Biker gangs / "patch clubs"

[Taxamo Welf]

read a fairly crap book called Gangs

by Tony Somecunt who is apparently the crime corro for the observer. It was very informative i just didn't like the sensationalist and unpolitical/unalaytical attitude to gangs and crime.

However the biker gangs in the UK are fully covered and i believe that serious shit is still going down to this day and there are still plenty of beefs and scraps. The was some difference noted between MCs and MGs (Clubs and Gangs) and i think the outlaws were openly a Gang, and were the Angels main rivals here and in the US, and were picking up small independent outfits throughout the 90's much to the HA's distress... But i cannae remember. I suggest ppl read it if theyre interested. It seemed very genuine because the attitude of the bikers he described is what everyone else has said and he mentions Bulldog Bash being incredibly safe. I've been interested in tracking down some bikers cos i know they run decent speed at decent prices, but i'm too afraid i'll say it the wrong way, do the wrong thing and get arseraped with a fire axe.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

Over the past decade, members of the Hell's Angels were locked in a violent turf war in Quebec with a rival biker group - the Rock Machine - for control of Quebec's billion-dollar drug trade. The death toll in the conflict, which has died down, has been staggering; 162 dead since 1994, including an 11-year-old boy who was hit by shrapnel. A local journalist was also gunned down in 2000 for an exposé he wrote on the group.

The Canadian Hell's Angels are far more organized than those in the United States. "In the States there is still this myth of the easy rider. They're the bad boys, the rogues who might drink too much booze, but not organized criminals," Mr. Sher says. "In Canada, they are now recognized as not only criminal, but as the only national organized crime group in the country."

http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/1209/p06s01-woam.htm

 

[phildwyer]

I believe the Hell's Angels are organized crims in the States too, as are many other biker gangs. Here in Philadelphia, they have a rivalry with the more locally powerful Pagans, though its nothing like as bad as Quebec City. None of the "outlaw" gangs wear wear identifying colours in public, because they would be arrested, or at least searched and hassled, on sight. The alleged Pagan leader, a famous local character, is an ex-cop, funnily enough (or not.) The only people who still look like the traditional bikers here are gay leathermen, thousands of whom congregate in a little town called New Hope every weekend. It takes the first-time visitor a while to catch on that its not a Hell's Angels-style gang.

 

[tobyjug]

I've been interested in tracking down some bikers .

Well I am a biker and I can assure you HA are a sad shower of bastards that are barely tolerated and are coming very close to outstaying their welcome.
Forcing their way into motorcycle rallies and not paying for a ticket is going to, in the very near future end up in a VERY big backlash.
They have been told to fuck off at several rallies I have been to recently.

 

[longdog]

Well I am a biker and I can assure you HA are a sad shower of bastards that are barely tolerated and are coming very close to outstaying their welcome.
Forcing their way into motorcycle rallies and not paying for a ticket is going to, in the very near future end up in a VERY big backlash.
They have been told to fuck off at several rallies I have been to recently.

Get them all rounded up and have the OB bus them to Helston nick until somebody claims them

 

[Velouria]

That'll be the Fife chapter. They're ok, well I got on with them, but then I'm prettier than you

Mmm, well I guess they never came to a party of yours, stole the drink, started several fights, hospitalised a few people, smashed up the furniture, and threw 1200 quid's worth of decks out of a window, destroying them beyond repair.

Not to mention someone I know who was being very closely quizzed by them about his bike and was warned away by someone telling him that their plan was to go nick his bike and use it for parts for their choppers after 'ringing' the engine (hey, on a bike you just need to swap whatever bit of casing it's stamped on to change the engine number, remember, and you could never tell unless you took the engine apart and even then you'd need to be an expert).

Lovely people

 

[djbombscare]

Mmm, well I guess they never came to a party of yours, stole the drink, started several fights, hospitalised a few people, smashed up the furniture, and threw 1200 quid's worth of decks out of a window, destroying them beyond repair.

