Outlaws MC (Motorcycle Club)
The Outlaws Motorcycle Club, which has an official organizational name of American Outlaws Association (AOA) is a one percenter motorcycle club which was founded in McCook, Illinois in 1935.
Outlaws MC is one of the Big 4 one percenter motorcycle clubs along with the Hells Angels MC, Bandidos MC and Pagans MC.
The Outlaws Motorcycle Club have an official support club, known as Black Pistons MC, who act as a feeder club for recruitment as well as resources.
Outlaws MC History
Outlaws MC was founded in 1935 in McCook, Illinois by a group who loved to ride Harley Davidson motorcycles. This suburb is in the southwest of Chicago and the club is said to have formed in a bar named Matilda’s on famous Route 66 and was known as the McCook Outlaws.
The first major event after World War II was held in 1946 at Soldier Field in Chicago and later on in 1950 the club was renamed to the Chicago Outlaws at the time when the club moved from McCook to Chicago.
The Outlaws Motorcycle Club became a 1%er Brotherhood of Clubs member in 1963 and in 1964 expanded to take in the Gipsy Outlaws from Milwaukee followed by the Gypsy Outlaws from Louisville. It was at the time that the new chapters joined that the Chicago Outlaws chapter was named as the mother chapter. The next expansion was of the commencement of the Outlaws MC Florida chapter which opened in 1965.
4 chapters of the Satan’s Choice MC from Canada patched over to the Outlaws MC in July, 1977. At the time of the patching over the Satan’s Choice Motorcycle Club were one of the largest outlaw clubs in Canada.
See our Outlaws MC Chapters list for more information on how far and wide this expansion has been for this one percenter motorcycle club with a huge presence in Germany through Outlaws MC Germany.
Outlaws MC Australia was added to the organization in 1994, making the fifth continent of expansion for the one percenter motorcycle club.
In January, 1997, European Outlaws MC President Thore “Henki” Holm and an Outlaws member from France are shot and wounded by a member of Untouchables MC (a Hells Angel ally). The Outlaws MC formed an alliance with Bandidos MC against the Hells Angels MC as part of the Great Nordic Biker War.
2015 marks the 80th anniversary of the Outlaws MC, making them one of the longest running motorcycle clubs of any type in history.
Outlaws MC Patch and Motto
Their original logo was a winged motorcycle, but this was replaced in the early 1950’s with a skull. In 1954 came the addition of pistons to the skull. A later redesign occurred in 1959 which saw changes to the size of the skull and pistons, the finished product of which can be seen today.
The skull and pistons in the Outlaws Motorcycle Club logo is known as “Charlie”.
The Outlaws MC motto is “God Forgives, Outlaws Don’t”. The meaning of this is pretty straight forward.
Outlaws MC Chapters
Each branch of the Outlaws MC is known as a chapter, or sometimes also referred to as a charter.
The Outlaws Motorcycle Club has a very significant number of chapters in the USA, as well as throughout the rest of the world, particularly in Germany where there are dozens of Outlaws MC Germany chapters as well as many in England and Wales.
There are many other one percenter motorcycle clubs which also go by the name of the Outlaws, however are not part of this particular organization.
We have compiled a detailed list of the official Outlaws MC chapters, with many photos, which you can see in our article The Outlaws MC Chapters.
Famous Outlaws MC Members
Read our full article on Famous Outlaws MC Members.
Harry Joseph “Taco” Bowman – Indicted in relation to ordering bombings of rival clubhouses, he is also charged for multiple murders and was added to the FBI’s Most Wanted list of the 1990’s at #453. Harry Joseph Taco Bowman is also the former international President of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club. View the full Harry Taco Bowman article.
David Allan Coe – Musician and former member of the club. View our full article on David Allan Coe.
Outlaws MC Crime / In The Media
1980 – Sons of Silence member Steven W. Kressin kills the Outlaws MC National Vice President in Indianapolis using an AK47.
1989 – Shots are fired in a fight between Iron Horsemen MC, Outlaws MC, the Aeolas, and the Free Boarders at Vic’s Brew & Cue in Mount Carmel, Ohio. 2 people are killed and 4 seriously injured in the shooting.
1991 – USA. February, 1991. Warlocks MC (Florida) New Smyrna Beach chapter President Raymond “Bear” Chaffin is shot four times in the neck and head area while in his home garage working on his Harley Davidson motorcycle. He was found by his daughter, Wendy, when she returned home from school. The murder is later connected to the Outlaws MC, planned by Outlaws MC members Harry “Taco” Bowman and Wayne Hicks. This information came out when Wayne Hicks turned an informant.
1995 – 3 March, 1995. Hells Angels member Jack John “Four-By” Castle is shot while sitting in his Lincoln vehicle on the 2400 block of West George Street in Chicago’s Northwest. Jack Castle had previously been a member of the West Chicago chapter of Hells Henchmen MC until they were patched over by the Angels in December 1994. He is shot with .30-caliber rifle slugs and dies from the injuries. In October 2000 the Outlaws MC Southside Chicago chapter President Carl J. “Jay” Warneke is convicted of the murder.
1997 – January, 1997. Outlaws MC President Thore “Henki” Holm and an Outlaws member from France are shot and wounded by a member of Untouchables MC (an ally of Hells Angels) during the Great Nordic Biker War.
1999 – November, 1999. Operation “Iron Horse,” a four-year state and federal investigation of motorcycle clubs in the Midwest charges 4 members of the Outlaws MC with distributing over 200 pounds of cocaine, with a street value of $3 million to members of the Grim Reapers MC between 1998 and 1998. 18 Grim Reapers members, including the Grim Reapers National President, are also charged with various offences as part of the investigation.
