Biker Wars: The Many Allies And Enemies Of The Hells Angels
During their 72 years, the Hells Angels have created over 230 chapters in 26 countries. As the largest motorcycle club in the world, the Hells Angels have made many friends and rivals. Most of these are other biker groups worldwide.
Some motorcycle clubs have influenced the Hells Angels' rules and done business with them. Others hate them so much that they started biker wars. One even managed to get into multiple fights with Hells Angels during its short five-year life. Here is a complete list of the Hells Angels' allies and enemies.
Bandidos Are Long-Standing Rivals Of The Hells Angels
The Bandidos Motorcycle Club is the second-largest club behind Hells Angels, with over 2,000 members across 22 countries. They are also long-standing rivals of Hells Angels. The skirmish 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, along with the Outlaws and Hells Angels. Oddly enough, the Bandidos are quite similar to Hells Angels, having a strict hierarchy and riding mainly Harley Davidsons.
The Galloping Goose Created Many Of Hells Angels' Rules
When the Galloping Goose Motorcycle Club formed in 1942, it was initially a Los Angeles racing team. Eventually, they grew into an outlaw club that covered the entire U.S.A. Galloping Goose invented many of the structures that motorcycle clubs still follow today.
The Galloping Goose participated in the 1947 Hollister Rally, where hundreds of motorcycles gathered in Hollister, California. This significantly contributed to the future formation of the Hells Angels. When the meeting broke out into a series of fights, it became known as the Hollister Riot.
The Mongols And Hells Angels Had The Deadliest Biker War
Since the Mongols Motorcycle Club first began in 1969, it has grown to represent over 2,000 members in ten countries. They are a long-time enemy of the Hells Angels. National Geographic considered their biker war to be the deadliest in history.
In America, the violent rivalry has been going on since 2002. 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.
The Red Devils, Hells Angels' Puppet Club
The Red Devils are not an independent motorcycle club; they are a support club for the Hells Angels. Police call them a "puppet club." Unlike the original Red Devils Club, which was founded in 1941, this support club was created in 2001.
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 Quebec Biker Wars: Rock Machine Vs. Hells Angels
The motorcycle club Rock Machine first appeared in Montreal, Canada, in 1986. Its founder, Salvatore Cazzetta, was once a friend of the Hells Angels. The two groups got involved in one of history's most brutal motorcycle feuds, the Quebec Biker Wars.
The Quebec Biker Wars began in 1994 when the Hells Angels and Rock Machine 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.
Notorious Made Many Enemies During Its Five-Year Run
Notorious was a short-lived motorcycle club in Australia. In 2012, the group disbanded after a five-year run. But during that time, they became one of Australia's most dangerous biker gangs. They also started feuds with other clubs, including Hells Angels.
Australia's first Hells Angels chapter was formed during the same year that Notorious did (2007). 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 Allied Head Hunters Have A Long Criminal History
Head Hunters are a New Zealand motorcycle club that has been around since 1967. Although they only have a few hundred members, the Head Hunters have a long criminal history. The group has over 1,000 criminal convictions.
Head Hunters are international and allies with Hells Angels. They have one known rival--the King Cobras--that are not the enemies of the Hells Angels. In 2001, one Head Hunters member got shot by an ex-Hells Angels member, but the two clubs continue to remain friends.
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." They despise Hells Angels; many Outlaws use the phrase "ADIOS," an acronym for "Angels Die In Outlaw States."
Why the clubs became enemies remains a mystery. The most common theory is that one group accused the other of committing a crime against a member's wife. The Hells Angels and Outlaws had many skirmishes in the United States, Belgium, and the United Kingdom.
The Hells Angels Helped The Sons Of Silence Grow
The Sons of Silence Motorcycle Club first appeared in Colorado in 1966. With less than 500 members, Sons of Silence is far smaller than Hells Angels' 3,500 members. But that hasn't stopped the two clubs from interacting.
In 1968, Sons of Silence formed an alliance with Hells Angels, which allowed them to grow. The partnership continues to this day, and the two clubs share many enemies, including the Outlaws. However, the two have also had some feuds. In October 2019, an arson was linked to a battle between the Hells Angels and the Sons of Silence.
