorcycle and not only are hardcore bikers riding nowadays. You will find the weekend rider that works all week and by the weekend he takes his wife out on a ride. Everyone can ride a motorcycle now and it is viewed as a recreational privilege. There are even police officers, fire fighter and military personal that have their own motorcycle gangs that only allow you to become a member if you have the same occupation as the club (Texas Blue Knights). We have even seen all type of television shows that capture the motorcycle clubs. It started with a family that built choppers on television. The show was called American Chopper that started in March 2003 and is now on its sixth season (TLC). The show was not about gangs but it opened the door to motorcycles. In 2007, a box office movie was released called Wild Hogs that had four middle age regular men that rode their Harleys on a road trip (Wild Hogs). The movie did very well and they are now producing part two that is scheduled to be released in 2011. Another television show came out in 2008 and it was called the Sons of Anarchy. This show is not for the family to sit down and watch. It gave you a good understanding of how a motorcycle gang operates. The show in now scheduled to release its third season this September (Sons of Anarchy). The deviant motorcycle gang is not viewed the same way anymore. Anyone can go buy a Harley Davidson at the local Harley shop and ride by themselves or with a gang of other men or women. There are always going to be outlaw gangs that do not want to obey the rules, but this doesn’t mean every biker is deviant. The times have changed and riding a motorcycle is for any Joe whether you live on your motorcycle or if you ride on the weekends.