Hells Angels Ride the Big Apple


The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club was founded in 1948 on the West Coast of the United States in the town of San Bernardino, California.  For the first 13 years the Club stayed within the confines of California, but in the 1960's they started to expand to the East Coast of the US.  These early images of the New York Charter show that the chopper scene had definitely moved east with them.  The motorcycle of choice for customizing was the Harley-Davidson and it is interesting to note that all the motorcycles pictured are fairly new.  Everyone is riding either a Shovelhead or a Panhead powered motorcycle and there doesn't seem to be any Knuckleheads or Flatheads at all.  Heck, there's not even a stock springer front end in the whole lot, but there is a monkey...




















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2 comments:

elBeardo said...

You really gotta watch out for those outlaw monkeys!

47str8leg said...

Is that not a springer in pic #4 ? My brother has lived on 1st ave. between 2nd and 3rd st. since 1979. Those had to be taken by an insider. Interesting shots.