Outlaw motorcycle gangs, often termed “one-percenters,” have carved a notorious path through American history since the 1960s. These organizations, operating outside the bounds of law-abiding motorcycle clubs, are deeply entrenched in criminal activities across the United States, from coast to coast and into the heartland. The moniker “one-percenter” itself is a defiant badge of honor, born from a statement by the American Motorcyclist Association asserting that 99 percent of motorcyclists are law-abiding citizens. This leaves the remaining one percent, the outlaws, who proudly wear the label as a symbol of their rebellious nature and detachment from societal norms. These groups are implicated in a wide spectrum of illegal enterprises, ranging from drug trafficking across borders to acts of violence, contract killings, and various forms of theft.
The shadowy world of outlaw bikers has long captured public imagination, fueled by portrayals in film, television, and literature. Hunter S. Thompson’s seminal work, Hell’s Angels, provided a stark and unflinching look into the gangs’ ruthless operations, while the popular TV series Sons of Anarchy reignited mainstream interest in this subculture. Beyond the infamous Hells Angels, other significant gangs like the Mongols, Pagans, and Bandidos continue to exert their influence and presence in the underworld. These are not just relics of the past; they remain active and dangerous entities in contemporary America.
Recent events underscore the ongoing threat posed by these groups. Just recently, high-ranking members of the Pagans faced federal charges for allegedly assaulting an individual perceived to be associated with the Hells Angels. Reports in 2022 indicated the Pagans’ expansion into New York City, despite a prior crackdown that saw 20 members convicted on racketeering charges. A violent biker brawl in Massachusetts in the same year, involving rival clubs, resulted in multiple injuries and highlighted the volatile nature of these organizations. Looking back further, the 2015 Waco, Texas gun battle, a massive confrontation involving hundreds of bikers that left nine dead and many wounded, serves as a grim reminder of their capacity for extreme violence and their enduring presence in American society.
Despite law enforcement efforts and periodic arrests, outlaw biker gangs remain a persistent and potent force. The following list delves into some of the most dangerous and Biggest Biker Clubs operating in America today, exploring their territories, membership strength, and reputations.
Warlocks
Territory: Eastern Seaboard
Approximate membership: More than 500
The Warlocks stand out even within the outlaw biker community for their exceptionally brutal reputation. Their violent history is marked by extreme and indiscriminate acts, including assaults on rival gang leaders and the cold-blooded killing of police officers. Florida serves as the Warlocks’ primary stronghold, hosting 11 of their chapters and representing a significant concentration of their membership. Their influence, however, extends beyond the US border. In 2014, the reach of the Warlocks was underscored when four members were apprehended in Alberta, Canada, during a large-scale operation targeting drug and weapons trafficking, demonstrating their transnational criminal activities.
The Highwaymen
Territory: Detroit (with several chapters scattered throughout the Midwest and South)
Approximate membership: More than 300
Originating in Detroit in the 1950s, the Highwaymen, while smaller in membership compared to giants like the Outlaws and Hells Angels, have maintained a significant and disruptive presence in the Motor City and beyond. Their history is punctuated by numerous large-scale law enforcement investigations. The most impactful of these occurred in 2007, culminating in the arrest of 40 members and associates. The charges levied against them were extensive, encompassing racketeering, police corruption, and a range of other felonies. The gang’s leader, Aref “Scarface” Nagi, faced the full weight of the law, receiving a substantial 37-year prison sentence, signaling the severity of the Highwaymen’s criminal activities and the legal repercussions they faced.
Black Pistons Motorcycle Club
Territory: Scattered across the United States
Approximate membership: 400+
Within the hierarchical structure of outlaw motorcycle gangs, “support clubs” like the Black Pistons occupy a distinct and often crucial role. These clubs are essentially subordinate groups that undertake criminal tasks deemed too risky or “dirty” even for the most hardened main clubs. The Black Pistons function as the official support club for the Outlaws Motorcycle Club, one of the biggest biker clubs in the US. Their members are implicated in a diverse array of crimes across the nation, acting as enforcers and facilitators for the Outlaws’ broader criminal enterprise. This has included involvement in drug distribution networks spanning from Georgia to grisly acts of violence like a dismemberment case in Illinois and a brutal barroom assault in Michigan, illustrating their nationwide reach and violent capabilities in service of the Outlaws.
