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Most don’t realize that you can be a “1%er” without being a criminal...

Actual sincere questions here.

Aren't the 1% clubs by proud self-definition criminal organizations? Why in the world would anyone assume that someone who joins is not a criminal?

My limited understanding of RICO is that membership in a criminal organization is itself a major felony, in which case all members are by definition criminals.

If I have something wrong here, I'd appreciate being corrected.

First ... An outlaw motorcycle club (sometimes known as a motorcycle gang, biker gang, or bikie gang (in Australian English)[1]) is a motorcycle subculture which has its roots in the immediate post-World War II era of American society. It is generally centered on the use of cruiser motorcycles, particularly Harley-Davidsons and choppers, and a set of ideals which celebrate freedom, nonconformity to mainstream culture and loyalty to the biker group.

In the United States, such motorcycle clubs are considered "outlaw" as they are not sanctioned by the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) and do not adhere to the AMA's rules. Instead the clubs have their own set of bylaws reflecting the outlaw biker culture

Outlaw motorcycle clubs who identify with this subculture are not necessarily criminals, with some members expressing their outlaw status on a social level, and equating the word "outlaw" with disregard for the law of groups like the American Motorcyclist Association, not that of civic government

Second ...

If you read the papers or listen to the news, the media and law enforcement agents have redefined the term "1%er". As we all know the term was first used in the 60’s to describe some of the people that attended the motorcycle events back then. The AMA (American Motorcycle Association) stated that 99% of the people at their events were god fearing and family oriented. The other 1%er were hard riding, hard partying, non mainstream type people. Thus the term 1%er was born. Some of the early bikers embraced the term and decided to call themselves 1%ers.

It did not mean that they were law breakers or low life individuals. They were simply men that rode their motorcycles seven days a week in all kinds of weather, liked to drink and raise a little hell. Sometime during the 80’s law enforcement changed the meaning of the 1%er to what they wanted it to represent. It didn’t matter that their meaning was incorrect, they just spoon fed it to the general public and the courts as they had so many other things.