10 Biker Gangs That Are Still Active

10-Biker-Gangs-That-Are-Still-Active

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at still-active notorious motorcycle gangs. Disbanded or merged gangs will be put aside for now.

Warlocks Motorcycle Club

Formed in 1967, the Warlocks Motorcycle Club’s numbers quickly grew thanks to returning Vietnam veterans. Its members run primarily in the Delaware Valley or Greater Philadelphia area. Many motorcycle clubs boast “whites only” discriminatory rules, and the Warlocks are no exception. Male-only members get three mandatory tattoos: the idiom “Born to Lose,” a Nazi symbol of hate, and an unclothed woman. They exclusively ride Harley-Davidson bikes. The Warlocks are one of two primary biker gangs in Pennsylvania, the other being The Pagans, and the two are not friendly with each other. The Warlocks have been associated with a number of homicides, home invasions, and forced capture of rival gang members, as well as the methamphetamine trade.

Rock Machine

Rock Machine was formed by Salvatore and Giovanni Cazzetta in Montreal, Quebec in 1986, and has since grown to multiple chapters across Canada, the US, Australia and a handful of other countries. The Machine once rivaled Hells Angels for control of the local narcotics trade, resulting in the 1994 to 2002 Quebec Biker War, which eventually caused hundreds of deaths, injuries and arrests. In 2000, Rock Machine was accepted as a probation club for the Bandidos MC. Something a little different: the club accepts males only (not unusual), but there is no racial discrimination - all ethnicities are welcome. Though the Club has been found guilty of the usual list of crimes, they claim to reject criminals from their current membership. Some are skeptical of these claims.

Rebels Motorcycle Club

Though it sometimes seems biker gangs are native to North America, they do exist elsewhere. Rebels Motorcycle Club was formed in Australia in 1969, under the original moniker of “Confederates.” Though the Australian authorities classify the club as a criminal organization, they themselves claim to be a non-profit gathering of motorcycle enthusiasts. Their rap sheet speaks differently; the Rebels are accused of homicide, drug trafficking, extortion and a long list of other crimes. As with many motorcycle clubs, the Rebels have had some turf war issues, namely with the aforementioned Rock Machine, which established a chapter in Perth in 2009. With a number of Rebels members switching their patches over to Rock Machine, tensions ensued that have thus far featured fire bombs and assassination attempts.

Black Pistons Motorcycle Club

As much as biker gangs have rivals, they also have allies. Formed in Germany in 2002, the Black Pistons Motorcycle Club supports and provides new recruits for the Outlaws MC (who are featured later on this list). The Black Pistons became an international club in a very short time, with chapters emerging in the US, Canada, Asia and other European countries. Membership is around the 200+ mark. They’re essentially the “headhunters” for the Outlaws (hopefully, not literally), as well as a proxy for the latter’s various reported criminal activities, such as fraud, intimidation, assault and participating in drug trafficking activities.

Night Wolves

The Night Wolves Motorcycle Club was formed in Russia in 1989, and has since grown to include at least 45 international chapters and around 7000 members. The Night Wolves initially came together a little differently from the others on this list: they were a group of rock music enthusiasts and motorcycle riders with a penchant for putting on illegal concerts. The group boasts close ties to the Russian Kremlin (from which they get funding) as well as Vladimir Putin himself. They are also affiliated with the Russian Orthodox Church, aiding in religious pilgrimages among other things, and have been known to aid in the current Russian conflict with Ukraine. As a result of this, rival gangs have criticized the group’s ironic politicizing of motorcycle clubs.

The Mongols

The Mongols were formed in 1969, primarily from a group of Vietnam veterans (which seemed to be a popular practice in the late 60s). The founders were Latino, forming their own group as a result of the racially limited membership requirements for the Hells Angels at the time. The club accepts more than just caucasians, including Hispanic, Middle Eastern, Kurdish and Arab members in their worldwide chapters - though, of course, no girls allowed. They currently boast a collective 1000-2000 members internationally. Members pay fees and follow a 70 page book of club rules, such as no drug use or criminal arrests. These rules are perhaps a little loose, however, as the Mongols have been said to engage in some less than reputable activities.

Devil’s Diciples

No, that isn’t a typo… the Devil’s Diciples formed in 1967. Its original members got their patches made cheaply, resulting in the spelling error. Why get new ones? They were founded in California, but grew to have chapters in at least 11 states. Membership numbers aren’t clear. The Diciples are allegedly involved in a number of crimes, including methamphetamine trafficking - which seems popular among biker gangs - and possession of an alarming number of firearms on more than one occasion. Famous mullet-wielder Dog the Bounty Hunter was once affiliated with the Diciples in the late 1960s early 70s.

Bandidos Motorcycle Club

Founded in 1966 Texas by Vietnam vet Donald Eugene Chambers, the Bandidos today boast a presence in over 300 chapters located in at least 20 countries. Male-only membership is currently estimated to be in between 2000 and 2500. No girls allowed! We’re beginning to notice a trend here… male Vietnam vets and motorcycle clubs seem to go hand in hand. Like most if not all others on this list, the Bandidos are considered to be a criminal enterprise by multiple legal institutions. They have been known to dabble in arms and drug trafficking, as well as money laundering and murder. They are considered to be one of the “big four” criminal biker gangs in the US, along with Hells Angels, Outlaws and Pagans.

Outlaws Motorcycle Club

The oldest motorcycle club in the world, the Outlaws came together in 1935 (yes, kids, they had motorcycles back then…) Membership is caucasian-only men who conform to the biker gang’s rules and lifestyle. It bears mentioning that in all these clubs, membership is earned and not freely given. Once you are granted membership, there are meetings, mandatory dress code and strict adherence to club rules. The Outlaws have at least 275 chapters in 23 countries, and are supported by a number of other groups, such as, oddly enough, Outcast MC (an African-American MC club). They have been reported as participating in most of the other crimes mentioned in this list, such as sex worker rings, drugs and violent attacks on rivals.

Hells Angels

The Hells Angels were initially formed (as one story goes) in 1948, when WW2 veteran Otto Friedli broke off from his former club, the “Pissed Off Bastards”, to form his own gang. The Hells Angels now have 467 chapters in 59 countries. Their 6000+ members makes them the biggest “outlaw” MC in the world. Members are male only, but women can join their significant others as “old ladies” or their property… charming. Though they claim to be racially inclusive, many members have opposing views, resulting in few to no non-caucasian members. The Hells have been connected to a number of criminal activities, though they claim to be just a group of bike enthusiasts.



What would you name your motorcycle club? Let us know in the comments!