Here Are The Most Surprising Enemies And Allies Of The “Hells Angels”
The Hells Angels are the largest motorcycle club in the world. During their 72 years, they have made many friends and rivals. From business deals to biker wars, here is a complete list of the Hells Angels' allies and enemies.
Notorious Made Many Enemies In Only Five Years
During their short-lived five-year run, Notorious became one of Australia's most dangerous biker gangs. They also started feuds with other clubs, including Hells Angels.
The most well-known dispute between the two happened in 2009 when Notorious members raided a Hells Angels clubhouse. Since Notorious no longer exists, the rivalry is hardly relevant.
The Quebec Biker Wars: Rock Machine Vs. Hells Angels
The Rock Machine and Hells Angels got involved in one of history's most brutal motorcycle feuds, known as the Quebec Biker Wars.
The Quebec Biker Wars began in 1994 when the two groups fought over a substance distribution monopoly. This led to a series of vicious battles that continued until 2002. After, the Hells Angels' Quebec chapters disbanded, although the groups are still rivals.
Many Of Hells Angels' Rules Were Created By The Galloping Goose
The Galloping Goose Motorcycle Club was formed in 1942, and it eventually grew from a Los Angeles racing team into an outlaw club that covered the entire USA. They invented many of the structures that motorcycle clubs still follow today.
The Galloping Goose participated in the 1947 Hollister Rally. When the meeting broke out into a series of fights, it became known as the Hollister Riot.
The Deadliest Biker War Between The Mongols And Hells Angels
The Mongols Motorcycle Club is a long-time enemy of the Hells Angels. National Geographic considered their biker war to be the deadliest in history.
The two groups got into fatal brawls in 2002, 2007, and two in 2008. The feud spread to Germany when a Mongols group opened up in Cologne, where a Hells Angels chapter already existed.
Hells Angels' Puppet Club, The Red Devils
The Red Devils are a support club for the Hells Angels. Police call them a "puppet club."
Today, the Red Devils have chapters in nearly 20 countries. Members have been caught working with the Hells Angels on money laundering, sting operations, and attacks on rival clubs such as the Bandidos.
The Bandidos Have A Long-Standing Rivalry
The Bandidos Motorcycle Club is the second-largest club behind Hells Angels. Their long-standing rivalry with Hells Angels began in the 1990s when the Bandidos expanded into France, where Hells Angels chapters already existed.
According to the FBI, the Bandidos are one of the "big four" crime motorcycle gangs. Like Hells Angels, the Bandidos have a strict hierarchy, and they mainly ride Harley Davidsons.
The Allied Head Hunters Have A Long Criminal History
The Head Hunters are a New Zealand motorcycle club that has been around since 1967. The group has over 1,000 criminal convictions.
Head Hunters are international allies with Hells Angels. In 2001, one Head Hunters member got shot by an ex-Hells Angels member, but the two clubs remain friends despite this.
The Outlaws Have A Catchphrase Deriding Hells Angels
The Outlaws are one of the Hells Angels' most famous enemies. The group was founded in Illinois, 1935 and consider themselves "the original biker gang." Many Outlaws use the phrase "ADIOS," an acronym for "Angels Die In Outlaw States."
Why the clubs became enemies remains a mystery, but the most common theory is that one group accused the other of committing a crime against a member's wife.
The Sons Of Silence Grew With The Hells Angels' Help
The Sons of Silence Motorcycle Club first appeared in Colorado in 1966. In 1968, Sons of Silence formed an alliance with Hells Angels, which allowed them to grow.
The partnership continues to this day, but the two groups have also had some feuds in the past.
The Pagans Are Highly Secretive
The Pagan's Motorcycle Club (shortened to the Pagans) are well-known rivals of Hells Angels and have gotten into many fights with them. However, little is known about them.
