It’s one of the best-known terms in motorcycle club culture, dating back to 1947. Though its origin is well-documented. Many people still don’t understand what an outlaw motorcycle club is. The same applies to what being a 1%er in MC culture means. So what are outlaw motorcycle clubs? In this article, we break it all down, and you might find a few surprises along the way.

Meaning of Outlaw Motorcycle Clubs (1% vs AMA)

To understand what are outlaw motorcycle clubs? We need to understand that the term outlaw doesn’t mean criminal; it simply means not sanctioned by the AMA (American Motorcycle Association). After the media backlash of Hollister 1947, the AMA released a statement claiming that 99% of motorcyclists are law-abiding citizens, implying the rowdy ones were just the 1%. A PR move, but was it real?

There are two common versions of the story, and while media, authorities, and outlaw motorcycle clubs alike all claim this was the first use of the one percent term, in 2005, the American Motorcycle Association denied its use by stating that they can find no record of a statement using the term one percent, so let’s go back to the history.

 It all started at the Hollister rally in 1947. The Gypsy Tour, sanctioned by the American Motorcycle Association, ran from July 3rd to July 6th, 1947. It was the first rally in Hollister for years because of World War II. Chaos ensued as there were 4000 attendees and 7 police officers to try to keep peace and order. There was some drunken behavior, fighting, and minor vandalism, but for the most part, the whole thing was overhyped and distorted by the media. But here’s where the problems began:

The photographer from the San Francisco Chronicle staged a photo, eyewitnesses say, as he rearranged beer bottles around the biker. Still, the newspaper did not publish the famous photo, although it published a story about the event. Life Magazine did use it in a very unflattering article about the event on July 21, 1947. This is the article that it’s claimed AMA had an issue with. The article claimed that 4000 motorcycle club members caused a riot. And it has always been claimed that AMA made a statement. This is where the versions differ. Some claim the statement was 99% of motorcyclists are law-abiding citizens, and the outlaw motorcycle clubs claimed yes, and we’re the one percent. Others claim the statement was that this is only one percent of the motorcyclists and attendees,

 But as stated, after a thorough investigation, the American Motorcyclist Association cannot find evidence or record of any statement. Some people theorize that the one percent comment originated from letters written to Life Magazine, responding to the article claiming that only one percent of the attendees were involved in problematic behavior. The letters were sent by readers, not the AMA.

Either way, the division had begun, although outlaw motorcycle clubs already existed, with some like The Outlaws MC dating back to 1935. The Black Diamond (the 1%er patch soon surfaced. It was clear that outlaw motorcycle clubs follow only their own rules, and their own rules alone. 

How Outlaw Motorcycle Clubs are Structured:

Before we jump into the structure of clubs, let’s clear one thing. When people think of outlaw motorcycle clubs, they think of what we call the top 5. Lists created by authorities in each country. There are many outlaw motorcycle clubs with as many purposes, and motorcycles and riding remain at the heart of them, too.

Law enforcement usually creates the lists, but they are not accurate, as the MC sphere is ever-developing and ever-growing.

But outlaw motorcycle clubs aren’t about the largest and biggest, and the network of clubs is diverse. People tend to lean towards the bigger clubs because of the celebrity nature that some attract.

Outlaw motorcycle clubs have a high level of organisation, and the structure often resembles that seen in the military. Members come from all walks of life; it is a men’s club, but female clubs and female supporting clubs are growing in number.

Every club has its hierarchy, often with a committee overseeing day-to-day activities. These clubs run very much like a non-profit business. Regardless of what activities the club is involved in, everyone in an outlaw motorcycle club has a role to play, and the hierarchy helps to provide a structure and keep things organized.

To break this down further, you have to understand that most people imagine that outlaw motorcycle clubs run like street gangs because that is the narrative that we hear in society. But it’s false, outlaw motorcycle clubs run like businesses, more like a non-profit business, clubs often have a committee of the same roles: president (chair), secretary, treasurer. Of course, they also have a sergeant-at-arms and a road captain, who doesn’t have a committee vote but is part of the committee.