That sounds like one of my parties


But Velouria I aint questioning what you are saying as it might be the case.

But all that party stuff and the asking someone about his bike etc cos they wanna rob it. TBH that sounds pretty much like reputation preceeding them if you know what I mean.

Did they nick his bike did the parts get robbed? Why could it not have been an interest in his bike?

It sounds like a rep thing, they show an interest. . . and they're on the rob.

The Slaves I knew Bought everything. Firstly cos they could afford it as the control most of the drugs round here and secondly, and more importantly . .

because they control the drugs round here they get stopped a lot. Last thing you want is to get knicked for having stolen goods when your running a shitload of drugs.

 

[Shirl]

Hi

I was at an airport a couple of weeks ago and I saw the first biker gang I have ever seen in the UK. They were Outlaws (I think).

They're always called the Outlaws.
I belonged to a gang called the Outlaws in 1966 My boyfriend was called Speedy

 

[tollbar]

That sounds like one of my parties


But Velouria I aint questioning what you are saying as it might be the case.

But all that party stuff and the asking someone about his bike etc cos they wanna rob it. TBH that sounds pretty much like reputation preceeding them if you know what I mean.

Did they nick his bike did the parts get robbed? Why could it not have been an interest in his bike?

It sounds like a rep thing, they show an interest. . . and they're on the rob.

The Slaves I knew Bought everything. Firstly cos they could afford it as the control most of the drugs round here and secondly, and more importantly . .

because they control the drugs round here they get stopped a lot. Last thing you want is to get knicked for having stolen goods when your running a shitload of drugs.

The Exeter Satans Slaves used to own a Pub, The Roadhouse in Cowick Street, they recently lost the licence.

Like DJB says they are all right if you are on the right side of them, I have known a few of them them on and off since the 70s and never seen any problems. Not people to cross though. They almost seem to be part of the Exeter establishment now though. Goes to show, I suppose how the drugs industry is ever so slowly infiltrating the mainstream.

Church Bellringers in the Exeter area compete every year for a cup which is awarded in memory of one of their number who died suddenly about 26 years ago. What the good churchgoers dont know is that it was partly paid for by the Satans Slaves who coughed up when the landlord of a pub they drunk in at the time got pissed and approached them for a donation.

 

[Strumpet]

My boss is a member of a patched bike club.
The members are always popping into the shop...even seen a few HA's pop in now n then...looked like nice old men to me.

 

[Velouria]

Oh I'm sure a lot of them are nice people. But a lot of them aren't.

 

[Skimix]

There was an HA clubhouse just down the road from where I used to live in Reading. Looking like a fort with metal plates over all the windows, CCTV everywhere etc. There never seemed to be any trouble though, I imagine we probably caused more hassle in the area being pissed students!

 

[djbombscare]

The Exeter Satans Slaves used to own a Pub, The Roadhouse in Cowick Street, they recently lost the licence.

Like DJB says they are all right if you are on the right side of them, I have known a few of them them on and off since the 70s and never seen any problems. Not people to cross though. They almost seem to be part of the Exeter establishment now though. Goes to show, I suppose how the drugs industry is ever so slowly infiltrating the mainstream.

Church Bellringers in the Exeter area compete every year for a cup which is awarded in memory of one of their number who died suddenly about 26 years ago. What the good churchgoers dont know is that it was partly paid for by the Satans Slaves who coughed up when the landlord of a pub they drunk in at the time got pissed and approached them for a donation.

Have they lost the Roadhouse ?


Fooking hell that was an establishment in itself. I'd only been in a few times and that was cos they said come in Never ever had the balls to walk in on me tod though.

 

[Psychonaut]

Im very dubious about all this - i read a book called 'Hells Angels' by Yves Lavgne. Heres a quick summary;

The story of biker gangs in north america starts starts around wartime, quickly degenerates into a cliched mad-max scenario then steadily progresses into a highly organised criminal network. The earlier pages inparticular are litterred with abduction, rape, torture, murder and intimidation. The women are treated like slaves. Murder of rivals is often required to earn a full patch. During the 60s, HA's teamed up with the police to brutally crush the emerging civil-rights & anti-war movement.