As An Ally, The 69ers Also Ride American-Made Motorcycles
The 69ers are a motorcycle club founded in the 1980s, New York. Like the Hells Angels, the 69ers ride Harley Davidsons at every opportunity. Many motorcycle clubs aim to ride American-made bikes, the most popular of which are Harley Davidsons. Both Hells Angels and the 69ers tend to follow this rule.
Hells Angels have been around for longer than the 69ers, having started in the 1940s. While the 69ers only operate in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, Hells Angels are spread throughout 56 countries and still growing.
Breed Got Into Many Fights With Hells Angels
Breed was an American motorcycle club that formed in 1965, New Jersey. Before it disbanded in 2006, the group was an enemy of the Hells Angels. The two groups were such vicious enemies that they frequently got into fights.
The feud began in 1971, where Breed bikers in Ohio got into a skirmish with the Hells Angels. Over the next few years, the two groups got into many fights that resulted in the deaths of bikers on both sides.
The "Law-Abiding Citizens," Iron Order, Are Hells Angels' Rivals
The Iron Order is a bit different from other one-percenter motorcycle clubs. 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.
Members of the Iron Order propose that the Hells Angels might feel threatened by them. The Angels follow a code of secrecy, and members are never allowed to talk to police or join the force. Since the Iron Order can work with police, the Angels might consider them to be dangerous.
Hells Angels' Enemy, Gremium, Runs Germany
Gremium is the largest biker group in Germany, but details about their formation is scarce. However, some believe that the group branched off from other gangs, including Bones and Hells Angels. This could explain why Gremium is an enemy of the Hells Angels.
Although Gremium began in Germany in 1972, it eventually spread to 71 other countries. Hells Angels also ride in Germany, and their criminal records there are as recent as 2019. Perhaps these two gangs clash in several other countries.
Hells Angels Dislike The Highly Secretive Pagans
The Pagan's Motorcycle Club (shortened to the Pagans) have conquered the middle and eastern United States since 1959. They 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 members in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Unlike Hells Angels, the Pagans do not have clubhouses. They hold meetings at a secret area that members call "church."
Despite Being Allies, Renegades And Hells Angels Differ
Unlike the Hells Angels, the Renegades Motorcycle Club did not begin in one area. The first chapters appeared in the U.S. in 1970, and an independent Australian chapter started during the same year. Chapters are connected loosely through the Renegade Brotherhood.
The Renegades and Hells Angels are allies, and they share a common enemy: the Outlaws. Renegades seem to have hated the Outlaws since the groups got into a shooting in 2007. Fortunately, nothing occurred between them and the Hells Angels.
Fortunately, Bacchus Have Avoided Conflict With Hells Angels
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. On the backs of their jackets, members iron on a patch that says where their chapter is located. Bacchus switched their location from "Ontario" to "Canada" to assuage the Hells Angels chapter that already existed there.
The Oldest Biker Club In The UK 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. Of course, this includes the Hells Angels.
It is unclear why these two groups have become enemies. According to a rumor, the Hells Angels once offered the Road Rats to prospect, which basically means join them. The Road Rats refused and have remained independent to this day.
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 Hells Angels have no rivalry or friendship with the Avengers; they seem to remain neutral on the long-standing feud.
The Iron Horsemen And Hells Angels Have Common Enemies
Since the 1960s, the Iron Horsemen Motorcycle Club has ridden through the midwestern and northeastern United States. Not to be confused with the Iron Order, the Iron Horsemen are allied with the Hells Angels. Both groups are rivals of the Outlaws and Iron Order.
Like the Hells Angels, the Iron Horsemen are mostly peaceful. They are called "one-percenter" biker gangs, meaning that only 1% of the members commit crimes. However, both the Hells Angels and Iron Horsemen have participated in narcotic distribution rings.
The Hessians Do Deals With Hells Angels
The Hessians Motorcycle Club first started in Southern California in 1968. Like Hells Angels, the Hessians prefer to ride Harley Davidsons. According to the Department of Justice, the Hells Angels and Hessians have been doing deals with each other since 1991.
