Why Do Biker Gangs Like The Hells Angels Usually Ride Harley-Davidsons?

Certain things in life just go together. Macaroni and cheese, Batman and Robin, Yin and Yang. Much like those time-tested pairings, Harley-Davidson motorcycles have long been associated with biker gangs. But why does this connection between one of the most iconic symbols of open-road freedom and outlaw biker gangs exist? Surprisingly, the answer is as long as Sonny Barger's rap sheet.

In 1905, Harley-Davidson's first motorcycle (the Model 1) rolled out across the Wisconsin countryside. It was basically nothing more than a bicycle with a single-cylinder engine mounted to it. The legendary brand has been roaring through thick and thin for 120 years — literally longer than any of the 8.2 billion people walking the planet today. That's an incredible achievement, but it also says that no one on Earth can remember a time when there wasn't a Harley gliding down the road. So when people think of an American motorcycle, they recall one name: Harley-Davidson.

During WWI, H-D made approximately 20,000 motorcycles for the U.S. military, accounting for about half of its overall production and helping establish it as a force in America's economy. By comparison, the Indian Motorcycle Company produced nearly 50,000 for the war effort between 1917 and 1919.

The first "outlaw" biker gang didn't appear until 1935, when employees of the locomotive firm Electro-Motive Corporation created the McCook Outlaws Motorcycle Club at Matilda's Bar on old Route 66 in a suburb of Chicago. The MC stayed together while WWII raged, but activities were few and far between.

Between 1941 and 1945, Harley-Davidson manufactured approximately 90,000 motorcycles for the U.S. military and its allies of Great Britain, Canada, and Russia. World War II was a global event that gave a considerable boost to the motorcycle industry as a whole, with the Indian Motorcycle Company providing another 35,000 bikes.

Thousands of military servicemen learned how to ride and repair motorcycles, particularly Harley's Army-spec WLA "Liberator" (based on the civilian WL model) powered by a 45-cubic-inch (750cc) flathead V-twin. Unlike the bikes ridden during WWI, none of Harley's motorcycles used in WWII saw direct combat. They were, however, heavily used for policing, scouting, and courier duties, as well as for escorting military convoys. Because these bikes never saw front-line combat, more of them survived.

As veterans returned stateside, they were asked to fit into a world diametrically opposed to the war-torn battlefields they'd just left behind. Some vets were able to adjust, while others found it difficult to shake off the experience, developing flashbacks, nightmares, and severe anxiety — what we now know as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Others simply missed the camaraderie formed between fellow soldiers. Vets then gobbled up the massive surplus of used Harleys available to them, because this affordable means of transportation provided the excitement vets were yearning for since leaving the service.

[Featured image by Verein der Freunde und Förderer der Wehrtechnischen Studiensammlung Koblenz e. V. via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY-SA 3.0]

Members of the McCook Outlaws Motorcycle Club were different after the war, a stark difference that can easily be seen in the photograph taken of them before and after. The wholesome, clean-cut men and women seen in 1935 were replaced by a set of very different men (only), seen in a picture taken in 1946.

The war did something to the members, movinh them away from the spirited "club" they once were to a much harder-edged "gang." In 1950, they changed their name from McCook Outlaws Motorcycle Club to the Chicago Outlaws, showcasing that a paradigm shift had indeed occurred. The recent 2023 film "The Bikeriders" (starring Tom Hardy, Austin Butler, and Jodie Comer) is loosely based on the Chicago Outlaws. A similar shift would be seen in other motorcycle clubs across the country. 

In May of 1946, the Outlaws held what they consider the first significant post-war motorcycle event at Soldier Field (home of the Chicago Bears). This was a full year before the infamous Hollister Riot in July 1947. Some 4,000 riders — many of whom were riding Harley-Davidsons and were members of notorious motorcycle clubs — descended onto an American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) hill climb event in Hollister, California, and chaos erupted. A police chief referred to these hellion bikers as "outlaw visitors," and the media spread the events nationwide.

The sentiment surrounding these "outlaws" was reinforced when an article in "Life" magazine, accompanied by images taken by photographer Barney Peterson, showcased drunken men sitting atop Harley-Davidson motorcycles (like the one above). According to several accounts, these pictures were staged, and the media blew the entire rally out of proportion.

At the height of its popularity, "Life" was a weekly news magazine with a circulation count that reached nearly one-quarter of the country's population. It was the Internet of its day and likely one of the driving forces that made the general population aware of the connection between these "outlaws" and Harley-Davidsons.

The Pissed Off Bastards of Bloomington were a group of vets that joined together in the wake of WWII in Southern California. However, a small group broke off and formed the Hells Angels, one of the biggest and most (in)famous outlaw motorcycle gangs on the planet today.

The version of the Hells Angels we know today can best be credited to Ralph "Sonny" Barger, who took over as the club's president in 1958 and died in June 2022 at 83. Ironically, Barger didn't care much for Harleys. In an interview with the BBC in 2000, he said everyone rode them because it was part of the biker tradition, but "they were a piece of junk, in terms of machinery." Sure, they had the famous "grumble" and more low-end torque, but Barger admitted Japanese bikes had superior engineering.

The Hells Angels have a litany of rules to become a member, one of which includes riding an American-made bike. Contrary to what many think, the actual "rule" doesn't require the use of a Harley-Davidson, but it's strongly suggested.

In fact, most MCs allow any American-made bike, including Buell (which Harley owns) and the occasional Indian or Victory. This idea stretches back to the early days of vets returning from war and wanting to show patriotism and loyalty. Motorcycles from any other country, especially those the U.S. fought in the war (Japan, Germany, etc.), simply weren't allowed. Other MCs like the Outlaws, Bandidos, and Pagans also have this long-standing rule.

In March 2018, Trump ordered tariffs on imported steel (25%) and aluminum (10%). A few months later, Harley-Davidson announced they were moving some motorcycle production overseas to avoid the tariffs on bikes meant for European markets. This didn't seem to phase MCs loyalty to Harley-Davidson, though, as the rule still applies, and members still ride them.

Recently, the company announced it was moving non-core models equipped with the Revolution Max powertrain (Pan America, Sportster S, and Nightster) to its manufacturing plant in Thailand, which has been operating for over six years. This strategic business move allows U.S. facilities to increase capacity for its core and most popular models, including the Grand American Touring series, the Softail line, and the Trike bikes. It's a move that should only bolster outlaw motorcycle gangs' ties to Harley-Davidson.