Who was the first ever motorcycle club?

There is no single uncontested “first” motorcycle club, but the earliest documented organization formed specifically for motorcyclists is the Motor Cycling Club (MCC) in Britain, founded in 1901, while the oldest continuously operating motorcycle club is the Yonkers Motorcycle Club in New York, founded in 1903. Both claims are widely cited, depending on whether you prioritize earliest founding or uninterrupted continuity.

Why there isn’t a single clear “first”

Motorcycling emerged in the 1890s, and early riders often organized within broader “motoring” societies that included automobiles and cycles. Documentation from that period is uneven, names and purposes of clubs evolved, and some early groups folded or broadened scope. As a result, historians weigh different criteria—such as founding date, continuous operation, and whether a group was motorcycle-only—when identifying the “first.”

Earliest documented contenders

The following highlights historically significant early organizations frequently mentioned in discussions about the first motorcycle club. Each entry notes founding date and why it is considered a contender.

• The Motor Cycling Club (MCC), UK — founded 1901: Established specifically for motorcyclists and best known for long-distance reliability trials (e.g., London–Edinburgh, London–Exeter, and Land’s End). It later welcomed cars, but at its inception it was motorcycle-focused, making it the earliest known club formed expressly for riders.
• Yonkers Motorcycle Club, USA — founded 1903: Recognized as the oldest continuously operating motorcycle club. Its uninterrupted activity and documented lineage make it the strongest claim to “oldest active” club worldwide.
• Auto-Cycle Club (now Auto-Cycle Union), UK — founded 1903: A national body formed to organize and govern motorcycling in Britain. While not a local riding club, its early date underscores how quickly motorcyclists organized formally.
• San Francisco Motorcycle Club, USA — founded 1904: Among the earliest in the United States and often cited as the nation’s second-oldest continuously operating motorcycle club, following Yonkers.
• New York Motorcycle Club, USA — active by the late 1890s/early 1900s: Reported to have been active prior to 1903 and involved in the formation of the Federation of American Motorcyclists (1903). Documentation and continuity are less clear than Yonkers’, but it is frequently mentioned in early U.S. motorcycling history.

Taken together, these organizations illustrate that motorcycle clubs arose almost simultaneously on both sides of the Atlantic in the early 1900s, with the MCC (1901) edging out others on founding date and Yonkers MC (1903) leading on continuous operation.

How historians decide who was “first”

Because “first” can mean different things, researchers typically apply several criteria when evaluating early motorcycle clubs.

• Date of founding: The earliest verifiable establishment specifically for motorcyclists (favoring the MCC, 1901).
• Continuity: Unbroken operation from founding to today (favoring Yonkers MC, 1903).
• Scope and definition: Whether a club was exclusively for motorcycles versus a broader motoring club that later included or began with cars.
• Documentation: Surviving records, press coverage, minutes, and official histories that substantiate claims.

Depending on which of these factors is prioritized, different clubs may reasonably claim primacy, which is why multiple names recur in historical accounts.

The bottom line

If you’re asking who was “first” to found a club specifically for motorcyclists, the Motor Cycling Club (UK, 1901) is the earliest well-documented example. If you mean the oldest motorcycle club still operating today, that distinction belongs to the Yonkers Motorcycle Club (USA, 1903).

Summary

There isn’t a single universally accepted “first” motorcycle club. The UK’s Motor Cycling Club, founded in 1901, is the earliest known organization created expressly for motorcyclists, while the Yonkers Motorcycle Club, founded in 1903, is widely recognized as the oldest continuously operating motorcycle club. Early 1900s groups in the UK and the U.S.—including the Auto-Cycle Club (1903) and the San Francisco Motorcycle Club (1904)—round out the first wave of organized motorcycling.

Who is the founder of a motorcycle club?

The founder is at the top of a motorcycle club’s hierarchy. It is considered a special rank in an MC. The founder can be either one person or a group of people. If a founder is active in a motorcycle club and rides his/her motorcycle, he/she is likely to be the president of the club.

Who was the first 1 motorcycle club?

Number 1 Oldest MC: Yonkers MC, New York, Founded 1903
The year was 1903, notable for several important birthdays.

What does 13 mean to bikers?

The letter M, being the 13th letter of the alphabet, often is said to stand for marijuana or motorcycle. Generally, it is assumed someone wearing a 13 patch is either a user of marijuana or other drugs, or is involved with the sale of them. The M also has been known to stand for “methamphetamine”.

Who are the Big 4 outlaw MC clubs?

The Big Four OMGs are the Hells Angels MC, the Outlaws MC, the Bandidos MC, and the Pagans MC. The first three, although American based, have international chapters and are the largest motorcycle gangs in the world. All four are known for their criminal activity and violence toward each other.