Vagos Motorcycle Club
Territory: Southwest
Approximate membership: 4,000
The Vagos Motorcycle Club, identifiable by their green and gold colors, is a significant force in the southwestern United States, boasting a substantial membership of approximately 4,000. Their primary illicit activity centers around the highly lucrative drug smuggling operations across the US-Mexican border. Beyond drug trafficking, the Vagos have been linked to serious violent crimes, including the assassination of a Hells Angels member in Nevada in 2011, highlighting the deadly rivalries within the outlaw biker world. Adding to their notoriety, they faced accusations of setting booby traps intended to harm police officers in California. This allegation led to a defamation lawsuit initiated by the Vagos against a local police department, which they ultimately won, demonstrating their willingness to challenge law enforcement and protect their reputation, however controversial it may be.
The Sons of Silence
Territory: Midwest and South
Approximate membership: 250-275
The Sons of Silence, originating from Colorado, are among the smaller biggest biker clubs on this list in terms of membership, with approximately 250 to 275 members. However, they compensate for their size with a reputation for extreme ruthlessness and a long history of involvement in violent turf wars. For decades, they have fiercely defended and expanded their territory, initially establishing a presence in Colorado, Arizona, and Kansas. Seeking protection and alliances, they aligned themselves with the Hells Angels, a move that inadvertently made them targets for smaller, rival clubs seeking to challenge the established power structure. A 1999 raid on a Sons of Silence clubhouse provided stark evidence of their readiness for violence, uncovering a cache of machine guns, pipe bombs, and grenades, underscoring their dangerous nature despite their relatively smaller size.
The Pagan’s
Territory: Eastern Seaboard
Approximate membership: More than 1,000
The Pagan’s Motorcycle Club, formed in the late 1950s, underwent a significant transformation into a criminal organization under the leadership of John “Satan” Marron in the late 1960s and 70s. Today, they are recognized as one of America’s “Big Four” outlaw motorcycle clubs, a designation that reflects their size, influence, and criminal reach. They are widely feared due to their alleged connections to both the Italian Mafia and the Aryan Brotherhood, associations that amplify their criminal capabilities and reach. The Pagans are accused of large-scale drug production and smuggling, and have been implicated in numerous serious crimes, including conspiracies, bombings, and illegal weapons trafficking. A 2010 incident in New York saw 19 members arrested for plotting to murder Hells Angels using homemade grenades, and a 2018 raid on a Rhode Island clubhouse uncovered a substantial arsenal of illegal weapons, including a rocket launcher, highlighting their dangerousness and propensity for extreme violence.
Bandidos Motorcycle Club
Territory: The South, concentrated in Texas
Approximate membership: More than 5,000
Embracing the Texan ethos of “bigger is better,” the Bandidos Motorcycle Club is one of the biggest biker clubs globally, boasting a membership exceeding 5,000 worldwide. Based in San Leon, Texas, they are a dominant force in the outlaw biker landscape. Drug smuggling across the U.S.-Mexican border is their primary criminal specialization, leveraging their geographical location and extensive network. Bandidos members have been implicated in numerous murders and a wide array of other violent crimes. The FBI officially recognizes them as one of the “Big Four” outlaw motorcycle clubs in the United States, a classification solidified by their central involvement in the infamous Waco gun battle, a deadly confrontation that underscored their capacity for large-scale violence and solidified their place among the most dangerous biker gangs.
Outlaws Motorcycle Club
Territory: Eastern and Central U.S.
