Story: Gangs

Boozefighters, 1948

Boozefighters, 1948

Motorcyclists, whose sweaters read 'Boozefighters Motorcycle Club', drink beer in the town of Riverside, California, watched by locals. More than 2,000 motorcyclists had visited the town for racing at a nearby track. Motorcycle clubs emerged on the west coast of the US in the late 1940s and quickly spread around the world, aided by movies such as The wild one (1953), starring Marlon Brando. Only a minority of these clubs turned into outlaw motorcycle clubs, or 'one percenters'. In 2010 the Boozefighters were a regular motorcycle club with chapters around the world.

Courtesy of Boozefighters MC

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How to cite this page:

Greg Newbold and Rāwiri Taonui, 'Gangs - Why gangs?', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/28237/boozefighters-1948 (accessed 18 April 2024)

Story by Greg Newbold and Rāwiri Taonui, published 5 May 2011, reviewed & revised 2 Oct 2018, updated 1 Apr 2020 with assistance from Jarrod Gilbert