by LJ James
Many of the “facts” in this story are based on Legend and Myth as much of the history of the Motorcycle and it’s Culture was lost in the great rebellion of 2057.
Taken from a history book in the year 2095…
Motorcycles And The Culture They Inspire 1868-2017
Motorcycles started out as steam engines strapped on to bicycles in 1868. Soon after the gas engine took its place in the 1900’s there were Motorcycle shops and Dealers all over the World. For awhile, Motorcycle were simply used as transportation. In 1907, when Henry Fords, Ford Motor Company, released the Model-T at a price everyone could afford, the Motorcycle soon went from a necessity to a luxury item.
In the 1940’s, the Motorcycle Culture really took off. An organization called the American Motorcycle Association (AMA) held races and events all over the United States of America. In 1947, held an event in Hollister California. This event was attended by many of the AMA Racing Teams and Motorcycle Clubs. This event marks the beginning of the separation of Motorcyclists which eventually led to the end of Motorcycling in the year 2017.
Newspapers, being what they where in 1947, got a hold of pictures some pictures of Motorcyclists having fun at the event. The press decided to embellish the facts and transformed the story of the first large motorcycle rally into a torrid tale of Bikers taking over a small town! More negative news stories soon followed. Eventually Hollywood joined the Biker bashing by releasing movies that portrayed Motorcyclists as lawless and evil.
The American Motorcycle Association, trying to end the bad press, responded by basically saying that the Newspapers had lied and that it was only 1% of Motorcyclists that caused problems. This resulted in the first ripple in the Unity of the Motorcycle World and the Medias’ hatred of Bikers.
Around the same time, the AMA began adding new requirements for motorcycles to be able to race in AMA sanctioned Races. Those whose motorcycles didn’t meet the new AMA requirements started their own Race Leagues. Because the new Race Leagues/Clubs were not AMA sanctioned, they soon became known as Outlaw Race Leagues/Clubs. Although many Bikers raced in both the AMA and Outlaw Leagues, another great separation had begun.
By the late1960’s, the separation of the Motorcycle Community was becoming more evident. There were now three basic groups. The American Motorcycle Association, Outlaw Clubs, and 1%er Clubs. All 1%ers were Outlaws, but not all Outlaws were considered 1%ers. Over the years, the AMA continued to grow. In addition to racing, they began to champion Motorcycle Rights and Safety. As time went on, others formed independent groups whose goals were similar to that of the AMA. Their inability or outright refusal to work together with the other groups resulted in a further separation of the Motorcycle Community and Culture.
In the 1970’s, rifts began to grow between some of the Outlaw/1% Clubs. By the 1990’s, the media had inflated stories about the conflicts into proportions that rivaled the tall tales of the old west. These tall tales invoked fear of the Outlaw/1% Clubs. Motorcycle Riders were lied to,. They were told to stay away from and fear the Outlaw/1% Clubs. The media began referring to Motorcycle Clubs as Motorcycle Gangs, a term meant to instill fear into the heart of the Public. Stories and rumors began surfacing, claiming these “Gangs” were ruthless and would kill or maim people for little or no reason at all.
By the early 21st Century, every minor conflict between Outlaw/1% Clubs was made into a book, made for TV movie, or docudrama. Titles like “Motorcycle Gang Wars In Your Back Yard” were common. Although real wars, conflicts, and suffering were occurring worldwide, the Corporate owned media chose to report fiction over fact. “The world is full of Kings and Queens who blind your eyes and steal your dreams…Black Sabbath”.
In 2009, a conflict between two rival Clubs was captured on Video at a “Biker Build Off” event. The coverage by the media and negative publicity was so overwhelming that in 2010, the United States Government passed a law banning all Outlaw/1% Clubs. In response, the Outlaw/1% Clubs put aside their differences and formed “Bikers United”.
The Bikers fought back stating the law was unconstitutional and un-American. Even as late as 2010, workers still clung to the misguided belief that they had rights and lived in a free Nation. The Bikers fought hard and came very close to winning, but without the support of the Motorcycle Rights Groups, The AMA Clubs, and the Independent Riders, all of whom had been brainwashed into believing the Outlaw Clubs were criminal organizations, they were defeated.
Many of the Outlaw/1% Clubs tried to stay together. The Clubs went underground, but after many raids and constant Government harassment, they had all but disappeared. In 2013, in an effort to ensure that the Outlaw/1% Clubs never returned, the Government decided to outlaw all Motorcycle Clubs and organizations.
The AMA, it’s clubs, and all of the Motorcycle Rights Organizations United in an effort to battle the Governments oppression. They tried to use many of the same tactics and strategies that the Outlaw/1% Clubs used. Unfortunately, the Government was much smarter and stronger this time around. They had learned many lessons in their fierce battles with the Outlaw/1% Clubs, and they used what they had learned against the united Clubs and Organizations. With no Outlaw/1% Clubs left to assist them and without the support of the Independent Riders, the United Clubs and Organizations were defeated.
In 2015, the Government passed a law that made it illegal to even look like an Outlaw on a Motorcycle. The Independent Riders banned together to try and fight the law, but by this time their numbers were few and there wasn’t anyone left to show them how to fight for their rights. After a brief protest, they too were soundly defeated.
In 2017, What was now a “Global Government”, in its infinite wisdom, decided that Motorcycles posed a danger to the public. They passed a law banning Motorcycle manufacture and use and destroyed all existing Motorcycles. This brought to an end, the History of Motorcycles. It would take until the year 2093 before anything even close to resembling a Motorcycle reappeared.
As a historian looking back at the History of Motorcycles and the Culture it created, it amazes me how powerful the Motorcycle Culture could have been had they not let every little thing separate them. Instead of embracing something they had in common and working together to protect it, the instead let their differences, the media, and the government divide them.
By the time the Bikers realized how much they were connected and needed each other, it was too late. Their numbers were certainly sufficient to achieve victory, but their failure to come together as Brothers and Sisters and work for the common good ultimately spelled their demise. Had they been victorious, it may have been enough to stop all of the oppression and tyranny that soon followed.
History is full of stories just like this one, over and over again. The ones who love and honor Freedom the most are taken down first and the rest fall like dominoes. Until the rebellion of 2057, we as a Global Society did not realize how important it was to put aside our differences. It may have taken awhile, but we finally figured it out…Just in time!
Your Bro L. J. James