2007 – 24 June, 2007. Outlaws Motorcycle Club member Frank Rego Vital was shot and killed in the parking lot of the Crazy Horse Saloon in Forest Park, Georgia, by two Renegades motorcycle club members who had reportedly acted in self-defence after they had been followed by members of Outlaws MC. The two Renegades members had been shot multiple times, but survived.
2008 – June, 2008. A motorcycle swap meet, named the Ironhorse Roundup, held at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Grayslake was cancelled due to concerns about a rivalry between the Hells Lovers and Outlaws MC. Law enforcement officials were concerned that if the event proceeded it may have been a staging ground for violence as the clubs had a settle to score. The notice of the show’s cancellation came very late, as hundreds, if not thousands, of bikers had already made the trip and only found out about the cancellation after they arrived.
2014 – 1 February, 2014. There is a fight between members of the Heathens Motorcycle Club and Outlaws MC at the Easyriders bike show in Nashville, Tennessee. Reportedly around 15 members of Outlaws MC joined the brawl against 2 Heathens members, who were believed to have their families at the show with them. An Ol’ Lady of one of the Heathens was also involved in the fight, believed to have been body-slammed. An Outlaws members had part of his ear bitten off in the scuffle. The fight started over members of the Heathens were wearing a shirt supporting a jailed brother, who was an ex-Outlaws MC member. The Outlaws took offence at the shirt and were requesting they be removed.
2014 – 25 July, 2014. A fight breaks out in an Applebee’s in Athens, Tennessee betweens members of the Heathens MC and Widowmakers MC just before midnight. Shortly after there is a related shooting at the Kangaroo Convenience Store on Decatur Pike, where the Heathens are believed to have fired shots from a Chevy Tahoe at members of Outlaws MC. Outlaws Motorcycle Club members Steven Kirkland and Patrick Petty are injured.
2017 – 29 April, 2017. There is a confrontation between members of the Kingsmen MC and Outlaws MC at a Circle K gas station on West Main Street in Leesburg, Orlando. Two men, David Donovan, believed to be of the Kingsmen MC, and Marc Knotts, believed to be of the Outlaws MC, are shot multiple times each. The clubs were believed to be in the area attending the Leesburg Bikefest. On 17 May, 2017 Outlaws MC members Marc Edward “Knothead” Knotts and Jesus Alberto Marrero are arrested and charged with murder, conspiracy to commit murder and kidnapping. On 27 June, 2017 Outlaws MC member Miguel Angel Torres III turns himself in to police and is charged with murder, conspiracy to commit murder, kidnapping and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. On 9 September, 2017 Outlaws MC member Gregory Alan Umphress is charged with conspiracy to commit murder and kidnapping.
2017 – 25 August, 2017. The Outlaws St Petersburg, Florida clubhouse is torched.
Outlaws MC Books / Movies / TV / Media
Outlaws Book / Photojournalism – Danny Lyon: The Bikeriders by Danny Lyon.
The Outlaws Motorcycle Club were the focus of a 1967 photojournalism piece by Danny Lyon. This compiled of both photographs and interviews with members between 1963 and 1967. Find out more on Amazon (link opens in a new window).
Outlaws Book – Vagos, Mongols, and Outlaws: My Infiltration of America’s Deadliest Biker Gangs by Charles Falco and Kerrie Droban.
Charles Falco was a large scale methamphetamine dealer in 2001, reportedly earning $500,000 a year, when he was arrested by law enforcement and provided a deal by the ATF to infiltrate outlaw motorcycle clubs. First it was Vagos MC, where he rose to the role of “Officer” (second in charge) in the Victorville, California chapter. He later joined the Mongols and lastly the Outlaws where he became the Petersburg, Virginia Vice President. Find out more on Amazon (link opens in a new tab).
Outlaws Book – Bikin’ and Brotherhood: My Journey by David Charles Spurgeon.
David Spurgeon spent 11 years riding with the Outlaws Motorcycle Club. In this book he shares his own experiences of being in the club, without seeming to over-stretch the truth. Find out more on Amazon (link opens in a new tab).
Rivals of the Outlaws MC / Enemies / Allies
Outlaws Motorcycle Club enemies:
- The main rivals of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club are the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club. It is said that the term “ADIOS” is used by the Outlaws MC, which in said in relation to the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club stands for “Angels Die in Outlaw States”.
- Hells Lovers MC are enemies.
- Heathens MC are enemies.
- The Highwaymen MC are also a rival of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club. This is mainly due to turf wars in the Detroit area, where the Highwaymen Motorcycle Club are the largest club.
- Iron Order MC are enemies.
- Renegades MC are enemies.
- Warlocks MC (Florida) are enemies. The Outlaws are tied to the murder of a Warlocks Chapter President.
Outlaws Motorcycle Club allies:
- Abutre’s MC are allies.
- Black Pistons MC is the official support club of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club. Their enemies are therefore aligned with those of the Outlaws.
- Grim Reapers MC (USA) are allies.
- Iron Coffins MC are allies.
- Mongols MC are allies.
Outlaws Motorcycle Club support clubs:
- Keltics MC
- Legacy MC
- New Attitudes MC
- Regulator Riders MC (support for Outlaws Dayton)
- Wolf Pack MC
Outlaws Motorcycle Club patching over:
- Fates Assembly MC – The Outlaws are believed to have patched over at least one of the Fates Assembly chapters in the 2000s. Most of the other chapters were taken over by the Hells Angels.
Read More:
- The Outlaws MC Chapters
- Black Pistons MC
- Hells Angels Motorcycle Club
- Famous Outlaws MC Members
- List of One Percenters Motorcycle Clubs
- Bandidos Motorcycle Club
- Highwaymen MC
- Outlaw Motorcycle Club Books
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