Outlaw motorcycle gangs have been a persistent problem for law enforcement in the United States since the 1960s. These dangerous organizations, often referred to as “one-percenter” motorcycle clubs, are involved in a wide range of criminal activities across the nation. The term “one-percenter” originated from a statement by the American Motorcyclist Association, asserting that 99 percent of motorcyclists are law-abiding citizens, implicitly labeling the remaining one percent as outlaws. These Outlaw Biker Clubs engage in everything from drug trafficking and contract killings to petty theft, posing a significant threat to communities.
The illicit activities of outlaw bikers have been both condemned and romanticized in popular culture, appearing in numerous films, television shows, and books. Hunter S. Thompson’s seminal work, Hell’s Angels, provided a raw and unflinching look into the violent and chaotic world of these gangs, while the popular TV series Sons of Anarchy reignited public fascination with the biker subculture. Alongside the infamous Hells Angels, groups like the Mongols, Pagans, and Bandidos continue to operate and exert their influence in the criminal underworld.
Recent events underscore the ongoing threat posed by these groups. In 2022, high-ranking members of the Pagans Motorcycle Club faced federal charges for allegedly assaulting an individual believed to be associated with the Hells Angels. Reports also emerged of the Pagans expanding their operations into New York City, despite past racketeering convictions of numerous members. Furthermore, 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. Incidents like the deadly 2015 Waco, Texas gun battle, which involved hundreds of bikers and resulted in fatalities and numerous injuries, serve as stark reminders of the ruthless tactics and enduring presence of outlaw biker gangs.
Despite law enforcement efforts and numerous arrests, outlaw biker gangs remain active and dangerous across the United States. Here is a look at some of the most notorious and dangerous outlaw biker clubs currently operating in America:
List of Outlaw Biker Clubs
Warlocks Motorcycle Club
Territory: Eastern Seaboard
Approximate membership: 500+
The Warlocks Motorcycle Club has cultivated a reputation for extreme brutality, even within the outlaw biker community. Their history is marked by wanton violence, including assaults on rival gang leaders and the indiscriminate killing of police officers. The Warlocks are particularly active in Florida, with a significant presence of 11 chapters. Their influence extends beyond US borders, as evidenced by the 2014 arrest of four members in Alberta, Canada, in connection with a large-scale drug and weapons trafficking operation.
The Highwaymen Motorcycle Club
Territory: Detroit (with chapters in the Midwest and South)
Approximate membership: 300+
Based in Detroit, the Highwaymen Motorcycle Club, while smaller compared to groups like the Outlaws and Hells Angels, has a long history of criminal activity in the Motor City. Founded in the 1950s, the club has been the target of multiple major investigations. A notable investigation in 2007 led to the arrest of 40 members and associates on charges ranging from racketeering to police corruption. The gang’s leader, Aref “Scarface” Nagi, received a substantial 37-year prison sentence, highlighting the severity of their crimes.
Black Pistons Motorcycle Club
Territory: Scattered across the United States
Approximate membership: 400+
The Black Pistons Motorcycle Club functions as a “support club” for the Outlaws Motorcycle Club. Support clubs are smaller groups that often carry out illicit activities on behalf of larger, more established outlaw biker clubs. The Black Pistons are known for engaging in activities that even some of the most notorious clubs might avoid directly. Their members have been linked to various crimes across the country, including drug distribution networks in Georgia, violent assaults in Michigan, and even gruesome dismemberment cases in Illinois, demonstrating their involvement in serious criminal enterprises.
Vagos Motorcycle Club
Territory: Southwest
Approximate membership: 4,000
The Vagos Motorcycle Club is heavily involved in drug smuggling operations, particularly across the US-Mexico border. Their criminal activities extend beyond drug trafficking, as members were implicated in the assassination of a Hells Angels member in Nevada in 2011. Furthermore, the Vagos have faced accusations of setting booby traps targeting law enforcement officers in California. In an unusual turn, the club successfully sued a local police department for defamation related to these accusations, demonstrating a degree of organizational and legal savvy.
