The Top 3 Outlaw Motorcycle Clubs: A Global Overview

The top three outlaw motorcycle clubs, based on size, international footprint, and repeated mention in law-enforcement assessments, are the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club, the Bandidos Motorcycle Club, and the Outlaws Motorcycle Club. These groups—often cited by agencies such as the U.S. Department of Justice and Europol—have thousands of members across hundreds of chapters worldwide and decades-long histories marked by high-profile investigations and periodic clashes with rivals. While their exact membership totals fluctuate and are difficult to verify, their global reach and sustained prominence keep them at the forefront of the outlaw motorcycle scene.

How “top” is defined

There is no single official ranking of outlaw motorcycle clubs. Journalistic and law-enforcement analyses typically weigh three factors: estimated membership, number of chapters, and international presence. Also considered is sustained law-enforcement attention—ranging from organized crime investigations to bans on local chapters or insignia in certain jurisdictions. Not all members engage in crime, but these clubs persistently appear in court records and government reports describing criminal activity involving some members, even as the organizations themselves often dispute such characterizations.

Hells Angels Motorcycle Club (HAMC)

Origins and identity

Founded in postwar California in 1948, the Hells Angels have become the most widely recognized outlaw motorcycle club. Over decades, the club expanded from the American West to Canada, Europe, Oceania, and beyond, developing a distinctive brand, culture, and strict internal protocols.

Size and reach

By most contemporary estimates, the Hells Angels maintain hundreds of chapters and several thousand members across dozens of countries. Their footprint is particularly strong in North America and Western Europe, with notable chapters in Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Scandinavia, as well as in Australia and New Zealand.

Notable incidents and legal attention

The club has figured prominently in biker conflicts, including the Nordic “biker wars” of the 1990s, and long-running rivalries in North America. Courts and governments in parts of Europe have taken aggressive steps: for example, the Hells Angels were banned as an organization in the Netherlands (2019, upheld in subsequent rulings), and German authorities have prohibited certain chapters and symbols in various states. Members in multiple countries have faced prosecutions for offenses ranging from narcotics and weapons crimes to violent assaults; the club typically rejects blanket allegations about its activities.

Bandidos Motorcycle Club

Origins and identity

Established in 1966 in Texas, the Bandidos grew quickly across the American South and West before expanding into Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. They are often described in official reports as one of the largest international outlaw motorcycle clubs, with a strong emphasis on club hierarchy and regional structure.

Size and reach

The Bandidos are generally credited with several thousand members and associates across more than 20 countries, including extensive networks in Germany, Scandinavia, Spain, Australia, and the United States. Their European presence, in particular, has been a focal point of policing and media coverage.

Notable incidents and legal attention

The club’s profile rose sharply after the 2015 shootout in Waco, Texas, involving Bandidos and Cossacks members and others—an event that led to mass arrests but saw many charges later dismissed or dropped. In Europe, courts have banned Bandidos chapters in some countries (notably in the Netherlands) and German authorities have targeted specific regional branches and insignia. As with other clubs, members have been prosecuted for a range of alleged crimes; the organization disputes blanket criminal labels.

Outlaws Motorcycle Club (A.O.A.)

Origins and identity

Tracing its roots to 1935 in the Chicago area, the Outlaws are among the oldest outlaw motorcycle clubs still active. The club’s traditional strongholds include the American Midwest, South, and East Coast, with a long-standing rivalry against the Hells Angels.

Size and reach

The Outlaws maintain hundreds of chapters and thousands of members across the United States and parts of Europe, including the United Kingdom and several Central and Eastern European countries. Their growth has been steady rather than spectacular, but their presence remains entrenched in numerous regions.

Notable incidents and legal attention

The club and various members have been the focus of U.S. federal racketeering, narcotics, and violent crime cases over multiple decades, with periodic convictions of local and regional leaders reported through the early 2020s. European police also track Outlaws chapters, and certain jurisdictions have curtailed club displays or activities. The club typically challenges generalized depictions of its conduct and scope.

Comparative snapshot

The following list summarizes key points often used to compare the three clubs—founding dates, core regions, approximate scale, and the types of government actions they have faced. Exact membership figures are fluid and vary by source; the ranges here reflect commonly cited, conservative assessments as of 2025.

• Hells Angels MC: Founded 1948 (California); presence across North America, Western Europe, and Oceania; hundreds of chapters and several thousand members; notable bans or chapter prohibitions in parts of Europe (e.g., the Netherlands) and restrictions on insignia in Germany; long-standing rivalries with Outlaws and Bandidos in various regions.
• Bandidos MC: Founded 1966 (Texas); strong in the U.S., Germany, Scandinavia, Spain, and Australia; several thousand members and associates; national or chapter-level bans in the Netherlands and actions against chapters and symbols in Germany; periodic conflicts with Hells Angels and other clubs.
• Outlaws MC (A.O.A.): Founded 1935 (Illinois); entrenched in the U.S. Midwest/South/East and present in parts of Europe; thousands of members across hundreds of chapters; persistent law-enforcement attention in the U.S. (including racketeering cases) and monitoring in Europe; historical rivalry with Hells Angels.

Taken together, these indicators explain why Hells Angels, Bandidos, and Outlaws are widely regarded as the top three outlaw motorcycle clubs: they combine longevity, scale, and international reach with sustained visibility in major criminal investigations and policy responses.

Context and caveats

“Outlaw” in this context refers to clubs identified by law enforcement as outlaw motorcycle gangs or organized crime groups. The clubs often reject this label and assert that most members are law-abiding enthusiasts. Real-world dynamics vary by chapter and region, and not all members engage in criminal activity. Additionally, visibility and media coverage can exaggerate perceptions of size and influence. While the Mongols and Satudarah, among others, are sometimes included in discussions of the largest clubs, the most consistently cited top three remain the Hells Angels, Bandidos, and Outlaws.

Summary

As of 2025, the Hells Angels, Bandidos, and Outlaws are broadly recognized as the top three outlaw motorcycle clubs due to their international scale, long histories, and recurrent prominence in law-enforcement reporting. Each maintains thousands of members across extensive chapter networks, faces ongoing scrutiny and occasional bans in parts of Europe, and figures in rivalries that have periodically turned violent. Precise rankings are imprecise, but on the composite measures of size, reach, and sustained attention, these three stand apart.