So far, the Hessians only exist in the western U.S. They are a small group, and if they have enemies, it has yet to be confirmed. On their website, the Hessians say, "We respect those who respect us"--a similar mindset to the Hells Angels.
The Beginning Of A Legacy
For the most part, it's commonly accepted that the Hells Angels were officially formed on March 17, 1948 in Fontana, California. The founders included the Bishop family as well as a few other World War II veterans that came together from various post-war motorcycle clubs.
Despite various news and criminal reports, the Hell's Angels say they got their start because It was started because military surplus made motorcycles affordable, and post-war life had left many young men feeling stagnant and missing their sense of soldier comradery.
The Club Name Was Inspired by a Squadron Nickname
The name Hells Angels were believed to have been suggested by an associate of the founding members named Arvid Olson. Olson had served in the Flying Tigers "Hell's Angels" squadron in China during World War II.
The nickname "Hell's Angels" is one of the many nicknames that 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. According to the founder of the Oakland charter Ralph "Sonny" Barger, the earliest charters in California were founded in San Francisco, Oakland, Gardena, Fontana, and a few other lesser-known areas.
At the time, the charters were only concerned with themselves and were unaware of all the other charters that existed. Eventually, during the 1950s, the different groups came together and unified to establish a large-scale organization and implement a system of internal codes and criteria for admission.
The Hells Angels Were a Cornerstone of Counterculture
During the 1960s, the Hells Angels became a large part of the counterculture movement, especially in California. They were very prominent in the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco and were frequent attendees of the local music and social events.
Numerous 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.
They Don't Want a Bad Reputation
The Hells Angels, as well as a select other few motorcycle clubs, call themselves a one-percenter biker club. The phrase is a 50-year-old title that goes off the old saying that 1% of troublemakers give a bad name to 99% of bikers.
The name is supposed to help them separate from all of the negative stereotypes surrounding biker gangs and the Hells Angels in particular. Despite the name, numerous members have been convicted of crimes ranging from murder to selling narcotics.
Growing International
In the beginning, the Hells Angels were strictly based in California but spread internationally in 1961. That year, the first charter outside of California began in Auckland, New Zealand. This opened the floodgates and the motorcycle club began to spread around the world.
In 1969, the first European charter was opened in London. 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. New areas are currently being prospected.
Hells Angels Attire
The Hells Angels have a fairly obvious way of letting people know who they are. They will almost always be seen wearing a leather or denim "cut" which is slang for a motorcycle vest. On the cut, they have various patches such as Hells Angels written on the back with the name of their charter at the bottom.
If they are a full member, they will also have the red and white-winged "death head" logo, the letters HAMC (Hells Angels Motorcycle Club) and the number 81. 81 stands of the letters H and A with H being the eighth letter of the alphabet and A being the first. Over the course of their time in the club, a member can also earn other patches.
Becoming 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.
To start, you must have a valid motorcycle license, own a Harley Davidson motorcycle over 750 CC and have a personality that is cohesive with the rest of the club. You cannot have been accused of child molestation or have ever applied to become a police officer or prison guard. Other requirements are unknown to the general public.
The Hang-Around
After being deemed as eligible, a prospective member can become a "hang-around." This is the first stage of the process. The candidate can be invited to some club meetings or meet other club members at open gathering places.
Being a hang-around gives you the opportunity to meet other members, make connections, and have a taste of the lifestyle that comes with being a member of the Hells Angels.
Next, They Become a Prospect
After some time, if the hang-around is still interested, he may be asked to become an associate. During this time, the associate will spend a few more years attending events, spending time with members, and proving their worth to the club. After an unspecified time as an associate, you can move up to become a prospect.
Although prospects can attend closed meetings, they still aren't allowed to vote on club business. Prospects are put to the test by the members who are making the decision to whether they want to initiate the prospect as a fully-patched member of the club. Prospects are allowed to wear a cut with a patch with the state or territory of their charter.
Full Patch Members Require a Unanimous Vote
The final step in the process is being voted in as a fully-patched member. In order for this to happen, the prospect must be voted in unanimously by the rest of the charter. However, prior to the voting, the prospect usually goes to each charter in the area to introduce himself and show his devotion to the club.