The Pagans are highly secretive. Despite this, they seem to be growing in popularity, exceeding 1,300 U.S. and Puerto Rico members. Unlike Hells Angels, the Pagans do not have clubhouses and instead hold meetings at a secret area called "church."
The 69ers Also Ride American-Made Motorcycles
The 69ers are a motorcycle club founded in the 1980s in New York. Like the Hells Angels, the 69ers ride Harley Davidsons at every opportunity.
While the 69ers only operate in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, Hells Angels are spread throughout 56 countries and are still growing.
Breed Got Into Many Fights With Hells Angels
Breed was an American motorcycle club that formed in 1965 in New Jersey. Before it disbanded in 2006, the group was a vicious enemy of Hells Angels.
The feud began in 1971 when Breed bikers in Ohio got into a skirmish with the Hells Angels. Over the years, many fights between the two groups resulted in the deaths of bikers on both sides.
Bacchus Have Avoided Conflict With Hells Angels So Far
Named after the Roman god of wine and agriculture, Bacchus is the oldest motorcycle club in Canada. Since 1972, their members have only ridden Harley Davidson motorcycles, much like the Hells Angels.
Bacchus members have gone out of their way to avoid conflict with Hells Angels. Bacchus even switched their location from "Ontario" to "Canada" to assuage the Hells Angels chapter that already existed there.
Gremium, Enemy Of The Angels, Runs Germany
Gremium is the largest biker group in Germany, but details about their formation is scarce. Some believe that the group branched off from other gangs, including Hells Angels, which could explain why they are enemies.
Although Gremium began in Germany in 1972, it eventually spread to 71 other countries.
The "Law-Abiding Citizens," Iron Order, Are Hells Angels' Rivals
Instead of committing crimes, Iron Order bikers pride themselves on being "law-abiding citizens." The Hells Angels consider them to be enemies, although it is unclear why.
Hells Angels follow a code of secrecy, and members are never allowed to talk to or join the police. Since the Iron Order can work with police, the Angels might consider them to be dangerous.
The Hells Angels Appreciate Forbidden Wheels
The Forbidden Wheels Motorcycle Club was founded in 1968 Michigan, where they remain to this day. They are best known for their long-standing rivalry with the Avengers Motorcycle Club. However, they have a positive relationship with the Hells Angels.
The Department of Justice claimed that Hells Angels and the Forbidden Wheels have a mutual appreciation for each other.
The UK Biker Club Is Against The Hells Angels
The Road Rats are England's oldest motorcycle club. Since the group began in the early 1960s, the Road Rats have gotten into scuffles with every other motorcycle club in the United Kingdom, including the Hells Angels.
According to a rumor, the Hells Angels once offered the Road Rats to prospect, which basically means joining them, but the Road Rats refused.
The Beginning Of The Hells Angels Legacy
For the most part, it's commonly accepted that the Hells Angels were officially formed on March 17, 1948 in Fontana, California.
The group was started because military surplus made motorcycles affordable, and post-war life had left many young men missing their sense of soldier comradery.
The Club Name Was Inspired by a Squadron Nickname
The name Hells Angels is believed to have been suggested by Arvid Olson, an associate of the founding members. Olson had served in the Flying Tigers "Hell's Angels" squadron in China during World War II.
The nickname "Hell's Angels" came about from the tradition of American soldiers giving their squadron fierce and intimidating nicknames in World War I and II.
Charters Grew Across California
In the early years, the club began to spread across California moderately quickly. At the time, the charters were unaware of all the other charters that existed.
Eventually, during the 1950s, the different unified. They established a large-scale organization and implemented a system of internal codes and criteria for admission.
The Angels Were a Cornerstone of Counterculture
During the 1960s, the Hells Angels became a large part of the counterculture movement, especially in California.
Many of the members were also connected to the counterculture's primary leaders in music and expression, such as Ken Kesey, the Merry Pranksters, Allen Ginsberg, Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead, the Rolling Stones, and more.
