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Historic Groups that Started Innocent then Took an Evil Turn

Khalid Elhassan November 8, 2020 32 min

Harley-Davidson - Harley-Davidson WLA — Harley-Davidson WLAs. Motorcyclist

34. From World War II Veterans Groups to Outlaw Bikers

A Harley-Davidson WLA Liberator on the trail Motorcyclist

As happens after most wars, some returning WWII veterans had trouble readjusting to civilian life. Some suffered from what we now know as PTSD, some wanted to recapture the war’s adventure and adrenaline rush, and some were just plain bored. Some formed motorcycle clubs, riding together mostly in military surplus Harley-Davidsons. At first, it was just about camaraderie, but it did not take long before some of the veterans’ motorcycle clubs gained a reputation as outlaws.

It began with a 1947 American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) sanctioned rally in Hollister, California, that started off innocent enough. As seen below, it morphed into an out-of-control biker riot that ravaged the town, and gave rise to the iconic biker outlaw image.

Written by

Khalid Elhassan

A lifelong history buff, I developed a particular passion for WW2 history as a child, when I spent hours listening to my grandfather, enraptured, as he recounted his wartime experiences in the British East African Campaign and with the British 8th Army in North Africa.

I graduated with a history BA from George Mason University, then went on to get a JD from the University of Virginia School of Law. After lawyering for a decade, I moved to sunny Rio de Janeiro and a less demanding career, opening a tourism agency in Copacabana.

A big chunk of my free time is spent blogging (you can follow me on Quora https://www.quora.com/profile/Khalid-Elhassan ) or freelance writing, mostly about my favorite subject, history.