What Does 81 Mean To Hells Angels Bikers?
The Hells Angels were formed in Southern California in 1948, as motorcycle culture exploded after World War II. The Angels remain one of the United States' "Big Four" outlaw motorcycle clubs, and helped inspire the Harley-Davidson "Club Style" of bikes. The Hells Angels have traditionally sported black jackets and vests with red and white logos, and many of the club's chapters worldwide sell merchandise in that color scheme with the number 81 featured prominently in place of the group's name. The number 81 is intended as a stand-in for the words "Hells Angel," or "Hells Angels," with H being the eighth letter of the alphabet and A being the first.
The number is used in place of the name on insignias not meant to be worn by members, like the merchandise for sale from outlets like the Spain-based Support 81 and Support 81 Madrid websites or the Hells Angels chapter in Wolverhampton, England. The official Hells Angels site states plainly, "We do not allow non members to display our Name and Logo for their personal use." Offering "81" as an alternative lets non-members show support for the Angels without representing themselves as members, and gives chapters a way to market merchandise to people outside the organization.
The club took its name from a World War II B-17 bomber
The Hells Angels took their name from a World War II B-17 bomber that was christened "Hell's Angels" after a fictional plane from a Howard Hughes World War I film. The real-life World War II B-17 bore serial number 41-24577 and was commanded by Capt. Irl Baldwin.
The first chapter outside California was established in New Zealand in 1961, and the Angels spread across the United States throughout the rest of the decade. A chapter was established in London in 1969, and there are now 275 clubs in Europe and others in every continent except Antartica, where it's virtually impossible to ride a Harley.
Local Hells Angels chapters host annual toy drives during the holiday season to help distribute gifts to kids in need. In fact, a California chapter bought the entire stock of 200-plus bikes from a Fresno, California Walmart in 2014 and donated them to a local non-profit group.
Two years later, a British Angel named Robert told Vice, "What we stand for is very simple: high standards in life. You treat people the way you want to be treated, you give and get respect."