Garnering a Bad Reputation is Not Their Goal
The Hells Angels, as well as a select other few motorcycle clubs, call themselves a "one-percenter biker club," a title that goes off the 50-year-old phrase that "1% of troublemakers give a bad name to 99% of bikers."
The name is meant to separate them from negative stereotypes surrounding biker gangs. However, despite the name, several members have been convicted of crimes over the years.
Growing International
In the beginning, the Hells Angels were strictly based in California, but they spread internationally in 1961, starting in New Zealand.
There are now more than 275 charters in Europe alone. From the 1970s to now, there have been charters established in Australia, Brazil, South Africa, Eastern Europe, and more.
Hells Angels Attire
The Hells Angels are known for wearing a leather or denim "cut" which is slang for a motorcycle vest. On the cut, they have various patches, which usually includes the name of the group and the name of their charter.
Full members also don the red and white-winged "death head" logo, with the letters HAMC (Hells Angels Motorcycle Club) and the number 81. Over time, a member can also earn other patches.
What Is The "Hang-Around?"
Once eligible, a prospective Hells Angels member can become a "hang-around." This is the first stage of the process.
Being a hang-around gives you the opportunity to meet other members, make connections, and have a taste of the Hells Angels lifestyle.
How To Become A Hells Angel
Becoming a member of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club is no easy task. It is a process that can take up to a few years to achieve – if you even make it that far.
Some of the requirements include having a valid motorcycle license, owning a Harley Davidson motorcycle over 750 CC, and having a personality that is cohesive with the rest of the club.
Voting For New Members
The final step in the process is being voted in as a fully-patched member. For this to happen, the prospect must be voted in unanimously by the rest of the charter.
After being voted in, a new member is given his top Hells Angels rocker and winged death head logo, which are awarded at an initiation ceremony. Becoming a full member is referred to as "being patched."
The Altamont Concert Incident
At a concert held at the Altamont Speedway in 1969, the Hells Angels were hired as event security. Aside from beating up rowdy concertgoers, an incident also occurred in which a man named Merideth Hunter pulled out a pistol.
He was quickly attacked by a Hells Angels members and subsequently killed by a man named Passaro. Passaro was arrested for murder but was acquitted when the footage was recovered that proved Passaro acting in self-defense.
Sons of Anarchy is Loosely Based On The Club
The TV show Sons of Anarchy, created by Kurt Sutter, is loosely based on the Hells Angels club. Many of the events and plot points of the show are based on real-life events.
There are even real Hells Angels members in the show, such as David Labvrava, Chuck Zito, Rusty Coones, and Sonny Barger.
Hunter S. Thompson and the Hells Angels
"Gonzo" journalist Hunter S. Thompson actually got his career started with the help of the Hells Angels. He spent a year living with the club for his book Hells Angels: The Strange and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs.
However, the writer had a falling out with the club, which resulted in the group accusing him of exploiting them for personal gain. The book was a huge success, but Thompson paid the group nothing.
Sonny Barger Is The Hells Angels
Over the years, Sonny Barger has proven himself to be the face and authority of the Hells Angels. Sonny is the president and original founding member of the Oakland charter, and members of the group look up to him.
Because of his reputation, Barger has been in numerous films and television shows and has been the author of multuple books about his life and the club.
Otto Friedli - Hells Angels Founder
After leaving his former motorcycle club, Otto Friedli became a founding member of the Hells Angels back in 1948.
After being released from prison, Friedli left the Hells Angels on good terms and joined the Black Sheep Motorcycle Ministry.
Terry The Tramp - Oakland, California
Terry the Tramp was an old-time member of the Oakland, California charter. During his time in the club, he made a name for himself.
Unfortunately, he passed away from a drug overdose at the age of 30 in 1970, but he is still often discussed as a model for what a Hells Angel should truly be.
