Bandidos Motorcycle Club facts for kids
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| Abbreviation |
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|---|---|
| Founded | March 4, 1966 |
| Founder | Donald Chambers |
| Founded at | San Leon, Texas, United States |
| Type | Outlaw motorcycle club |
| Headquarters | Houston, Texas, United States |
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Region
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Worldwide (303 chapters in 22 countries) |
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Membership
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2,000–2,500 |
| Website | www.bandidosmc.com |
The Bandidos Motorcycle Club, also known as the Bandido Nation, is a large motorcycle club with members all over the world. It was started in San Leon, Texas, in 1966. The Bandidos MC has about 2,000 to 2,500 members and 303 groups, called chapters, in 22 different countries. This makes it one of the biggest motorcycle clubs globally.
Some police and international groups consider the Bandidos to be involved in organized illegal activities.
Contents
History of the Bandidos Motorcycle Club
The Bandidos Motorcycle Club was founded by Donald Eugene Chambers on March 4, 1966. He was 36 years old and worked at a dock in San Leon, Texas. Chambers named the club after Mexican bandits who lived by their own rules. He found members in biker bars in cities like Houston and Corpus Christi.
Like other similar motorcycle clubs, they call themselves "one percenters." This term came from someone who said 99 percent of motorcyclists follow the law, and 1 percent are "outlaws." By the early 1970s, the club had over 100 members, including many who had served in the Vietnam War.
Leadership and Global Growth
Ronald Jerome Hodge became the Bandidos' president in 1972. Under his leadership, the Bandidos became an international club. The first group outside the United States was formed in Sydney, Australia, in 1983. This Australian branch was started by Anthony Mark Spencer, who had met Bandidos members in the U.S. Hodge later faced legal issues and passed away in 1992.
In 1989, the club expanded into Europe with a chapter in Marseille, France. In the 1990s, they grew into countries like Denmark and Sweden. This led to some conflicts with another club, the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club. Later, two international presidents, James Edward Lang and Charles Craig Johnston, also faced legal problems. George Wegers, who was president from 1998 to 2005, was also convicted of charges related to illegal activities.
The Bandidos tried to start groups in Canada by joining with the Rock Machine Motorcycle Club in 2000. However, after some serious internal problems and law enforcement actions, the Bandidos' Canadian chapters stopped operating in 2007.
According to the club's website, the Bandidos groups in North and South America became separate from the international groups in Europe and Australia on July 17, 2007. The American groups started using a new design for their patches in 2011.
Bandidos Club Insignia and Symbols
The Bandidos' main symbol is called the "Fat Mexican." It shows a cartoon of a Mexican bandit wearing a sombrero (a wide-brimmed hat). He holds a machete in one hand and a pistol in the other. The club's founder, Donald Chambers, created this design.
The "Fat Mexican" looks a bit like the Frito Bandito, a cartoon character from Fritos corn chips. Some stories say Chambers got the idea from this character. However, the Frito Bandito character was created in 1967, a year after the Bandidos club started.
Patches and Colors
Besides the "Fat Mexican" and a diamond-shaped "1%er" patch, members wear other patches on their leather or denim vests. These vests are known as "colors." The patches have red letters on a gold background. Donald Chambers, who was a United States Marine Corps veteran, chose these colors because they were inspired by the Marine Corps.
Members also wear patches that show their rank in the club and which chapter they belong to. There are also other patches with special meanings. While the exact meaning of every patch is not public, some law enforcement agencies believe certain patches are linked to club activities. For example, the "Expect No Mercy" patch is thought to be given to members who have carried out serious actions for the club. The "TCB" ("Taking Care of Business") patch is worn by club officers. The "CDG" ("Coup de Grâce") patch reportedly means a member has performed a significant act of violence.
Club Mottos
The Bandidos have several mottos, including:
- "Cut one, we all bleed"
- "God forgives, Bandidos don't"
- "Our colors don't run"
- "We are the people our parents warned us about"
A common saying for the club is "Bandidos forever, forever Bandidos" (BFFB).
