This Is The Largest Outlaw Motorcycle Club In California (And When It Was Founded)

The majority of motorcycle enthusiasts — as well as the general public — have heard the name, and maybe even watched a few movies inspired by them, but how much do you really know about the Hells Angels? Not only is the Hells Angels one of the most famous outlaw motorcycle clubs in California, they're easily the largest in the state. There are roughly 6,000 Hells Angels members and 467 charters throughout the world . The club has over 100 chapters in the U.S. and California is home to about 25 of those.

Founded in the sunbaked streets of Fontana, California, in 1948, the Hells Angels didn't start as outlaws. In fact, just like America's biggest military motorcycle club (the USVMC), they were simply a group of World War II veterans looking for the same brotherhood they had during the war. After WWII, military surplus motorcycles were cheap and everywhere.

As a result, it didn't take long for groups of returning vets to start organizing rides, meetups, and eventually, full-blown clubs. After leaving another club, war veteran Otto Friedli went on to create the Hells Angels, one of the earliest motorcycle clubs. That name came from a fellow vet named Arvid Olsen, who had ties to the "Flying Tigers" 3rd air squadron named Hells Angels, and it stuck. Over time, their red-and-white colors, the winged skull logo, which is nicknamed the Death Head, and that rebellious attitude became iconic. 

The Oakland chapter, formed in 1957, really turned things up a notch. That was when Sonny Barger came in for good and became the face of the club. He shaped the Hells Angels from a local group to a powerful and organized bike club. In fact, by 1965, the California attorney general had officially labeled them as an organized crime syndicate. Then by 1961, they weren't just cruising through California, but even opening chapters as far as New Zealand.

Within decades, they spread to Europe, Australia, South America, and even parts of Africa. Believe it or not, they even opened a chapter in Turkey in 2009. Basically, wherever they went, their reputation followed. These days, you'll find Hells Angels chapters from Alaska all the way down to the Caribbean. Most members ride Harley-Davidsons and wear club gear with pride. And if a typical member really rides 20,000 miles a year, as the group claims, it just shows how seriously they live that life.

But joining isn't as easy as buying a bike and showing up. Hells Angels members live by rules, and there's a strict vetting process. Ex-members are expected to return anything with the Hells Angels name or logo on it.

Over the years, the Hells Angels have received plenty of attention. However, not all of it has been for the right reasons. Their name often pops up in law enforcement circles, especially in relation to drug activity and violent run-ins. Obviously, not every member is tied to criminal acts, but certain chapters have found themselves under the spotlight more than once. For instance, in the 1980s, two major federal cases tried to take them down using organized crime laws, but both ended without convictions. This only added to their image as a group that doesn't back down.

But it was pop culture, more than anything, that brought the real spotlight to the club. For example, a Rolling Stones concert in Altamont back in 1969 is an unforgettable moment. At that time, the club was hired to handle security. But unfortunately, things got messy at the concert, resulting in a murder charge against a Hells Angels member. A lot of it was caught on camera as well. Later, that footage even showed up in the documentary Gimme Shelter, which got a lot of attention. After the incident, people started to take notice of the club even more. Then came books like "Hells Angels: A Strange and Terrible Saga" by Hunter S. Thompson. He actually rode with them for a while and wrote about it, and even though things didn't end well between them, his book made the club even more famous.