Yves "Apache" Trudeau - Canada, Laval, Québec
Yves Trudeau or "The Mad Bumper" was a former member of the Canadian Hells Angels North Chapter in Laval, Quebec. Due to his struggles with addiction, he became paranoid that the other members of his club wanted him killed, so he became a police informant.
In exchange for a lesser prison sentence, he admitted to killing 43 people between September 1973 and July 1985.
The Angels Are No Stranger To Filing Lawsuits
The Hells Angels have been involved in their fair share of legal affairs. In 2007, they sued Disney for using the Hells Angels logo in the film Wild Hogs without their permission.
In 2010, they filed a lawsuit against Alexander McQueen for misuse of the trademark winged death head symbol. The club went on to sue Toys "R" Us for the sale of yo-yos which allegedly had the "Death Head" logo printed on them.
George Christie - Ventura President
George Christie is the former Hells Angels President of the Ventura, California charter. During his time, he was one of the longest-serving presidents in the history of the club. He left the club in 2001 after it was alleged that he was cooperating with the police.
However, in 2013, he was sentenced to a year in prison due to association with a firebombing and the extortion of a tattoo shop in Ventura.
Rejected From The Ventura County Fair
Hells Angels leader George Christie Jr was denied access to the Ventura County Fair on multiple occasions after he attempted to violate the Fair policy which banned gang attire and tattoos.
"This is a constitutional thing for one, but it goes far beyond that," Christie said. "This is not something I take lightly or something I just do on weekends. I'm a Hells Angel 24 hours a day. I've dedicated my life to it, and I equate that to religion."
The Angels Felt They Were Being Discriminated Against
Eventually, Christie and the other Angels were permitted to attend the Fair as long as they didn't wear any club attire, which the club then claimed was an act of discrimination.
The Hells Angels see themselves as law-abiding citizens and claim that a motorcycle club shouldn't be confused with a gang.
Christie's Peace Offering
Christie must have really wanted to go to this fair. He notified the fair officials days in advance of his arrival and brought his family along with him.
"It's the contention of the Ventura police that there is going to be some sort of spontaneous problem, some type of violence. I don't agree with that and tried to show them by going as far as taking just my family," Christie said. You would think that one would be left off the hook for good behavior like this."
Did They Try And Kill Mick Jagger?
BBC radio uncovered once secretive facts about Mick Jagger's relationship with the Angels. An attack on the Rolling Stones frontman happened in the early '70s when they were at their peak.
According to an FBI agent, there was a failed assassination attempt at the hands of the Angels that was meant to target Jagger at his holiday home in the Hamptons.
A Secretive Plan
The alleged plan was to sneak up on Mick Jagger undetected from the sea.
"They planned the attack from the sea so they could enter his property from the garden and avoid security at the front," says Tom Mangold, a BBC presenter who uncovered the bizarre story.
An Unexpected Turn
This story only gets crazier. The men had loaded up in the boat and were prepared to handle the deed until a storm disrupted their plans.
"A group of them took a boat and were all tooled up," Mangold reported. "But their boat was hit by a storm and all of the men were thrown overboard." It seems like Jagger had some divine intervention.
The FBI Was Hot On Their Tail
After some agents infiltrated the Hells Angels, the FBI found out about the assassination attempt on Jagger.
"The FBI only found out about the assassination attempt some time after the fact," says Tom Mangold.
It Pays To Be Sneaky
This discovery gave the FBI more of a reason to want to pursue the Hells Angels.
"Apparently this agent was told of the attempt and its failed outcome some time after it had occurred, although it was never made clear to him when exactly the attempt on Mick Jagger's life had taken place," Tom Mangold said.
What Did The FBI Do?
"Because no actual crime had been committed, there was nothing that the FBI could do," says Mangold. "It's as simple as that."
It is even thought that Jagger wasn't even made aware of the attempt at his life. To this day, we don't have any definitive answers, and there is no telling what kind of action takes place behind closed doors with the Angels.