Somewhere down the line, with the transformation from savages into a drug/brothel/anything cartel there was a big PR campaign to instill in the general public a 'misunderstood, cuddly eccentric' image (powerful charm is a frequent trait of sociopathy, so its easy to imagine this strategy working). I actually got bored 3/4 of the way through - i like a little tension to build up between my bloodbaths!

OK, ive only read one book on the matter and have never met any patched bikers, but heres my question; Someone mentioned the UK HA's wanted to 'clean up' their image. Even if only 1/2 of the stuff in that book is true, why would any remotely pleasant person want to be associated with it? imo a genuine 'motorcycle club' would want to completely distance themselves and start over with a fresh name.

 

[tobyjug]

why would any remotely pleasant person want to be associated with it? imo a genuine 'motorcycle club' would want to completely distance themselves and start over with a fresh name.

There is a vast difference between a patch motorcycle club and HA. (Unfortunately the gutter press and the media seem totally unable to make the distinction).
Personally I find HA to be a sad lot of paranoid drug ridden dickheads.

 

[tollbar]

Have they lost the Roadhouse ?


Fooking hell that was an establishment in itself. I'd only been in a few times and that was cos they said come in Never ever had the balls to walk in on me tod though.

When I came down last month I had to get a Taxi out to Silverton, and during a conversation with the Driver he told me that the Slaves had lost the Licence for the Roadhouse over some drugs issue. A couple of weeks back there was a story in the Express and Echo that the pub has now been taken over by a brother and sister who ran a Pub in Exwick, they were very careful to mention what a good pub the Slaves had left them. Very wise imho.

Another Exeter pub with current Biker connections is the Jolly Porter. The Exeter branch of one of the German based side patch outfits (cant remember the name) is based there.

 

[dum dum]

I shagged the missus of some brumie outlaw bloke.

 

[rennie]

I shagged the missus of some brumie outlaw bloke.

Ay?

 

[JWH]

See, that's the sort of thing I'd keep quiet about, old chap.

Psychnaut: that's more or less what I had heard/read as well. Sonny Barger's book airbrushes out more than ... erm, I've lost it. Anyway, apart from a couple of "wacky japes" to do with stolen motorbikes in the early pages, Barger never says anything about the organized crime angle anywhere through the book. It's all "well, in a big barrel, there's bound to be a couple of rotten apples" toss.

It's full of stuff like "we asked them not to wear their patches when riding through our neighbourhood/town". Oh yeah? And how exactly does a Hell's Angel ask someone not to wear a patch typically? (Mind you, at least "civilians" are unlikely to get caught up in patch rucks, unlike football hoolies and stuff).

Taxamo: I read that Tony Thingy book, too - it was fucking bollocks. I thought it was going to be a bit smarter but it was actually just a "true crime" string of half-arsed anecdotes that could have come out of Take a Break!'s real life pages.

 

[stantheman666]

The White Swan in Greenwich used to be years ago, used to drink with some of the Outlaws there, nice guys.

Bikers and Biker Pubs are usually pretty peacefull, though when it does kick off it tends to get very serious.

IME experience its mostly old men mowadays, dont think there are so many young blokes involved in the patch clubs, and its never been as violent in the UK as in the US/Canada or Scandinavia.

Outlaws Wales have past Blood and Honour connections. As do the Road Rats,in the past, doing security at blood and honour gigs- in the past.

The Road Rats are Britains most violent 1% MC in Britain, and at various stages have been at war with nearly every major chapter in Europe including the Angels. The also have loose connections to the Bandidos, the Worlds most violent outlaw bikers. At one stage twelve Rats were serving life for murder.

