What is the “Hells Angels ”?
A: The Hells Angels is a worldwide outlaw motorcycle club.
Members typically ride what?
A: Harley-Davidson motorcycles.
In the United States and Canada, the Hells Angels are
incorporated as what?
A: The Hells Angels Motorcycle Corporation.
What are common nicknames for the club?
A: The "H.A.", "Red & White", "HAMC", and "81".
How large is its membership?
A: Between 3,000 and 3,600 and 467 chapters in 59 countries.
Many police and international intelligence agencies,
including the United States Department of Justice and Europol, consider the
club what?
A: An organized crime syndicate.
When were the Hells Angels formed?
A: On March 17, 1948, in Fontana, California, when several small motorcycle
clubs agreed to merge.
Who is credited with starting the club after breaking
from the Pissed Off Bastards motorcycle club over a feud with a rival gang?
A: Otto Friedli, a World War II veteran.
According to its website, the club's name was first
suggested by whom?
A: Arvid Olsen, an associate of the founders who had served in the "Hell's
Angels" squadron of the Flying Tigers in China during World War II.
It is at least clear that the name was inspired by the
tradition from what?
A: World Wars I and II whereby the Americans gave their squadrons fierce,
death-defying titles.
One of the three P-40 squadrons of Flying Tigers
fielded in Burma and China, was dubbed what?
A: "Hell's Angels".
In 1930, the Howard Hughes film Hell's Angels showcased
what?
A: Extraordinary and dangerous feats of aviation.
According to the Hells Angels' website, they are aware
of what?
A: That there is an apostrophe missing in "Hell's", but "... it is you who
miss it. We don't".
According to Ralph "Sonny" Barger, founder of the
Oakland charter, early charters of the club were founded where?
A: In San Francisco, Gardena, Fontana, Oakland and elsewhere, with the
members usually unaware that there were other clubs.
Other sources claim that the San Francisco Hells Angels
were organized in 1953 by whom?
A: Rocky Graves, a Hells Angel member from San Bernardino.
The "Frisco" Hells Angels were reorganized in 1955 with
how many charter members?
A: 13.
With whom serving as president?
A: Frank Sadilek.
Where was the first chapter to open outside of
California?
A: Auckland, New Zealand, in 1961.
The club became prominent within and established its
notoriety as part of what?
A: The 1960s counterculture movement in San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury
District, playing a part at many of the movement's seminal events.
Members were directly connected to many of the
counterculture's primary leaders, such as whom?
A: Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters, Allen Ginsberg, Jerry Garcia and the
Grateful Dead, Timothy Leary, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Mick Farren,
and Tom Wolfe.
From 1968 to 1969 where was the Hells Angels of San
Francisco headquarters?
A: It was at 715 Ashbury.
In 1973, members from several branches of the
organization protested at an Environmental Protection Agency hearing about a
proposed transportation plan that included what?
A: Restrictions on motorcycle use and sales to get California to meet the
new Clean Air Act standards.