The Biker Culture

The myth that all bikers are outlaws is a very broad and bold statement. While it is true that the beginnings of the biker culture is rooted in rebellion, the culture as a whole has grown and changed with the times. Bikers of the modern age are not what most people think of when they hear the word biker. Many motorcycle clubs, started by bikers, go out of their way to help their respective communities. To say that all bikers are outlaws or criminals is very closed minded thinking.
As with any cultural movement the biker culture started small. When the Indian and Harley-Davidson motorcycle companies produced their first motorcycles in 1901 and 1903 respectively, the first obvious thing to do with them was race (Schonauer, 2011). The early motorcycle

races were very compelling to watch but were also very dangerous due to there not being any safety measures in place. By the 1920’s the races had lost some of the appeal that had made them so popular and the culture started its decline (Schonauer, 2011). According to Schonauer, a man named Ashley Franklin Van Order, founded on of the first motorcycle clubs called Trailblazers with the purpose of getting the racers together once a year for dinner (2011). So, as you can see the beginnings of the biker culture started innocent enough.
It was in 1947 at the Hollister bike rally, after the resurgence of the biker culture, that the public started to view all bikers as thugs and criminals due to a group of bikers fighting at the rally. Life Magazine helped fuel this stigmata by having a biker pose, complete with empty beer bottles all around him, for a picture that they put on the cover of the July 21st issue (1947). Harper’s magazine also contributed to this image when it published “Cyclists’ Raid” a story that paralleled what had taken place at Hollister (1951). This, in turn, led to the movie The wild one, a fictionalized version of the Hollister rally (1954). Although these examples were based on some truth they were widely exaggerated. As a result only one side of the culture was presented to the public.
What is not represented as much in the media is all the work that bikers do to help those in need or to help the communities that they are a part of.

Take for example, Bikers Against Child Abuse (BACA), this is a motorcycle club that advocates helping children in abusive situations. According to BACA’s mission statement “Bikers Against Child Abuse (BACA) exists with the intent to create a safer environment for abused children. We exist as a body of Bikers to empower children to not feel afraid of the world in which they live. We stand ready to lend support to our wounded friends by involving them with an established, united organization. We work in conjunction with local and state officials who are already in place to protect children.” (2015). BACA was founded in 1995 and is comprised of people from all backgrounds (Sawyer, Judd 2012). This means that it is not the exclusive, white male only, type of club that most people think of when they hear the words motorcycle club. One of the first steps to joining BACA is a federal background

check.
Bikers Against Child Abuse is just one example of fine upstanding members of society that just happen to be in a motorcycle club.

There are countless organized rides to raise money for countless charities. The MDA Ride for Life in Pennsylvania, one of the largest annual rides in the nation, has raised over 15 million dollars over the years to help research progressive muscle diseases (MDA web site). Along with the annual rides for charity like the MDA Ride for Life, there are special rides for individuals that may be a part of or an acquaintance of someone in a motorcycle club. These rides can be combined with a raffle or an auction to help generate funds for whatever the cause is they are riding for. Many times, these smaller rides are to help individuals with medical bills. Showing that they biker community helps on a large scale as well as an individual one.
It is true that some of the biker culture is still holding onto the rebel persona, but most bikers just want to be accepted and not looked down upon. They are tired of people judging them for what they wear or because they happen to be riding a motorcycle. There are many bikers out there that want to make a difference. If more people would give bikers a chance they would see most of them are just like everyone

else.