10 Of The Most Iconic (Fictional) Biker Gangs In Movie & Television History

There's an inherent cinematic quality to motorcycles. Filming someone in a car pretty much needs to be done inside the car, because from outside, you can't really see anyone. But with a motorcycle, a production can get an incredible aerial shot of the rider with the wind blowing through their hair. There's an intrinsic rebellious nature to motorcycles to where seeing someone pull up in frame on one already gives the audience an idea of what they're all about. After all, the most iconic Harley-Davidsons from movies and TV are typically ridden by the most bad-to-the-bone rebels. 

These concepts get amplified when a film or television series hones in on a biker gang. There's a hierarchy in place, with the leader typically at the front of an intimidating pack — often introduced as it rolls up to an otherwise peaceful town. 

Here, we'd like to pay tribute to some of the most awesome, iconic motorcycle gangs in film and TV history. For this list, we're only focusing on fictional gangs. There are plenty of real biker gangs showcased in a number of documentaries and other projects, such as Kenneth Anger's incredible 1963 short film "Scorpio Rising." We're not trying to catch any heat from real biker gangs by pitting them up against each other. In no particular order, here are the gangs that, as fictional as they may be, still leave quite the impression. 

As a TV series running for seven seasons, "Sons of Anarchy" really gets to focus on what makes its morally grey characters tick. The members of the Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club naturally get their hands dirty in many aspects, such as gun trafficking, but there's also a strong sense of brotherhood throughout. This is especially pertinent in the club's leader, Jax (Charlie Hunnam), who's haunted by a dark past but seeks to do what's right. This tug-of-war between light and dark makes him a far more relatable character than how bikers are sometimes portrayed, and hopefully, the show revealed that bikers are just as complex as anyone else. 

And if the show feels so authentic, that's likely because the "Sons of Anarchy" was based on the real-life biker gang, The Hells Angels. A few Hells Angels members even appeared as minor characters in the series, to lend it an air of legitimacy. 

However, the real driving force behind what makes the club compelling doesn't come from reality at all. Creator Kurt Sutter has explained that William Shakespeare's "Hamlet" was critical in the show's development. He explained to Metro, "It was Jax's father who started the club, so he's the ghost in the action. You wonder what he would have made of the way it turned out. It's not a version of Hamlet but it's definitely influenced by it." Even if the Sons of Anarchy aren't real, they feel the most real amongst fictional biker gangs thanks to phenomenal character development and a willingness to dive deep into what could make someone seek out such a violent community to be part of. 

"Mad Max" is known for having some absolutely bonkers motorcycles throughout the franchise. It was honestly a tough call about which gang to include from the series on this list, as Toecutter's Gang from the original "Mad Max" used actual bikers with their own bikes for the film. Perhaps it's recency bias, but the Biker Horde, led by the ever-charismatic Dementus (Chris Hemsworth), takes the cake for this one. 

First and foremost, Dementus' Biker Horde gets points for aura farming alone. Whenever there's a wide shot of all the bikers together, you get a great look at all the ways they've customized their rides with animal skulls and other parts they may have come by in the Wasteland. And that's to say nothing of Dementus' own ride, which consists of a Rotec R2800 plane engine attached to three motorcycles to give it the aesthetic of a classic horse chariot but with bikes instead of horses. 

The Biker Horde differentiates itself immensely from Immortan Joe (Lachy Hulme), who was first introduced in "Mad Max: Fury Road." Whereas he positions himself as a god, high above his subjects, Dementus is of his Horde. Dementus is all about pageantry; he's a far more fun antagonist than Joe, and that's exemplified by the biker gang that follows his every word. 

Seguing nicely from "Mad Max," there's just something about Australia that lends itself well to biker flicks. For something off the beaten path, biker film enthusiasts shouldn't miss 1974's "Stone," featuring the GraveDiggers. The biker gang is represented in stellar fashion, threading the needle to be a little ridiculous but still downright menacing. Instead of doing something like gunrunning, these bikers dedicate themselves to Satan. They also have a sick hangout spot in a stone crevice right by the ocean. 