 

[Dubversion]

Bournemouth was overrun with them in the 80s - the Chosen Few primarily. a lot of them were just playing at it, but there was also a lot of gun crime, violence, drug running etc. a couple of grim fucking murders (including some cheese wire across the promenade which took off one of the Gabriel brothers' heads.). and full on mod / biker scraps too..

i don't go back much, but they're still around AFAIK. most of them do seem to live with their mums though

 

[stantheman666]

Biker gangs in the UK have little power compared to Scandinavia, the US,Canada and Oz. In Scandinavia there has been a 'war' between the Hells Angels and Bandidos, with lots of people killed, even an RPG being used to attack one clubhouse.

There is no Bandidos chapter in Britain, in the US and Canada there is massive rivalry, and organised crime, even judges and law enforcement being bribed etc.

The Bandidos are most poweful in Oz, they were established after a gun battle that killed seven people.

Bandidos MC.

http://www.bandidosmc.cc/

On the West coast of the US, the Nazi 'lowriders' are the new kids on the block.

 

[pogofish]

The patch clubs in this area are a pale shadow of their former selves A couple of them - the Iron Angels & another lot whose name I forget are simply a couple of riding clubs with colours but no sinister connections whilst the two "real" gangs, the Black Angles & the Nomads keep a low profile. A few years back, the Nomads were into all sorts of trouble, theft & fights & the odd death, altough their relationship with the Black Angles remained reasonably cordial throughout - only a few punch-ups! Indeed the notorious Nomad Pres & his top honchos of my youth are only recently out of gaol after serving long sentences for serious assault & attempted murder. In the meantime, his boys had put their past to good use & more or less gone legit as one of the area's two main door security firms. Many pubs & clubs now use their services. The only time you usually see them in colours are at their regular Sunday sessions in the upstairs of a city pub or at a couple of local bike rallies & in recent years, I can't think of much bad happening around them at all. Certainly the current crop of members seem to be of a better calibre than before. The BA's (Who at one point were visited by & given the OK to affiliate with the HA's) have kept even quieter & TBH, I've only seen their colours out & about on a handful of occasions in recent years & by the looks of it, they don't have many new members & are beginning to look more than a bit decrepit.

Personally, I' not mourning the passing of that era at all. Biking has moved-on a lot since their 70's 80's heyday.

 

[djbombscare]

When I came down last month I had to get a Taxi out to Silverton, and during a conversation with the Driver he told me that the Slaves had lost the Licence for the Roadhouse over some drugs issue. A couple of weeks back there was a story in the Express and Echo that the pub has now been taken over by a brother and sister who ran a Pub in Exwick, they were very careful to mention what a good pub the Slaves had left them. Very wise imho.

Another Exeter pub with current Biker connections is the Jolly Porter. The Exeter branch of one of the German based side patch outfits (cant remember the name) is based there.

Yeah I used to drink in the Jolly porter quite a bit. But I recall seeing any patches in there. Mainly just sportsbike riders etc. mind you I wasn't really looking.

I used to live about 100 yards away from it, behind the Artful dodger.

hmm might be worth a visit again I reckon.

Next time your down let us know as I may be around we could meet up

 

[fucthest8]

Sorry for the derail, but just for the crack .... weirdest experience with the Exeter Slaves was running into them all pilled-up in a club. Funny as fuck, hairy arsed bikers alll nodding along to trance and going "Alright mate! What's yer name? Where yer from? What you on?"

 

[stantheman666]

The Road Rats pub is the Cartoon in Carlshalton, it used to be the Half Moon in Herne Hill a few years back.

 

[tobyjug]

The also have loose connections to the Bandidos, the Worlds most violent outlaw bikers. .

I think you will find the Mongrels from New Zealand have the "honour" of being the most violent biker gang on the planet.

 

[Pingu]

thats the "mighty mongrels" to you mr jug

 

[Poi E]

I think you will find the Mongrels from New Zealand have the "honour" of being the most violent biker gang on the planet.

They used to occasionally take over a small town near one of my relatives farms, used to be some good battles there. Sawn of shotgun was the weapon of choice. Edit: I mean punch ups with Black Power.

 

[tobyjug]

thats the "mighty mongrels" to you mr jug

According to who?