Approximate membership: 1,700
Founded in 1936, the Outlaws Motorcycle Club lays claim to being the world’s oldest outlaw motorcycle club, and their longevity is matched by their continued strength and influence. With a substantial membership of over 1,700 spread across numerous chapters, the Outlaws exert significant control over drug smuggling routes along the Canadian border and dominate large portions of the Great Lakes region. Their criminal record includes serious offenses across the nation, and they are widely considered the Hells Angels’ most significant and formidable rivals. The intense and long-standing rivalry between the Outlaws and Hells Angels has fueled numerous violent confrontations and continues to be a defining aspect of the outlaw biker landscape.
The Mongols
Territory: Southern California
Approximate membership: 2,000
While the Mongols Motorcycle Club may not possess the nationwide reach of the Outlaws or Hells Angels, they are a dominant and feared force within Southern California. Their deep-rooted connections to local street gangs have been instrumental in their rise to power. In the 1980s, the Mongols successfully challenged and ultimately seized control of Southern California territory from the Hells Angels, establishing themselves as the top outlaw club in the region, a position they have fiercely maintained. The animosity between the Mongols and Hells Angels is deeply entrenched and dates back to the Mongols’ formation. Reportedly, the club was founded by bikers who were denied membership to the Hells Angels due to their race, a factor that continues to shape the Mongols’ identity; today, the majority of their members are of Hispanic or Native American descent.
Hells Angels
Territory: Nationwide (Strongest presence in California)
Approximate membership: 2,500
When the term “outlaw motorcycle club” is mentioned, the Hells Angels are often the first and most iconic image that comes to mind. Their notoriety is so pervasive that they have become incorporated entities in both the U.S. and Canada, a unique aspect among outlaw gangs. This incorporation extends to their business dealings, which include taking legal action against entities like movie studios for copyright infringement, as seen in their lawsuit against the film Wild Hogs. Beyond these legal and corporate activities, the core of the Hells Angels, estimated at around 2,500 hardcore members, remains deeply involved in a wide spectrum of criminal activities, ranging from large-scale drug trafficking to racketeering and various forms of organized crime. Their aggressive and dominant nature has resulted in long-standing and often violent feuds with numerous other clubs on this list, including the Mongols in Southern California and the Outlaws along the Canadian border, solidifying their reputation as arguably the biggest biker club and the most well-known one-percenter gang for a reason.
Avengers Motorcycle Club
Territory: Midwest
Approximate membership: Unknown
Originating in Michigan in the late 1960s, the Avengers Motorcycle Club carved out a presence in the Midwest and became known for their violent clashes with rival gangs. In the late 1990s, they were engaged in a particularly intense war with the Iron Coffins and Forbidden Wheels clubs, demonstrating their willingness to engage in open conflict to defend their interests and territory. Avengers members have been implicated in a range of serious crimes, including racketeering, arson, and assaults. Their notoriety reached a peak when they fired upon West Virginia State Troopers, an act of defiance that drew significant law enforcement attention and escalated their reputation as a dangerous group. Their actions were deemed so provocative that even the Pagans, one of the biggest biker clubs, reportedly placed a hit on the Avengers’ leader, underscoring the extreme consequences of crossing established outlaw gangs.
The Breed
Territory: Northeast
Approximate membership: 20 – 60 fully patched, as of 2015
The Breed Motorcycle Club, established in New Jersey in 1965, experienced rapid expansion during the 1980s, a period that saw them rise to become one of the most feared one-percenter clubs in the northeastern United States. While now headquartered in Pennsylvania, their legacy of criminal activity persists. Members of The Breed have faced arrests and charges related to a variety of serious offenses, including running protection rackets, sexual assaults, gang assaults, and the production and distribution of crystal methamphetamine. Despite fluctuations in membership and law enforcement pressure, The Breed maintains a reputation for violence and criminal enterprise in the Northeast.