Gradually, GraveDiggers are getting killed off one by one. Detective Stone (Ken Shorter) infiltrates the gang to figure out what could be happening behind the killings and finds himself getting lured in by the gang. The cult film actually serves as a great showcase about how thin the line is between the law and rebellion. Throughout the film, Stone sees how these gangs form because the people have nowhere else to turn and find a community. In this case, there's Dr. Death (Vincent Gil), who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder after serving in the Vietnam War. Since the rest of society shunned him, he found family with the GraveDiggers.

Another great aspect of "Stone" that makes it worth watching is the bike riding itself. There are a ton of races and chases that are even more exciting because everything you see is happening in-camera. 

Biker films and television are sadly a bit of a boy's club, even though there are plenty of real-world female motorcycle clubs, like the Femme Fatales and the Iron Lilies. Back in 1968, director Herschell Gordon Lewis, mostly known for his specific brand of gory "splatter" movies, made "She-Devils on Wheels" with the Man-Eater club front and center. It's an all-women biker gang who live by the motto "Sex, guts, blood, and all men are mothers." There's also the rule that no one in the Man-Eaters is allowed to fall in love. 

"She-Devils on Wheels" isn't exactly a good movie, but it's pure camp. You're never quite sure if it's depiction of women bikers is empowering or insulting, but there's something to be said of how real women bikers came in to make up the cast. The acting may leave something to be desired, but it's pretty cool in the riding shots to know that real female bikers are getting represented. 

When people think of classic biker movies, they probably think of stuff like "Easy Rider." But it was an immensely popular genre from the 1950s all the way to the '70s, and trust us, a lot of shlock got made during that time, too. For the full experience and to understand this type of media, it's probably for the best to check out "She-Devils on Wheels" or other exploitation biker films of that era to really see what it was all about. 

Those early seasons of "Bob's Burgers" could be a little edgy, as evidenced by season 3's "Ear-sy Rider" where a meth-making biker gang — the One-Eyed Snakes — strolls into town and almost gets into a brawl with some very WASP-y parents. Their leader, Critter (Robert Ben Garant), takes a liking to the titular restaurant, and Louise (Kristen Schaal) even calls on the bikers to help her with a bully she's dealing with. 

As an animated show, viewers don't get much in the way of cool stunts, but it's a refreshingly humorous depiction of biker gangs in media. For starters, Critter is completely nice toward Bob (H. Jon Benjamin) and his kids, even if he clearly has a sordid past. He pays Bob for the damages to the restaurant, and once he and his baby momma, Mudflap (Wendi McLendon-Covey), become parents, he even tries to get out of the gang to focus on being a dad and working a regular retail job. 

In so many biker movies and TV shows, the mantra is people live by the biker gang and die by the biker gang. The fact Critter actively wants to live a normal life, seeing it as a preferable alternative, it a heartwarming sign of how people can change. 

One of the most significant films within the biker genre is 1953's "The Wild One." It was one of the first to break through into the mainstream, thanks in no small part to Marlon Brando's bravado as the Black Rebels Motorcycle Club leader, Johnny Strabler. Drawing inspiration from 1947's Hollister riot, where a motorcycle rally quickly descended into chaos, "The Wild One" sees a gang pull up into a quaint, quiet town, bringing with them a sense of intrigue. But things escalate when another gang pulls up to confront Johnny's club. 

The Black Rebels Motorcycle Club cemented the image of the "biker" in the public consciousness. This was all aided thanks to the cool, collected demeanor of Brando's Johnny, with women all over the country becoming just as infatuated with him as Kathie (Mary Murphy). When asked what he's rebelling against, Johnny simply says, "Whaddya got?" It's the kind of line that glorified biker gangs to an extent, making them seem as a rebellious outlier. 

The 1950s were a period of economic prosperity in America, with more people working regular jobs and settling into the suburbs. Being a biker seemed like one final way to embrace the true American spirit of not listening to anyone and forging your own path. It also didn't hurt that Brando rode a slick Triumph Thunderbird T6, becoming one of the most iconic movie motorcycles of all time. 