After being voted in by his own personal charter, he is given his top Hells Angels rocker and winged death head logo which are awarded at an initiation ceremony. The act of successfully achieving the title of a full member is referred to as "being patched."
The "Filthy Few" and "Dequiallo" Patch
In the book Gangs, by Tony Thompson, Thompson describes that there are other patches that are earned by members for specific deeds. One such patch is the Nazi-style SS lightning bolts with the words "Filthy Few." This is believed to be a patch that is awarded to members that already have or are willing to commit murder for the club.
There is also another patch that is known as the "Dequiallo" patch. This particular patch is worn by those that have met law enforcement with violence while being placed under arrest. There are other secretive patches which members sport to show their dedication to the club and the things they have accomplished.
Hunter S. Thompson and the Hells Angels
"Gonzo" journalist Hunter S. Thompson actually got his career started with the help of the Hells Angels. For his book Hells Angels: The Strange and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs, he actually spent a year living with the club. He lived their lifestyle and rode a motorcycle with them.
However, the writer had a falling out with the club. Thompson tried to stop a man from beating his wife and ended up on the receiving end of a beatdown of his own. Furthermore, the biker gang accused him of exploiting them for personal gain and wanted a share of the profits. The book was a huge success and Thompson paid the group nothing.
The Altamont Concert Incident
At a concert held at the Altamont Speedway in 1969, the Hells Angels were hired as event security. Although it's still debated who actually hired the club, there was a general consensus from the crowd and musicians that it wasn't a good idea.
Aside from beating up rowdy concertgoers, a more severe situation occurred when a man named Merideth Hunter pulled out a pistol. He was quickly attacked by a Hells Angels members, including a man named Passaro who stabbed him to death while he was on the ground. Passaro was arrested for murder but was acquitted when footage was recovered of Hunter with the gun and Passaro acting in self-defense.
Charters Clash, Resulting in the Lennoxville Massacre
Some of the Hells Angels own charters don't see eye-to-eye. In 1985, five members of the Hells Angels North Laval Quebec were murdered by members of the Montreal, Quebec, and Nova Scotia charters.
The victims were thought to be liable members, so they were invited to the Lennoxville clubhouse where they were beaten, shot, and their bodies were thrown into the St. Lawrence River. Five of the members involved were sentenced to life in prison but were all released by 2013. The incident is known as the Lennoxville Massacre.
Sons of Anarchy is Loosely Based On The Club
The fictitious television 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 that the Hells Angels have encountered throughout the history of the club.
There are even real Hells Angels members in the show such as David Labvrava, Chuck Zito, Rusty Coones, and Sonny Barger. Kurt Sutter even had Labrava as his technical advisor to make the show as realistic and accurate as possible when it comes to depicting a motorcycle club. He was also a major character in the show who played the character "Happy" for the entirety of the show.
Sonny Barger Is The Hells Angels
Over the years, Sonny Barger has proven himself to be the face and authority of the Hells Angels. Although every charter has its own president and is relatively self-governed, Sonny Barger is the man everyone looks up to. He is the president and original founding member of the Oakland charter.
At 78-years-old and still riding, he has the longest membership of anyone in the club and has managed to stay out of prison for the majority of his life. He served four years for trying to blow up a rival gang's clubhouse in 1988 but other than that has relatively succeeded in staying out of trouble. Because of his reputation, Barger has been in numerous films and television shows and has authored books about his life and the club.
Maurice "Mom" Boucher
While Sonny Barger may be the face of the Hells Angels who represents the good of the club, Maurice "Mom" Boucher did the opposite. He is one of the most notorious ex-presidents in the club's history. He was president of the Montreal charter during the eight-year-long Quebec Biker War and is currently serving three life sentences after being convicted of murder and drug trafficking.
Before becoming a Hells Angel, he was a member of a white supremacist biker gang called SS. He was also the guy that was in charge of the Lennoxville Massacre making him one of the most ruthless leaders in club history.
The Club Is No Stranger To Filing Lawsuits
Since the Hells Angels have evolved into a cooperation more so than just a club of guys that like to ride motorcycles, they have been involved in a decent amount of legal affairs. In 2007, the Hells Angels sued Disney for using the logo of the Hells Angels in the film Wild Hogs without their permission.