Outcast Motorcycle Club
Territory: Centered in Detroit with chapters in the South
Approximate membership: Unknown
The Outcast Motorcycle Club, an all-black one-percenter club, was founded in Detroit in the late 1990s, emerging in a biker landscape often dominated by white gangs. They have been engaged in a protracted and violent feud with the Wheels of Soul Motorcycle Club, another predominantly black biker gang, highlighting the complexities and internal conflicts within the outlaw biker subculture. Outcast members have been linked to numerous murders, including the 2014 shooting of a Wheels of Soul member in Birmingham, Alabama, demonstrating the deadly nature of their rivalries. In addition to violence, they are also involved in drug distribution networks, further cementing their status as an outlaw club engaged in serious criminal activities.
Brother Speed Motorcycle Club
Territory: Northwest
Approximate membership: More than 200
Brother Speed Motorcycle Club, formed in Boise, Idaho, in 1969, arguably holds one of the most striking names among outlaw biker gangs. Their history is marked by a consistent involvement in criminal activities, particularly the distribution of methamphetamine and violent assaults against rival gangs. Notably, Brother Speed’s aggression is not limited to smaller or less established clubs; they have been known to engage in confrontations with major players like the Mongols, demonstrating a willingness to challenge even some of the biggest biker clubs and most formidable forces in the outlaw motorcycle world.
Phantom Outlaw Motorcycle Club
Territory: Centered in Detroit with chapters around the country
Approximate membership: Unknown
The Phantom Outlaw Motorcycle Club, originating in Chicago and now based in Detroit, is notable for its unusually close ties to the Vice Lords street gang, a large and well-established street gang with a significant presence in Chicago and beyond. In fact, some individuals are reportedly members of both the Phantom Outlaws and the Vice Lords simultaneously, blurring the lines between motorcycle gangs and traditional street gangs. These connections have facilitated the Phantom Outlaws’ expansion across America and have been instrumental in their ability to maintain their position and engage in violent altercations with rival gangs and motorcycle clubs, leveraging the established networks and resources of the Vice Lords.
Cossacks Motorcycle Club
Territory: Texas
Approximate membership: Unknown
The Cossacks Motorcycle Club, founded in Tyler, Texas, in 1969, has remained largely confined to the state of Texas, unlike many other outlaw clubs with broader territorial ambitions. In contrast to some of the biggest biker clubs on this list, the Cossacks do not have an extensive history of drug trafficking or violent crime preceding 2015. However, they gained significant notoriety and infamy for their central role, alongside the Bandidos, in the 2015 Waco shootout, a massive and deadly biker gang confrontation. This single event, regardless of their prior history, firmly established the Cossacks’ place within the landscape of dangerous outlaw motorcycle clubs and highlighted their capacity for violence when engaged in inter-gang conflict.
Sons of Satan
Territory: Scattered across the United States
Approximate membership: 100+
Support clubs play a critical, albeit often less visible, role in the structure of outlaw biker gangs. These groups operate in a subordinate capacity, carrying out tasks and activities deemed too risky or undesirable for the larger, more prominent clubs. The Sons of Satan serve as the designated support club for the Pagans, one of the “Big Four” outlaw motorcycle clubs. Given the Pagans’ already extensive and violent criminal track record, the activities undertaken by their support club, the Sons of Satan, are likely to be similarly serious and dangerous, though less publicly documented due to their support role.
Devils Disciples Motorcycle Club
Territory: Scattered across the United States
Approximate membership: More than 1,400
Originating in California in 1967, the Devils Disciples Motorcycle Club has accumulated a long history of involvement in various criminal enterprises. Over several decades, they have been implicated in racketeering, drug trafficking, robberies, and violent assaults. Now headquartered in Michigan, the club faced a significant setback in 2006 when numerous members were convicted for their involvement in methamphetamine trafficking, disrupting their operations and leading to law enforcement scrutiny. In a surprising and lighter note, Duane “Dog the Bounty Hunter” Chapman, known for his reality TV show, is reportedly a former member of the Devils Disciples, an unexpected connection to popular culture.
