# Do all countries have biker gangs? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 24, 2009, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-all-countries-have-biker-gangs/490575 "2009-03-24T13:50:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-all-countries-have-biker-gangs/490575/1 "2009-03-24T13:50:27Z")
After reading about the [rumble](http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090322/ap_on_re_au_an/as_australia_biker_brawl) at the Sydney Austraila airport, I have to ask. ---
**Author:** ![MarcusF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/67e7ee/32.png) [@MarcusF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MarcusF)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-all-countries-have-biker-gangs/490575/2 "2009-03-24T13:56:15Z")
We [certainly do](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/coventry_warwickshire/6943573.stm)in the UK. ---
**Author:** ![footballisplayedwithyourfeet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9f8e36/32.png) [@footballisplayedwithyourfeet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/footballisplayedwithyourfeet)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-all-countries-have-biker-gangs/490575/3 "2009-03-24T14:06:52Z")
Same in the Netherlands, they even call themselves Hell’s Angels ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-all-countries-have-biker-gangs/490575/4 "2009-03-24T14:37:02Z")
Link may NBSFW due to nudity, etc. The [Hells Angels](http://www.hells-angels.com/CHARTERS.html) alone boast of over a hundred chapters in 29 or so countries. > [@](#): > > U.S.A, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Spain, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, England/Wales, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Greece, Russia,Bohemia, Portugal, Chile, Croatia, Luxembourg & N.Ireland, Hungary. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-all-countries-have-biker-gangs/490575/5 "2009-03-24T14:37:27Z")
The Hells Angels are all over the world, but I doubt you’d find a Hells Angels or other biker gang in a place like Burkina Faso. There just isn’t enough money in a place like that to be made from drug trade, etc. Plus, how cool is it to look driving around a place like Burkina Faso on a Harley? But that incident in the Australian airport–while shocking–somehow doesn’t surprise me too much. That said, there’s always going to be a “wannabe” wherever you go. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-all-countries-have-biker-gangs/490575/6 "2009-03-24T15:09:03Z")
I’ve never seen any in Panama. There is a group of Harley riders, but I’ve never heard of them being involved in any crime problems. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-all-countries-have-biker-gangs/490575/7 "2009-03-24T15:19:39Z")
Here are some articles on [continuing](http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3760/is_199704/ai_n8766726) [biker](http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/carbomb-killing-of-renegade-rekindles-denmarks-biker-violence-in-suburbia-580299.html) [violence](http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2009/02/200922623238903571.html) in Denmark. ---
**Author:** ![lalenin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@lalenin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lalenin)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-all-countries-have-biker-gangs/490575/8 "2009-03-24T15:23:36Z")
None in Cuba, our gangs mostly move on foot, gas is hard to come by. ---
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-all-countries-have-biker-gangs/490575/9 "2009-03-24T15:48:05Z")
Given **lieu’s** list, it’s clear that the term, “civilized Western nations,” is a relative term. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-all-countries-have-biker-gangs/490575/10 "2009-03-24T16:30:40Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > Link may NBSFW due to nudity, etc. > > The [Hells Angels](http://www.hells-angels.com/CHARTERS.html) alone boast of over a hundred chapters in 29 or so countries. I don’t know which surprised me more: that the Hell’s Angels have a website, or that they are incorporated and have trademark protection boilerplate posted: > [@](#): > > HELLS ANGELS and the skull logo (R) are trademarks owned by Hells Angels Motorcycle Corporation, registered in the USA and in many other countriesAll logos and designs of Hells Angels are trademark-protected™ and protected according to international law. Copying and other use is not allowed. That’s one trademark you really don’t want to violate. ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-all-countries-have-biker-gangs/490575/11 "2009-03-24T16:38:39Z")
Judging from Armenian soap operas and comedies, I’m going to make the assumption that they have biker gangs as well. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2009, 9:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-all-countries-have-biker-gangs/490575/12 "2009-03-26T09:27:19Z")
> [@lalenin](#): > > None in Cuba, our gangs mostly move on foot, gas is hard to come by. And the camel isn’t always reliable. ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2009, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-all-countries-have-biker-gangs/490575/13 "2009-03-26T11:37:16Z")