Being in an outlaw motorcycle club is a full-time commitment, not a hobby. Street gangs tend to operate on a local level, with a high turnover, and are chaotic. It’s a completely different way of operating. You have to understand motivation. While there are a few organizations that label themselves OMG Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs, that partake in criminal activities. That is a minority, and they are distinct from the letters ‘OMG’.

MCs or OMCs are clubs regardless of club activities.

The Importance of Brotherhood and Loyalty:

Brotherhood resembles the “invisible force” of outlaw motorcycle clubs, like magic. It defines their unity and strength.

Here’s what you should know: tattoos often mark deep brotherhood, milestones, or memorials. Some clubs have bylaws around getting a skin patch (the patch tattoo) within a set number of hours of making the patch. These designs are approved at all times. The emblem is the IP of the club, not for anyone. Often, clubs feel you need to earn the right to use the image, like any business will tell you how to use their logo, and colours, it’s the same thing. 

As for loyalty, it can be symbolic of your loyalty, but true loyalty comes from the heart, from your faith and beliefs. You can be loyal to a club without a patch, like you can be disloyal with one, too. These days, everyone wants to throw the term “brotherhood” around like it’s some sort of gimmick or trend. But here’s the truth on this one: Brotherhood isn’t something you do; it’s something you feel, although you will no doubt have to take certain actions to uphold it. 

Here’s the thing: Harry Potter has magic, Star Wars has the Force, and outlaw motorcycle clubs have brotherhood. It’s our invisible force, and it’s stronger than most other bonds out there when it’s upheld. The problem is everyone wants to detail it, define it, describe it, and use it for their own purposes, but true brotherhood doesn’t work that way. 

But it is one of the true powers that defines an outlaw motorcycle club, regardless of which patch sits on your back. Let’s take sports clubs as an example. They don’t have a sense of brotherhood, and they don’t understand it or how it works in practice. They are fast and impulsive and tend to dive straight into any situation, and if you get left behind, you get left behind.

When they come against an outlaw motorcycle club, they are at a disadvantage because the club moves and works together as a family unit, and the sports club has no experience operating like that.

Misconceptions and Challenges Outlaw Motorcycle Clubs Face:

 Outlaw motorcycle clubs are often mislabelled as gangs by authorities and media for political or sensational reasons. This leads to unnecessary targeting and profiling. I’m gonna take some time to explain this.

Authorities created labels such as OMCG for their own classification or for sensational headlines by the media. Here’s what’s going on: when the authorities deem either through a court or otherwise that a motorcycle club is a ‘gang’, they are classifying that club as a criminal organization, which then allows them to apply organized crime rules, processes, and procedures against that group, and their friends, family, business associates, and supporters. 

In reality, outlaw motorcycle clubs and their members have businesses, jobs that are now subject to heavy profiling and monitoring, and anything positive they do is judged as them trying to rehabilitate their image and is ignored. We’re talking even up to extended sentences under things like the RICO charges. 

While we’re not saying they’re all angels, it’s a small majority that is actually doing anything illegal, deserving of this treatment. I’d say around 25% but here’s what happened when Dutch researchers looked into crime dispersion within the outlaw motorcycle clubs,

The case files they assessed related to what they call 6 OMCG (Outlaw Motorcycle Club Gang, they mean clubs) and 3 support clubs. Over 60 files were assessed, and the following was found: of the 291 suspects, 199 were club members, 71 were committee members, and 92 were supporters. The 202 charges were separated into the following categories: bad apple (an individual acting alone), Club within a club (where more than 2 members were involved), club as a criminal organization (if the criminal activity overlaps with the club hierarchy). The results showed that bad apples were present in almost half the charges and over two-thirds of the cases. Club within a club was only present in 38% of charges, and acting as a criminal organization was only present in 27%. Making the smallest percentage, the thing, the authorities and media accuse all outlaw motorcycle clubs of being involved in, I believe that if this research is an accurate reflection of the way crimes happen within clubs worldwide. This invalidates the concept that profiling and monitoring are necessary for these groups.

The truth is, the authorities don’t want the truth; they see bikers as people living on the fringes of what they consider acceptable in society and more capable of taking risks. They see people who won’t be bound and controlled by laws that they didn’t make or sign up to. The authority sought to gain control, power, and dominance, and soon discovered it’s like trying to harness a hurricane. 