Unknown Bikers Motorcycle Club
Territory: Focused in New York
Approximate membership: 100+
True to their name, the Unknown Bikers Motorcycle Club operates with a degree of secrecy and limited public information. What is known is that they are based in New York and maintain several clubhouses within the state, indicating a localized but established presence. Despite the lack of detailed information, their willingness to confront the Hells Angels suggests a level of boldness and potential for violence. In 2016, a large group of approximately one hundred Unknown Bikers members reportedly surrounded a Hells Angels clubhouse in Long Island following a dispute over patches, a direct challenge to one of the biggest biker clubs and most powerful outlaw gangs, signaling their readiness for confrontation despite their relative obscurity.
Diablos Motorcycle Club
Territory: Scattered across the United States
Approximate membership: Unknown
The Diablos Motorcycle Club is characterized not only by their involvement in serious criminal activities like drug trafficking and murder but also by their deeply ingrained white supremacist ideology. Racism is a pervasive issue within outlaw biker culture, and the Diablos are identified as a particularly overt and vocal proponent of white supremacy. Their violent tendencies were on display in a large-scale brawl with the Outlaws in May 2019, a confrontation that resulted in injuries to multiple individuals and underscored their volatile nature and willingness to engage in inter-gang violence.
Thunderguards Motorcycle Club
Territory: Delaware and the mid-Atlantic
Approximate membership: Unknown
The Thunderguards Motorcycle Club is one of several all-black clubs that emerged as a response to the racially exclusionary membership policies prevalent in many other outlaw gangs. Formed in Delaware in the 1960s, they established a strong presence in mid-Atlantic states such as South Carolina and Georgia. As a one-percenter gang, Thunderguards members have been linked to a range of crimes, including shootings and cocaine distribution, demonstrating their involvement in serious criminal activities within their operational territory.
Gypsy Joker Motorcycle Club
Territory: Scattered across the United States
Approximate membership: Unknown; chapters in at least five countries
The Gypsy Joker Motorcycle Club gained early notoriety through Hunter S. Thompson’s book Hell’s Angels, which featured them prominently. Originally founded in San Francisco, they were later forced out of the area by the more dominant Hells Angels, illustrating the hierarchical power dynamics within the outlaw biker world. Currently headquartered in Oregon, their primary sources of illicit revenue include methamphetamine distribution, theft, and illegal weapons dealing. Gypsy Joker members have also faced accusations of serious violent crimes, including murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and torture, cementing their reputation as a particularly unsavory and dangerous group within the outlaw biker subculture.
El Forastero Motorcycle Club
Territory: Midwest
Approximate membership: 100
El Forastero Motorcycle Club, whose name translates to “the foreigner” in Spanish, exemplifies a “second-tier” one-percenter gang. They may not possess the extensive reach and influence of clubs like the Outlaws or Hells Angels, but their members are nonetheless actively engaged in criminal activities. Their primary illicit operations include methamphetamine distribution and motorcycle theft, highlighting their involvement in drug trafficking and property crime. The gang was formed in Sioux City, Iowa, in the early 1960s, establishing a presence in the Midwest region.
Iron Horsemen Motorcycle Club
Territory: Northeast and Midwest
Approximate membership: Unknown
Founded in Cincinnati, Ohio, the Iron Horsemen Motorcycle Club has chapters across the United States, establishing a presence in both the Northeast and Midwest. Their most infamous incident occurred in 1997 when three members were responsible for the brutal beating death of an off-duty police officer in Maryland, a crime that brought significant negative attention and law enforcement scrutiny upon the club. Beyond this high-profile crime, the Iron Horsemen have also been implicated in drug smuggling, illegal weapons dealing, and numerous shootouts across their operational territories in the Northeast and Midwest.