The Sons of Silence Motorcycle Club
Territory: Midwest and South
Approximate membership: 250-275
The Sons of Silence Motorcycle Club, originating from Colorado, is among the smaller outlaw biker gangs, but they are known for their extreme ruthlessness. They have been engaged in territorial disputes for decades, initially establishing themselves in Colorado, Arizona, and Kansas. To bolster their position, they formed an alliance with the Hells Angels for protection. This alliance made them a target for rival clubs, leading to incidents like a 1999 clubhouse raid that uncovered a cache of weapons including machine guns, pipe bombs, and grenades, underscoring their readiness for violent conflict.
The Pagans Motorcycle Club
Territory: Eastern Seaboard
Approximate membership: 1,000+
The Pagans Motorcycle Club, established in the late 1950s, transitioned into a criminal organization under the leadership of John “Satan” Marron in the late 1960s and 70s. Today, they are considered one of the “Big Four” outlaw motorcycle clubs in America, feared for their connections to the Italian Mafia and the Aryan Brotherhood. The Pagans are allegedly involved in large-scale drug production and smuggling, and have been linked to numerous conspiracies, bombings, and illegal weapons transactions. In 2010, 19 members were arrested in New York for plotting to attack Hells Angels with homemade grenades. A 2018 raid on a Rhode Island clubhouse revealed a substantial stockpile of illegal weapons, including a rocket launcher, highlighting their access to and willingness to use heavy weaponry.
Bandidos Motorcycle Club
Territory: The South, concentrated in Texas
Approximate membership: 5,000+
The Bandidos Motorcycle Club, based in San Leon, Texas, is one of the largest one-percenter clubs in the United States, with a global membership exceeding 5,000. Their primary criminal enterprise is drug smuggling across the U.S.-Mexico border, and their members have been implicated in numerous murders. The FBI recognizes them as one of the “Big Four” outlaw motorcycle clubs, a designation reinforced by their significant involvement in the violent Waco gun battle, solidifying their reputation for large-scale violence and criminal operations.
Outlaws Motorcycle Club
Territory: Eastern and Central U.S.
Approximate membership: 1,700
Founded in 1935 and originally named the McCook Outlaws Motorcycle Club, later simply known as the Outlaws, this club is believed to be the oldest outlaw motorcycle club in the world. With over 1,700 members across numerous chapters, the Outlaws wield considerable influence over drug smuggling along the Canadian border and control significant territories in the Great Lakes region. Their criminal record includes serious offenses throughout the country. The Outlaws are considered the primary rivals of the Hells Angels, engaging in frequent and intense conflicts.
The Mongols Motorcycle Club
Territory: Southern California
Approximate membership: 2,000
The Mongols Motorcycle Club may not have the same national reach as the Outlaws or Hells Angels, but they are a dominant and feared force in Southern California. Leveraging long-established connections with local street gangs, the Mongols wrested control of Southern California from the Hells Angels in the 1980s and have maintained their stronghold. The rivalry with the Hells Angels is deeply rooted, stemming from the Mongols’ founding by bikers who were allegedly denied Hells Angels membership due to their race. Today, the Mongols predominantly consist of Hispanic and Native American members.
Hells Angels Motorcycle Club
Territory: Nationwide (Strongest presence in California)
Approximate membership: 2,500
The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club is perhaps the most widely recognized outlaw motorcycle club globally. Their notoriety is such that the club is legally incorporated in both the U.S. and Canada, engaging in business activities such as copyright litigation against films like Wild Hogs. However, their core activities remain deeply entrenched in criminal enterprise. With approximately 2,500 core members, the Hells Angels are involved in a wide spectrum of illegal activities, from large-scale drug trafficking to racketeering. Their aggressive nature has fueled long-standing feuds with numerous other clubs, including the Mongols in Southern California and the Outlaws along the Canadian border, cementing their status as the quintessential one-percenter gang.
Avengers Motorcycle Club
Territory: Midwest
Approximate membership: Unknown
Founded in Michigan in the late 1960s, the Avengers Motorcycle Club became embroiled in violent conflicts with the Iron Coffins and Forbidden Wheels clubs in the late 1990s. Their members’ involvement in racketeering, arson, assaults, and even attacks on West Virginia State Troopers drew significant law enforcement attention. The violence escalated to the point where the Pagans Motorcycle Club reportedly placed a hit on the Avengers’ leader, highlighting the extreme dangers associated with these turf wars.
