Motorcycle Gangs of the World

Established as the McCook Outlaws at Matilda's Bar on Route 66 in McCook, Illinois, the Outlaws MC is the oldest active One-Percenter motorcycle club in the United States. Following World War II, they relocated to Chicago and adopted their famous skull-and-crossed-pistons logo ('Charlie'), eventually becoming the dominant club in the American Midwest and South, forming the American Outlaw Association (AOA) to rival the Hells Angels.

During the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) Gypsy Tour rally in Hollister, California, an influx of thousands of motorcyclists overwhelmed the small town. Minor street racing, public drinking, and arrests occurred over several days. The event was heavily sensationalized by Life Magazine with a staged photograph of a drunken biker, leading the AMA to allegedly state that 99% of riders were law-abiding, thereby coining the term 'One-Percenter' for outlaw bikers.

The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club was officially founded in Fontana, California, by the Bishop family and other World War II veterans. Over the next decades, under the guidance of Sonny Barger and the Oakland chapter, it grew into the most famous and dominant One-Percenter outlaw motorcycle club in the world, expanding chapters internationally across Europe, Australia, and the Americas.

The Pagans Motorcycle Club was founded by Lou Dobkin in Prince George's County, Maryland. Uniquely riding Triumph motorcycles initially rather than Harley-Davidsons, they started as a relatively non-violent club before transitioning into a highly structured One-Percenter club in the late 1960s. They established absolute dominance over the Mid-Atlantic region, particularly Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland.

Originally established as 'The Psychos' in Pomona, California, the Vagos Motorcycle Club adopted green and black colors and a patch depicting Loki, the Norse god of mischief, riding a motorcycle. The club's name means 'vagabond' or 'truant' in Spanish. Operating heavily in California, Nevada, Hawaii, and Mexico, they became major competitors in the Southwest drug and weapons distribution corridors.

The Bandidos Motorcycle Club was founded in San Leon, Texas, by Donald Eugene Chambers, a Marine veteran of the Vietnam War. Chambers chose the club's colors of red and gold to honor the Marine Corps, and adopted a caricature of a Mexican bandit carrying a pistol and machete. The club rapidly expanded across the Gulf Coast and Western United States, entering fierce conflicts with the Hells Angels for dominance in Texas and Scandinavia.

The Mongols Motorcycle Club was formed in Montebello, California, by a group of Hispanic Vietnam War veterans who were denied entry into the Hells Angels due to their race. Choosing black and white colors and a Genghis Khan caricature logo, the Mongols established a highly aggressive presence in Southern California, leading to a long, violent, multi-decade turf war with the Hells Angels for control of the region.

A violent turf war in Quebec, Canada, fought primarily between the Hells Angels (led by Maurice 'Mom' Boucher) and the Rock Machine MC for control of the Montreal drug distribution networks. The conflict was marked by bombings, drive-by shootings, and assassinations, claiming over 150 lives, including innocent bystanders, leading to the enactment of Canada's strict anti-gang laws (Bill C-95).

During the annual Laughlin River Run motorcycle rally in Laughlin, Nevada, a violent confrontation erupted between members of the Hells Angels and the Mongols MC inside Harrah's Laughlin Casino. The clash resulted in a gun battle on the casino floor, leaving three bikers dead (two Hells Angels, one Mongol) and dozens injured, leading to a massive federal RICO investigation.

A shootout erupted at a Twin Peaks restaurant in Waco, Texas, where members of the Bandidos MC, the Cossacks MC, and support clubs had gathered for a regional meeting. A dispute in the parking lot escalated to a gunfight involving members of both clubs and Waco police officers, leaving nine dead, 18 injured, and resulting in the mass arrest and detention of 177 individuals.