Biker gangs look different in Venezuela but they are certainly there. They used to ride small economy Japanese bikes with no fairings. Now they are more likely to ride crotch rockets. Other than that, you have the same package. Leather jackets, tattoos, drunken revelry, chain and knife fights, the whole list of cliches. One cool tidbit is that when one dies, the casket is held high and the gang drives their bikes under the casket as a final salute. Here in PR there are plenty of bike clubs, but not gangs that I am aware of. Odd since both bikes and gangs are popular things around here. Maybe they are scooter gangs and I just haven’t bothered to notice them. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2009, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-all-countries-have-biker-gangs/490575/14 "2009-03-26T15:03:18Z")
I’ve never heard of biker gangs here in Israel. Of course, the country is so small that the “freedom of the open road” doesn’t really count for much. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2009, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-all-countries-have-biker-gangs/490575/15 "2009-03-26T16:13:48Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Do all countries have biker gangs? No. Vatican City, Monaco, Nauru, San Marino do not. Sorry, no cite. P.S. What would be cool is if every dignitary at the Holy See had a [Popemobile](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/03/Popemobile_passes_the_White_House.jpg). That would make for a nice procession. ---
**Author:** ![Bluffcityguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ebca7d/32.png) [@Bluffcityguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bluffcityguy)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2009, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-all-countries-have-biker-gangs/490575/16 "2009-03-26T16:30:33Z")
> [@Arnold\_Winkelried](#): > > No. Vatican City, Monaco, Nauru, San Marino do not. Sorry, no cite. Well, there’s a Hells Angels charter in Rome. That’d probably make one in Vatican City redundant. > [@Arnold\_Winkelried](#): > > P.S. What would be cool is if every dignitary at the Holy See had a [Popemobile](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/03/Popemobile_passes_the_White_House.jpg). That would make for a nice procession. I think it’d be neater if there were a Hells Angels charter in Vatican City, and it was required that every member of the College of Cardinals be a member. That’d certainly make the conclaves to elect a new Pope a much more interesting spectacle. Cheers, bcg ---
**Author:** ![Desert\_Nomad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desert_nomad/32/177_2.png) [@Desert\_Nomad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desert_Nomad)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2009, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-all-countries-have-biker-gangs/490575/17 "2009-03-26T16:34:57Z")
Bhutan and Oman don’t have motorcycle gangs either. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2009, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-all-countries-have-biker-gangs/490575/18 "2009-03-26T19:27:43Z")
You have to wonder really, what kind of a moron would want to be a member of a bike gang. We’re not talking 16 and 17 year old impressionable youths here; we’re talking grown men in their 20s, 30, 40s even. What kind of a dipshit and parasite on society are you that your feel the need to belong in a gang that’s obviously involved in theft, drug trafficking, violent behaviour, and money laundering? Grow the fuck up. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2017, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-all-countries-have-biker-gangs/490575/19 "2017-12-23T06:40:57Z")
Yes and no for Thailand. There are bikers, but they’re always farangs (Westerners). They all seem to live in or near Pattaya (aka Sin City). The Hell’s Angels have a presence, usually Australians, and they’re constantly in the news for murder or drugs. [Some just got busted this month](https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/crime/1373492/hells-angels-members-busted-in-pattaya). I recall a biker gang named the Jesters, also running out of Pattaya. EDIT: Didn’t mean to revive a zombie. This thread is now linked from the new main SD page as a Related Thread to this week’s column, so I thought it must be fairly new. I only now saw too late the most recent reply was from eight years ago. If the main page is going to do this, expect more zombie resurrections. ---
**Author:** ![Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brown_eyed_girl/32/3574_2.png) [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brown_Eyed_Girl)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2017, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-all-countries-have-biker-gangs/490575/20 "2017-12-23T07:08:56Z")
Carpe corpse! But first, BBBRRRRAAAAAIIIIINNNNSSS. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-all-countries-have-biker-gangs/490575.md?page=2)