The Hollywood and media perspectives are built on authoritarian narratives, which do nothing other than entertain and raise public anxiety. Further pushing the myth of the big bad biker till it was out of control.

Violence: There’s this assumption about the violence in the outlaw motorcycle world. We know it exists, but there is this concept that it’s because they all take part in criminal activities, and they’re quick to violence. There is a lot of politics in the MC world, and sometimes the violence erupts from that rather than a criminal act of any kind. Imagine putting 30+ alpha males in the same room into an operating system that thrives on status and power; of course, ego and temper are going to be high. 

But let’s be clear, bikers, even outlaw bikers, don’t enjoy putting their asses on the line; bikers do bad when bad needs to be done. Even criminal activities took a nosedive when clubs began to realise there were revenue streams like selling merch that were so lucrative they could replace the risky ways of making money. As long as they paid taxes on income, they got some breathing space. 

There’s a theory out there that law enforcement forced them into law-abiding activities, while it was a factor, it’s almost impossible to get any outlaw motorcycle club to do anything they don’t want to. Those boys have no problem telling you no. We’ve gotta talk about the scammers, right? Mainly on social media. Facebook and Instagram are loaded with scammers, but they are starting to flood X (Twitter) too now. 

If you like images or join support groups of clubs, at some point, whether curious supporter or seasoned fully patched member, some idiot is gonna drop into your DMs with one of the following scams: 

● If you pay this fee, I can get you fully patched into (insert club name), cos I have contacts ●

 Please buy my poorly designed support gear 

● Romance scams (aimed at female supporters), these guys have no patience and will tell you they love you in like 0-60 

● Please donate money to my club; whatever you can give is fine. The conversations that go on about these scammers, there are thousands of them.

Community Involvement and Charity Work

Despite their reputation, many clubs support local communities through toy drives, fundraising efforts, and advocacy (e.g., supporting children in court.

 Let’s now add in the fact that outlaw motorcycle clubs tend to do a high level of work in their local communities. You may have seen the posts about Santa toy runs, funeral runs, and fundraising. This work goes on all year round; they rarely seek attention for it, just quietly under the radar. Not to mention the current rise in open days and social events. 

One example of this is A group of bikers, members of organizations like Bikers Against Child Abuse and Guardians of the Children, who stand beside children as they face their abusers in court. Their protective presence offers comfort, courage, and a powerful sense of safety during one of the most challenging moments of a young person’s life. No intimidation, just unwavering support. 

FAQ

Q1: Are outlaw motorcycle clubs criminal organizations?
A: No, most are not. While some groups engage in illegal activities, the majority function like non-profit organizations focused on motorcycles, community, and brotherhood.

Q2: What does the “1%” symbol mean?
A: It comes from the AMA’s statement after the 1947 Hollister incident that 99% of bikers are law-abiding. The 1% symbol was embraced by clubs that identified as living outside mainstream society’s norms.

most OMCs don’t

Q3: Why are outlaw motorcycle clubs often called gangs?
A: Authorities and media use the label “gang” for profiling and legal purposes, but most OMCs don’t fit the street-gang stereotype; they are structured, organized, and committed communities.

Q4: Can anyone join an outlaw motorcycle club?
A: No, joining is a long and serious process. Most recruitment is face-to-face, not online. Clubs look for loyal, long-term members who understand their values and traditions.

Summary

 It’s important to remember that not all motorcycle clubs are outlaw motorcycle clubs, the same way not all bikers are one percenters. Every patch has to be earned, even if you join a 1% or diamond club, as they are also known; that doesn’t make you a 1% er, you have to earn your diamond patch, and like most things, there’s no one way to that it’ll be down to your club and your mentor. The subject of outlaw motorcycle clubs is a rich and interesting one that has fascinated audiences for as long as there have been clubs. What I have done is to give you some history and a realistic view of outlaw motorcycle clubs instead of the Hollywood narrative often portrayed, which can do more harm than good.

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Sources Used: Outlaw motorcycle groups in the Netherlands: To what extent do they resemble mafia organizations?