Most biker clubs promise a lifetime of brotherhood and a place to be, no matter who you are and what you may have done...if you follow their rules!
When you think badass motorcycle clubs, it's only the outlaw motorcycle clubs that come to mind, the ones that don’t follow the rules and regulations of the AMA (American Motorcycle Association). These motorcycle clubs not only live by their own rules and regulations, but they also follow their diktats pretty strictly, and any rule-breaking can lead to even long-time members getting evicted.
The rules, mostly, are never fair, but that doesn’t stop the MC’s enforcers from making sure that they are followed to the tee. For an outlaw motorcycle club, the club is usually priority number one, and members are expected to adhere to rules, even if they go against the law. Then again, they do promise a lifetime of brotherhood, and a place to be, no matter who you are and what you may have done.
Want in? Look at the 10 most badass motorcycle clubs and their most important rules before you try to become part of one…
10The Pagan's – You Can’t Marry A ‘Pet’
The Pagan’s MC was formed in the 50s, but by the time it exited the ‘60s, it had become a largely shady organization that dealt in things that skimmed the law, and sometimes, broke the law outright. Today, they are one of the largest outlaw MCs in the US and considered a threat by law enforcement. Their one unbreakable rule: pets, as in women who are with many of the MC members, cannot be married to any of the members. These women are not considered “high” enough in stature to be wives.
9Vagos Motorcycle Club – What’s Not Of The Club Is Immaterial
The Vagos MC isn’t an outlaw club afraid of the law, or afraid of breaking it. According to law enforcement agencies, the Vagos earn money by smuggling illicit substances across both sides of the Mexican-US border. A few of the members were accused of trying to set traps for police officers in California. This made the Vagos MC file a defamation suit and even win it. The club remains a priority for all members, but what the members do away from the club business remains their business, period.
8Bandidos Motorcycle Club – Pledged To The Bandido Nation
The Bandidos Motorcycle Club calls itself, along with all of its chapters and members, national or international, the Bandido Nation. So all the members, who have pledged to a chapter, first have to sign their motorcycle over to the club. The wheels now belong to the club. Also, if a member of any chapter is around any Bandido event, even of another chapter, he has to be a part of it. This holds especially true if it’s a funeral of one of the MC’s members.
7Hells Angels – When In Need, Go The Legal Way
Call it an unspoken rule, but one of the most popular outlaw MCs, the Hells Angels, often take the help of the law when in need, even if they skirt the periphery of it. And while some of the members may indulge in stuff that is less than savory and is probably breaking the law as well, a lot of what the club does for the business is above the law. So when the Hell’s Angel's name or patch is used without permission, as they did in the movie Wild Hogs, Hell’s Angels goes to court and files a lawsuit. And then wins them all as well.
6Outlaws Motorcycle Club – Peace Is Not A Concept They Preach Or Adopt
Unlike many one-percenters that give other MCs and their territories a wide berth, the Outlaws MC works in the opposite direction. They are always on an expansion drive, so much so that they actively pick up fights with smaller MCs and decimate them with threats and takeovers. The smaller MC members have the option of joining the Outlaws MC or simply slinking away to nothingness. Along with this, they also defend their territories in virulent and violent ways, and this is their most important rule. Territories have to be won and protected.
5The Grim Reapers – Joining Requirements Are A Harley-Davidson And Being White
The Grim Reapers MC is another outlaw motorcycle club with very strict rules in place, especially when it comes to joining the club. When a rookie wants to join the motorcycle club, there are two major requirements he needs. One is that his motorcycle needs to be a Harley Davidson, and the second is that he needs to be white. The members have to be all male, and all these requirements for new members were made public in 1981 when the rules were published in a small newspaper in Evansville.
4The Mongols – Never Back Down In A Fight
The Mongols MC, it is said, was formed because the Hispanic hopefuls who wanted into the Hells Angels MC were denied membership because they weren’t lily-white. And not only did they form an MC separate from Hells Angels but they also took Southern California away from HAMC, and established themselves in this territory, firmly. And their motto or rule is simple, never back down in a fight. And such is their fighting prowess that even the Hells Angels have given up their rights to the territory.
3Iron Horsemen Motorcycle Club – Ashes To Ashes, Dust To Dust
The Iron Horsemen Motorcycle Club may not be as big an outlaw club as the rest, but their claim to fame is just about as violent, if not more when it comes to crossing the legalities. Much like the other outlaw MCs, their members have been involved in all kinds of illicit and banned substance smuggling, as well as other more serious offenses. And yet, their motto is as poetic as ever and enforces the rule of frequent riding: “Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. If it weren’t for the Iron Horsemen, the highways would rust”.
2Black Pistons Motorcycle Club – Follow The Constitution
The Black Pistons Motorcycle Club is as outlaw as they come, but instead of being an independent MC, they are a support club to the Outlaws MC. Meaning if and when the law enforcement bears down too hard on the Outlaws, the Black Pistons MC comes in handy, and they also are useful in finding new members for the Outlaws. Their basic rule is simple, follow the constitution of the club, in that all members have to be 21 years and above, own a US-made motorcycle, and be friends with an active member for at least a year.
1Cossacks Motorcycle Club – Sewing On A Supremacy Patch Is Punishable
The Cossacks Motorcycle Club is loyal to the Harley-Davidson brand and only HD riders of a certain displacement size and above are included in. While they consider themselves to be patriots because of this, they take great pains to make sure everyone knows that they are not white supremacists. Any Cossack member is prohibited to wear any insignia or patch that proclaims the whites to be a more superior race and pride themselves in “taking care of their own”, even if that means skimming the law.