The Breed Motorcycle Club
Territory: Northeast
Approximate membership: 20 – 60 (fully patched, as of 2015)
The Breed Motorcycle Club, formed in New Jersey in 1965, experienced rapid growth in the 1980s, becoming a prominent and feared one-percenter club in the northeastern United States. Currently headquartered in Pennsylvania, its members have faced arrests and charges related to protection rackets, sexual assaults, gang assaults, and the production and distribution of methamphetamine, demonstrating a wide range of serious felonies.
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 established in Detroit in the late 1990s. They have been engaged in a protracted and violent feud with the Wheels of Soul Motorcycle Club. Members have been implicated in multiple murders, including the 2014 shooting of a Wheels of Soul member in Birmingham. They are also involved in drug distribution networks, highlighting the intersection of racial identity and outlaw biker culture.
Brother Speed Motorcycle Club
Territory: Northwest
Approximate membership: 200+
Brother Speed Motorcycle Club, formed in Boise, Idaho, in 1969, has a long history of involvement in methamphetamine distribution and assaults against rival gangs. Their aggression is not limited to smaller clubs; Brother Speed has been known to engage in conflicts with larger, more established groups like the Mongols, indicating a willingness to confront even powerful rivals.
Phantom Outlaw Motorcycle Club
Territory: Centered in Detroit with chapters around the country
Approximate membership: Unknown
The Phantom Outlaw Motorcycle Club, originating in Chicago but based in Detroit, is notable for its close ties to the Vice Lords street gang. Some individuals are reportedly members of both groups, creating a unique overlap between street gang and outlaw biker club affiliations. These connections have facilitated the Phantom Outlaws’ expansion across the United States and enabled them to compete in violent confrontations with rival gangs and motorcycle clubs.
Cossacks Motorcycle Club
Territory: Texas
Approximate membership: Unknown
The Cossacks Motorcycle Club, founded in Tyler, Texas, in 1969, has remained primarily within the state. Unlike many other outlaw biker clubs, the Cossacks do not have a long history of drug trafficking or widespread violent crime. However, they gained notoriety for their significant role, alongside the Bandidos, in the 2015 Waco shootout, an event that placed them firmly within the landscape of infamous outlaw biker gangs.
Sons of Satan Motorcycle Club
Territory: Scattered across the United States
Approximate membership: 100+
The Sons of Satan Motorcycle Club functions as a support club for the Pagans Motorcycle Club. As a support club, the Sons of Satan undertake criminal activities on behalf of the Pagans. Given the Pagans’ extensive criminal history, the Sons of Satan are likely involved in similarly serious and violent offenses, operating in the shadows of their more prominent parent club.
Devils Disciples Motorcycle Club
Territory: Scattered across the United States
Approximate membership: 1,400+
Originating in California in 1967, the Devils Disciples Motorcycle Club has a long history of involvement in racketeering, drug trafficking, robberies, and assaults. Now headquartered in Michigan, the club suffered a significant setback in 2006 when members were convicted of meth-related offenses. Interestingly, Duane “Dog the Bounty Hunter” Chapman is a former member of the Devils Disciples, a peculiar connection to mainstream popular culture.
Unknown Bikers Motorcycle Club
Territory: Focused in New York
Approximate membership: 100+
True to their name, little is publicly known about the Unknown Bikers Motorcycle Club, except that they are based in New York and maintain several clubhouses throughout the state. They are known for their willingness to engage in confrontations, as demonstrated in a 2016 incident where approximately one hundred members surrounded a Hells Angels clubhouse in Long Island following a dispute over patches, signaling a bold challenge to a dominant club.
Diablos Motorcycle Club
Territory: Scattered across the United States
Approximate membership: Unknown
The Diablos Motorcycle Club is characterized not only by drug trafficking and violence but also by its overt white supremacist ideology. Racism is a pervasive issue within outlaw biker culture, and the Diablos Motorcycle Club is a prominent example of a gang that openly embraces racist beliefs. They were involved in a large-scale brawl with the Outlaws in May 2019, resulting in injuries, further highlighting their violent tendencies.