In addition, in 2010, they filed a lawsuit against Alexander McQueen for misuse of the trademark winged death head symbol and Saks Fifth and Zappos.com which sell a ring which bears the symbol. In 2012, the club went on to sue Toys "R" Us for the sale of yo-yos which allegedly had the "Death Head" logo printed on it. These are just a few notable lawsuits out of many that the club has filed for because they take their branding so seriously.
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 under some suspicious terms. It was said by some that he was cooperating with the police and therefore in bad standing with the club.
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. He then went on to work with the History Channel show Outlaw Chronicles and is expected to release his own book.
Rejected From Ventura
Hells Angels leader George Christie Jr was denied access to the Ventura County Fair back in 2003. That wasn't the first time either as it happened the year before in 2002 when he attempted to violate the 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."
They Don't Get The Respect
Although he was denied two years straight, the fair officials got the message across that George Christie and the rest of his angels are allowed as long as they don't wear any club attire. The club quickly cried discrimination.
The Hells Angels think they are law-abiding citizens and claim that a motorcycle club shouldn't be confused with a gang. Christie often supports this claim by referring back to the 2002 ruling where a judge said there was no evidence that the group was a street gang.
Christie Wants to Show Peace
Christie must have really wanted to go to this fair. He notified the fair officials days in advance of his arrival. He then took a step further and only took his family 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."
Otto Friedli - Hells Angels Founder
Otto Friedli was one of the original members of the Pissed Off Bastards of Bloomington Motorcycle Club. He then left the club and is credited as being one of the founding members of the Hells Angels back in 1948. He spent some time as the president of the San Bernardino charter as well as the National President.
It wasn't until Driedli went to prison that Sonny Barger took over as National President of the club. After he was released from prison, he 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. He was featured in the film Hells Angels 69 as well as well as referenced multiple times in Hunter S. Thompson's book Hells Angels: The Strange and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs.
During his time in the club, he made a name for himself and eventually grew into the legend under the presidency of Sonny Barger. Unfortunately, he passed away from a drug overdose at the age of 30 in 1970 but is still an often discussed member and 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 addiction to cocaine, he eventually became paranoid and believed that the other members of his club wanted him killed. So, he ended up becoming an informant for the police.
In exchange for a lesser sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole in seven years, he admitted to the killing of 43 people between September 1973 and July 1985. After his release from prison on parole in 1994, he was given a new name but was arrested in March 2004 for sexually assaulting a young boy and received four more years. He was then diagnosed with cancer and moved to a different prison.
Did They Try And Kill Jagger?
Apparently, Mick Jagger has had his fair shares of close calls over the years. From the drugs to the old girlfriends, he has been there and survived it all. However, there was a time that has been highly secretive until BBC radio uncovered the facts. The attack on the Rolling Stones frontman happened in the early '70s when they were at their peak.
The Hells Angels were the ones who put the hit on the Jagger. It was a failed assassination attempt that was meant to handle Jagger at his holiday home in the Hamptons according to a former FBI agent.
A Secretive Plan
The plan was to sneak up on Mick Jagger undetected from the sea. Now, Hells Angels could be a tough group, but we're sure they weren't trained in assassinating.
"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 for a Radio 4 series on the history of the FBI.
An Unexpected Turn
This story just gets crazier by the moment. The men had loaded up in the boat and were prepared to handle the deed. Then, a storm came crashing in and the men were reduced to seafood.
"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 Got On Their Tail
The founder of the FBI was convinced that the Hells Angels were a criminal group so he came up with a plan. He made sure that his agents would infiltrate some of the chapters of the gang but only at a great risk. It was one of these agents that found out about the assassination attempt
"The FBI only found out about the assassination attempt some time after the fact," says Tom Mangold.
It Pays To Be Sneaky
Even though they found out some time later, it is still helpful that they found it. This 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. There's a reason this story has been under wraps and that is because there is partly nothing there to report and the lines are blurred still. There is no telling what kind of action takes place behind closed doors with them.
