The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club is one of the most (in)famous outlaw motorcycle clubs across the world.

BY: SAMARVEER SINGH COURTESY: HOTCARS.COM 

SUMMARY

•  Hells Angels is an exclusive motorcycle club that values loyalty and brotherhood above anything else. Full membership is reserved for men only.
•  The club operates with a strict code of silence and unity. If one member is pulled over, the entire club pulls over in solidarity.
•  Membership in Hells Angels requires owning a Harley-Davidson and adhering to a no-drugs policy. Members are expected to attend all club events.

Whether you're a motorcycling nut, odds are you've heard of outlaw motorcycling clubs. Be it Marlon Brando's The Wild One, or the incredibly popular TV show Sons of Anarchy, popular culture has made outlaw motorcycling clubs quite famous across the world, regardless of whether anyone is into bikes or not. You might also have heard of these clubs as 1%er motorcycle clubs, as they operate outside the bounds of conventional society, and sometimes, but not always, engage in illegal activities. Why are they called 1%ers? There's an interesting answer to that, and a piece of trivia that could come in handy next time you're hanging out with your motorcycling buddies.

In the '60s, the American Motorcyclist Association, in a statement about motorcycle riders and outlaw clubs, stated that 99% of motorcycle riders are law-abiding citizens, thus implying that it was 1% who were involved in criminal activities. Of course, there are plenty of myths and rumors about these motorcycling clubs as well, and they aren't all true. Inarguably, the most famous motorcycling club across the United States is the Hells Angels motorcycling club. They're also the biggest motorcycling club in the world, with over 6,000 members across the world. Hells Angels are also the most infamous outlaw club in the world, and with their membership also comes a lot of unique and peculiar rules that every Hells Angels club member must follow.

Brotherhood Means Everything To The Hells Angels

If it wasn't clear enough from a mere glance at the Hells Angels Motorcycling Club, brotherhood does mean everything to them. For starters, nobody in the club would even consider letting you join unless an existing member vouches for you. Plus, it isn't like a member's vouch gets you in with a full membership - you'd only enter as somebody who hangs out around other members, eventually making your way up the ladder to a full membership. Furthermore, the Hells Angels motorcycling club, outlaws that they are, most definitely are a brotherhood, as they have no female members. If you're wondering, wives and girlfriends do hang out and accompany members on events, but full membership is reserved 'for the boys'.

All for one, one for all

When the Hells Angels club takes off on a ride, they ride in formation. Every member takes their position on the road in accordance with their rank in the club, but if any one member is ever pulled over, the entire club would pull over with them. That is how strong the roots of brotherhood go in the Hells Angels club. Plus, there's also a rule that dictates you must stay tight-lipped when it comes to the whereabouts or doings of any fellow member, regardless of what you do or do not know. From the looks of it, stitches isn't all snitches would get in the HA motorcycling club. In the same vein, a member must also pledge that throughout the rest of their years, they would remain loyal to and a part of the Hells Angels, and never defect to any other motorcycling club. It's nothing short of heresy, so to speak.

There Are A Lot Of Exclusions Going On At The Hells Angels Motorcycling Club, Too

If by now, you're thinking that becoming a part of the Hells Angles is as easy as simply having a motorcycle and being vouched for, there are plenty of things you've got to ensure beforehand. The 'HAMC' is quite an exclusive club, no doubt, and there are certain things you simply can't ignore if you even want to be considered as a prospect. First off, if you're an officer of the law, it's a straight no-no for you. Regardless of whether you're a police officer, or even a prison guard, you simply can not be a member of the Angels. After all, they are a 1%er outlaw club, and if and when they do engage in any activities outside the bounds of the law, they can't afford to have any conflicts of interest with a fellow member.

At The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club, Your Ride Matters

It's absolutely imperative that you have a big, fat American pair of wheels, and by that, we mean, a Harley-Davidson. Is it any surprise? Harley-Davidson motorcycles have always been synonymous with the Hells Angels. While other motorcycle clubs might allow for other cruiser motorcycles with a different brand name across the tank, the Hells Angels only accept Harley riders in. It's about the patriotic message it sends across, as there's nothing quite as American as a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. If you're wondering, then yes, Harley-Davidson-owned subsidiary Buell Motorcycles is also a valid choice. On the subject of Buell cruisers, the upcoming 2025 Super Cruiser would definitely get you some additional rep among the Angels, we'd wager. We'd probably steer clear of the LiveWire bikes, though.

On the subject of exclusion, the Hells Angels also have a strict no-drugs policy. The club does not tolerate any illegal substances, be it their consumption or possession.

Being a Hells Angels Member Is A Full-Time Job

The Hells Angels club isn't just some random hobbyist club you join for the weekends. It is absolutely a membership that will take a major chunk out of your time frequently. After all, as a member of this tightly-knit fraternity, you must be present for all events that the biking club hosts or attends. In fact, no-shows are frowned upon, unless the reason they didn't attend was something earth-shattering. Plus, at the end of the day, the Angels are a motorcycling club, after all, and you'd be expected to post upwards of 12,000 miles a year on your cruiser motorcycle's odometer.

Hells Angels Always Have Their Rides Ready To Go

How does one end up amassing over 12k miles on their motorcycle? It's simple - you can't really refuse to go on rides, if and when the top brass at the HAMC chooses to arrange one. You must always ride when called upon, and that requires you to keep your motorcycle in perfect, ride-ready conditions at all times. In that vein, there's the Hells Angels jacket, which we could call the club's 'uniform'. Members who earn their Hells Angels jacket, through loyalty and years spent in the club, are expected to guard it with their lives - no harm must come to the jacket. In fact, even in case of a crash, members are expected to ensure they mitigate the damages to their Hells Angels threads.

If anyone on the outside thinks the jacket is a cool look, and ends up sporting a knock-off in the vicinity of an existing HAMC member, well, they should surely expect a stern talking to, which would be the best-case scenario, no doubt.

As A Hells Angel Member, Give Back, And Ignore The Missing Apostrophe

Biker gangs have always given back to society, and the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club is one of the biggest clubs when it comes to that. The HAMC frequently holds fund-raisers and attends charity events, and of course, these are the events every member must attend, with no excuses. Furthermore, if need be, members must also bring their significant others with them to these events, as part of the club's philosophy of giving back. Plus, by now, even if this is the first time you're hearing about the Hells Angels, you have to realize that there's an apostrophe missing.

In a nutshell, you need to ignore it, just like all members do. In fact, even the official Hells Angels Motorcycle Club website (which one isn't allowed to link to without the club's express consent), talks about the apostrophe. "We know that there is an apostrophe missing, but it is you who miss it. We don’t," the website says. With that said, staying tight-lipped about not just your fellow member's whereabouts is important, but also about the rules of punctuation.

BY: SAMARVEER SINGH COURTESY: HOTCARS.COM