Thunderguards Motorcycle Club
Territory: Delaware and the mid-Atlantic
Approximate membership: Unknown
The Thunderguards Motorcycle Club is one of several all-black clubs formed in response to the discriminatory membership policies of predominantly white gangs. Established in Delaware in the 1960s, this one-percenter gang has a significant presence in mid-Atlantic states such as South Carolina and Georgia. Members have been linked to numerous crimes, including shootings and cocaine distribution, demonstrating their involvement in serious criminal activities within their 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, featured in Hunter S. Thompson’s Hell’s Angels, was founded in San Francisco but was later forced out by the Hells Angels. Currently headquartered in Oregon, their illicit activities include methamphetamine distribution, theft, and illegal weapons dealing. Members have also been accused of serious crimes such as murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and torture, establishing a reputation for extreme violence and brutality.
El Forastero Motorcycle Club
Territory: Midwest
Approximate membership: 100
El Forastero Motorcycle Club, meaning “the foreigner” in Spanish, is considered a “second-tier” one-percenter gang. While not as large or influential as clubs like the Outlaws or Hells Angels, El Forastero members are actively involved in methamphetamine distribution and motorcycle theft. The gang was formed in Sioux City, Iowa, in the early 1960s, maintaining a presence in the Midwest for decades.
Iron Horsemen Motorcycle Club
Territory: Northeast and Midwest
Approximate membership: Unknown
The Iron Horsemen Motorcycle Club, founded in Cincinnati, Ohio, with chapters across the United States, gained notoriety in 1997 when three members fatally beat an off-duty police officer in Maryland. The gang has also been linked to drug smuggling, weapons trafficking, and shootouts throughout the Northeast and Midwest, indicating a pattern of violent criminal activity across a wide geographic area.
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 Motorcycle Club was formed as a black motorcycle club in Gary, Indiana, in 1966. Today, their membership is racially diverse and includes many military veterans. The Sin City Deciples are recognized as one of the fastest-growing outlaw motorcycle clubs in the United States, expanding rapidly nationwide. Members have been charged with a range of serious crimes, from kidnappings to illegal gun-running, and are known for their harsh enforcement of internal rules and responses to perceived transgressions.
Peckerwoods Motorcycle Club
Territory: Western USA
Approximate membership: Unknown
The Peckerwoods Motorcycle Club is another whites-only motorcycle club. Their inclusion on this list is primarily due to their documented history of committing racist attacks. They represent the explicitly racist element within outlaw biker culture.
Iron Order Motorcycle Club
Territory: Scattered across the United States
Approximate membership: Unclear
The Iron Order Motorcycle Club is an unusual case among outlaw biker clubs. Composed predominantly of military and law enforcement personnel, they claim to be a law-abiding motorcycle club. However, the Iron Order has been involved in numerous violent confrontations with traditional one-percenter gangs in recent years. This increasing conflict raises questions about whether the Iron Order is transitioning into or will be perceived as a classic outlaw club, despite its unique membership base.
Night Wolves Motorcycle Club
Territory: Russia
Approximate membership: 7,000+
While outlaw motorcycle culture is largely associated with America, dangerous clubs exist globally. The Night Wolves are a Russian motorcycle club with direct ties to the Kremlin and financial support from the Russian government. Formed in 1989, the group acts as enforcers for Vladimir Putin’s political party and adheres to his conservative social and political ideology, including strong opposition to LGBT rights.
Rebels Motorcycle Club
Territory: Australia
Approximate membership: 2,000+
Australia has a significant biker subculture. While many American clubs have established chapters in Australia, the Rebels Motorcycle Club is a homegrown Australian gang that rivals any international club in size and criminal activity. With thousands of members, the Rebels are involved in a wide range of crimes, including murder, drug distribution, and auto theft, making them a major criminal force in Australia.
Rock Machine Motorcycle Club
Territory: Canada
Approximate membership: 1,000+
Between 1994 and 2002, the Canadian province of Quebec was the epicenter of intense outlaw biker violence. During this period, the Hells Angels engaged in a brutal and bloody war against Rock Machine, a Montreal-based one-percenter club. This conflict resulted in over 160 deaths, including innocent bystanders, and numerous injuries, illustrating the extreme violence that can erupt between rival outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Outlaw biker clubs, with their long history of criminal activity and violence, continue to pose a significant challenge to law enforcement and communities across the globe. Their enduring presence and evolving tactics require ongoing vigilance and comprehensive strategies to mitigate the threats they pose.
