# Are motorcycle gangs getting elderly?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-motorcycle-gangs-getting-elderly/352191>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [April 11, 2006, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-motorcycle-gangs-getting-elderly/352191 "2006-04-11T04:22:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\
**Post date:** [April 11, 2006, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-motorcycle-gangs-getting-elderly/352191/1 "2006-04-11T04:22:55Z")

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[Read this article](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12255286/from/RS.2/) on the Canadian killings.

I cant recall any gang crime type story I’ve read recently where the killers were all so middle aged with some bordering on “grandpa” status. Most of the Harley bikers I see on the road these days are at least as old as I am (48). Are motorcycle gangs dying out?

> [@](#):
>
> Police named Wayne Kellestine, 56, as a “full-patch” member of the Bandidos and said he would be charged with eight counts of first-degree murder. Also arrested at his farmhouse were Eric Niessen, 45; Kerry Morris, 56; Frank Mather, 32; and Brett Gardiner, 21. All were either from Moncton, Ontario, or Dutton-Dunwich Township, although Gardiner had no fixed address, police said.
> 
> Victims identified  
> The victims — all designated either as “full-patch” or associated members of the gang — were George Jesso, 52; George Kriarakis, 28; John Muscedere, 48; Luis Manny Raposo, 41; Francesco Salerajno, 43; Paul Sinopoli, 30; and Michael Trotta, 31. Jamie Flanz, 37, was named by police as a “prospective” member. All the men were from Ontario.

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**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\
**Post date:** [April 11, 2006, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-motorcycle-gangs-getting-elderly/352191/2 "2006-04-11T13:02:24Z")

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I think with the law enforcement crackdowns on biker gangs in the last 30 years, many “full patch” members have spent more than a few years in the pokey for their activities, adding to the median age of those out on the street. Law enforcement agencies watch over the bigger clubs like hawks, kind of killing any of the romantic notions new prospects might have about joining. Plus have you looked at the price of a Harley lately? I know I sure can’t join a club with a $20,000.00 cover charge… 😃

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**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\
**Post date:** [April 11, 2006, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-motorcycle-gangs-getting-elderly/352191/3 "2006-04-11T13:57:33Z")

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I think ‘full patch’ describes the size of their bald spots.

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**Author:** ![Balduran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cc9497/32.png) [@Balduran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balduran)\
**Post date:** [April 11, 2006, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-motorcycle-gangs-getting-elderly/352191/4 "2006-04-11T14:43:09Z")

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> [@astro](#):
>
> Most of the Harley bikers I see on the road these days are at least as old as I am (48).

Read an article a couple of years ago that said the average income of a Harley rider is 80K/year.

**Sam** 😃