The Mayans were a rival gang in "Sons of Anarchy," and after that series ended its successful run, audiences got to catch up to see what the Mayans were up to a couple of years after that show's events in "Mayans M.C." This time, our lead is EZ Reyes (J.D. Pardo), who has a historic ascent throughout the show. He's merely a prospect of the Mayans at the start, but in his quest for vengeance against the cartel that devastated his family, he rises to the rank of chapter president. 

The idea of what the American dream entails (or how it can become distorted) was prevalent in "The Wild One" in the 1950s, and that theme is still there in biker gang media in the modern day. EZ didn't always want to join a gang. In fact, he studied at Stanford and had dreams of becoming a doctor, but his mother's death forces him to question what he wants out of life. In a twisted way, this is the American dream full circle. Even if one thing doesn't work out or someone's desires change, they can always pivot into something else. A new path is ahead, even if it's one most people wouldn't follow you down. 

"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" was a massive hit, with the Turtle Van becoming one of the most beloved cartoon vehicles in history. The franchise spawned many imitators, including "Biker Mice from Mars," which first aired in 1993 but has remained beloved by '90s kids for exemplifying the "X-treme" aesthetic of the decade. As one could surmise from the title, these anthropomorphic mice originated on Mars, but came to Earth after the Plutarkians take all of Mars' resources. The Mice have no choice but to go to Earth, where they battle against the Plutarkians there to prevent them from taking Earth's resources, too. 

The show pulled off a '90s hat trick, featuring crime-fighting animals that are into extreme sports and also preach environmentalist messages. The last one takes a cue from "Captain Planet," with the mice having to stop various schemes, like stopping one villain from draining Lake Michigan. So many biker gangs on television are antagonists or anti-heroes at the best. The Biker Mice are straight-up heroes, just trying to do what's right and prevent Earth from becoming Mars. 

Maybe "Captain Planet" was too on the nose for some people. But during a time when climate change should be a foremost issue, with microplastics infesting virtually every facet of the planet, "Biker Mice from Mars" may be worth another look. 

Between 1970 and 1971, five films within the "Stray Cat Rock" series were released. These were Japanese outlaw biker movies focusing on the Alleycats gang, but if you only have it in you to check out one of these, it's the first — "Alleycat Rock: Female Boss" (also known as "Stray Cat Rock: Delinquent Girl Boss").

Unlike a lot of American biker B-movies, this film actually has a bit more on its mind than just showing cool scenes of ladies riding motorcycles (although there's plenty of that as well). There are themes related to combatting racism, as one of the bikers, Mei (Meiko Kaji), has a boyfriend getting seduced by right-wing nationalism. If anything, the Alleycats are a force for good more than anything. They look tough, but there are other gangs causing problems within their communities. 

The idea of bikers symbolizing freedom is not a uniquely American position. Numerous types of biker media show how sometimes the only way to attain justice and order is through less-than-legal means. The "Alleycat" movies are a fun time capsule of '70s aesthetics that shows the benefits that can be reaped when pursuing a standard biker story from a unique perspective. 

Peter Fonda is synonymous with countercultural films of the 1960s, culminating in arguably his best work, "Easy Rider." But before that, he was in a different kind of biker flick directed by the king of the cult film, Roger Corman. This was "The Wild Angels," which follows the fictional San Pedro chapter of the Hell's Angels, which is why it feels suitable enough for this list. 

The Angels gang arguably feels like the most "real" for a fictional biker gang. All the hallmarks of biker movies are here, complete with Fonda's character, Heavenly Blues, giving an impassioned speech about how he and his fellow bikers just want to be free from the man and free to do as they please. That sounds all well and good, and it's a theme throughout much of biker media. However, there's also the inescapable reality that so many biker gangs are entrenched in racist ideologies, with a Nazi flag getting draped over Loser's (Bruce Dern) coffin. Herein lies the hypocrisy: The bikers claim to want freedom, yet they encroach on the freedoms of everyone else, whether that's holding racist beliefs and discriminating against others, or holding a raucous party within a church. 

It's tough calling some of the biker gangs on this list "iconic" due to their white supremacist beliefs and truly horrid crimes. If anything, they're "iconic" because of the indelible impression they left on audiences, for better and worse.