Sin City Deciples Motorcycle Club
Territory: Scattered across the United States
Approximate membership: Unclear – one of the fastest-growing clubs in America
The Sin City Deciples were initially formed as a black motorcycle club in Gary, Indiana, in 1966, during a period of racial segregation and discrimination. However, they have since evolved, and today their membership is racially diverse, including many military veterans. Notably, the Sin City Deciples are recognized as one of the fastest-growing motorcycle clubs in America, experiencing rapid expansion across the United States. Despite their growth and diversification, they maintain a reputation for strict internal discipline and a willingness to use violence. Members have been charged with a wide range of serious crimes, from kidnappings to illegal gun-running, and they are known for enforcing internal rules and handling perceived transgressions with an “iron fist,” maintaining a tough and disciplined image.
Peckerwoods Motorcycle Club
Territory: Western USA
Approximate membership: Unknown
The Peckerwoods Motorcycle Club is another example of a whites-only motorcycle club operating within the outlaw biker subculture. Their inclusion on lists of dangerous gangs is primarily due to their documented involvement in racist attacks and hate crimes. Their ideology and actions are rooted in racial hatred, and they represent a particularly reprehensible element within the broader outlaw biker landscape. Further discussion of their activities is often intentionally limited to avoid amplifying their hateful message.
Iron Order Motorcycle Club
Territory: Scattered across the United States
Approximate membership: Unclear
The Iron Order Motorcycle Club presents a unique and somewhat controversial case among outlaw motorcycle gangs. Composed predominantly of members with backgrounds in the military and law enforcement, they publicly claim to be a law-abiding club, distinguishing themselves from traditional one-percenters. Despite this claim, the Iron Order has been involved in numerous violent altercations with established one-percenter gangs in recent years. These conflicts raise questions about their true status and intentions, and there is a growing perception that it may only be a matter of time before the Iron Order is widely considered a full-fledged outlaw club, regardless of their initial claims of lawfulness.
Night Wolves
Territory: Russia
Approximate membership: More than 7,000
While the outlaw motorcycle culture is often associated with America, dangerous biker clubs exist worldwide. The Night Wolves, based in Russia, are a particularly notable example, distinguished by their direct links to and funding from the Kremlin, the seat of Russian political power. Formed in 1989, the Night Wolves function as enforcers for Vladimir Putin’s ruling party, actively promoting and enforcing the President’s conservative and nationalistic ideology. This includes adherence to a strict moral framework that is overtly hostile to the LGBT community, aligning them with the political and social agenda of the Russian government and setting them apart from most other outlaw motorcycle clubs in terms of their political affiliations.
Rebels Motorcycle Club
Territory: Australia
Approximate membership: More than 2,000
Australia has a thriving and substantial biker culture, mirroring that of the United States in many ways. While numerous prominent American clubs have established chapters in Australia, the Rebels Motorcycle Club stands out as a uniquely Australian and exceptionally large force within the country’s outlaw biker scene. With thousands of members, the Rebels are deeply involved in criminal activities across various levels, including serious offenses such as murder, large-scale drug distribution networks, and auto theft, making them a dominant and dangerous criminal organization within Australia.
Rock Machine
Territory: Canada
Approximate membership: More than 1,000
Between 1994 and 2002, the Canadian province of Quebec became the epicenter of intense and brutal outlaw biker violence. During this period, the Hells Angels, seeking to expand their dominance, waged a bloody and protracted war against Rock Machine, a Montreal-based one-percenter club that resisted their encroachment. This conflict, known as the Quebec Biker War, resulted in over 160 deaths, including numerous innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire, and countless injuries. The Rock Machine’s resistance to the Hells Angels, while ultimately unsuccessful in preventing Hells Angels dominance in Quebec, demonstrated their willingness to engage in large-scale, violent conflict to protect their territory and interests, marking a particularly dark and violent chapter in outlaw biker history in North America.
These groups represent just a portion of the extensive and dangerous world of outlaw motorcycle clubs. Their continued presence and criminal activities pose ongoing challenges for law enforcement and highlight the complex and often violent subculture that thrives beneath the surface of mainstream society.