Joining the Bandidos Motorcycle Club
To become a Bandidos member, you must be male and own at least one Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Sometimes, other American-made motorcycles are also allowed.
Becoming a member involves a three-step process:
- First, you are a "hangaround."
- Then, you become a "prospect."
- Finally, you are on "probation."
The time it takes for each step is decided by the chapter president. The process ends when all members of a chapter vote to let the probationary member join the club. There is also a check to make sure that police officers do not try to join the club. When someone joins the Bandidos, they must sign over ownership of their motorcycle to the club.
Club Rules and Structure
Each club chapter has a clear structure with leaders like a president, vice-president, and secretary. Members must follow many rules. For example, they cannot wear their club patch while riding in a car or truck. They also have to attend meetings, called "Church," four times a month. If a member misses required group motorcycle rides, they might be fined and lose ownership of their motorcycle.
Another important rule is that Bandidos must treat all other members as "brothers and your family." They are also expected "not to fear authority and have a general disdain for the rules of society." If a member works with law enforcement, they could face disciplinary action from the club. All Bandidos items, including tattoos, are considered club property. Members pay fees, which help cover club costs like funeral expenses and a legal defense fund. Club rules state that a member who takes their own life will not receive a Bandidos funeral.
The Bandidos have an estimated 2,000 to 2,500 members worldwide. In the United States, most members are white and Hispanic males.
How the Bandidos Club is Organized
The Bandidos Motorcycle Club is organized into local chapters. There are also state and regional leaders. A national chapter includes four regional vice-presidents and a national president. The club's top leader is an international president, known as "El Presidente," who has authority over all club chapters.
The club also has "Nomad chapters." These members are not tied to one specific location. They are responsible for security and internal rules within the club. The Bandidos' main chapter, known as the "mother chapter," is located in Houston, Texas.
The club has 303 chapters around the world. They are found in twenty-two countries across North America, Oceania, Europe, and Asia.
Bandidos in North America
The United States has 93 Bandidos chapters in sixteen states. The club is strongest in Texas but also has groups in states like Louisiana, Missouri, and Colorado. The Bandidos officially registered as a non-profit organization in Texas in 1978. They have also registered in other states, such as Washington.
The Bandidos expanded into Canada in 2000. However, their operations in Canada stopped in November 2007 due to internal conflicts and efforts by law enforcement. In 2004, the Bandidos also formed a chapter in Costa Rica.
Bandidos in Oceania
The first Australian chapter was formed in 1983 in Sydney. The club has grown a lot in Australia and now has forty-five chapters there.
The Bandidos also have a small but growing presence in New Zealand. They started there in 2012 and have more than a dozen members and prospects in the Christchurch area.
Bandidos in Europe
There are about ninety Bandidos chapters in Europe. The first European chapter opened in Marseille, France, in 1989. After that, they expanded into Nordic countries like Denmark (1993), Sweden (1994), and Finland and Norway (1995).
The German branch of the Bandidos started in 2000. Chapters were then formed in Italy in 2001 and on the Channel Islands in 2003. The Bandidos opened their first chapter in the Netherlands in 2014, but the club was later banned in that country in 2017.
In recent years, the club has also grown significantly in Spain, Belgium, Estonia, Greece, England, and Ireland. They are also reportedly looking to start groups in Russia and Eastern Europe.
Bandidos in Asia
In 2001, the Bandidos started in Thailand by joining with another club in Pattaya. The club then expanded to Malaysia and Singapore in 2006.
Support Clubs for the Bandidos
Like other big motorcycle clubs, the Bandidos have several "support" clubs. These groups often wear colors that are the reverse of the Bandidos' colors (gold border with a red background). They also usually wear a special patch called the "Heart Patch" on their vests. Most of these support clubs are regional, meaning they operate in specific areas.
See also
- List of outlaw motorcycle clubs
