Are you interested in the history of the Sons of Silence? Would you like to know how this legendary club came into being? What are the logos and colors of this MC? What legal and illegal activities are practiced by these often outlaw bikers?
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The Sons of Silence is a Motorcycle Club founded in 1966 by American Bruce Richardson. The minimum age for membership is 21, and owning a Harley Davidson is strongly recommended to join this biker gang. They are the privileged allies of the Hells Angels. 🔥THE MOST POPULAR PRODUCTS🔥
In this article, we will explore the following points:
- The beginnings of MC
- The expansion of the gang
- The biker gang’s colors and logo
- The legal problems
- The members’ legal and illegal activities
After reading this article, you’ll understand perfectly why and how this club managed to make a name for itself and become one of the most famous biker groups in the world. But before you get started, you absolutely must check out our skull t-shirt collection. They delight the bikers in our online community, offering them an unmistakable biker style. Just click on the image below to discover our devilish range.
The birth of the Sons Of Silence club
The story begins with three brothers, Ricky, Charles and Michael, who share the same passions: heavy metal music, Harley Davidson and firearms. They were born in Blainville, Canada. These three boys grew up in good, even very well-off circumstances (according to their own words).
After graduation, Michael got a job in a nightclub. Soon after, his two brothers joined him. That’s how the three of them became immersed in the world of nightlife, and that’s exactly where their stories took a turn… 👇
They began to change, turning into the real terrors of the day. Their wardrobe was exclusively black, leather jackets adorned with skulls were their outfits of choice. They no longer cut their hair and learned to love heavy metal and motorcycles. They also developed strong gun skills, in a country where carrying weapons is allowed. They slept by day and went wild by night. Violence was their daily life: brawls and wild road races were part of their routine…
The foundations of MC Sons of Silence
To escape trouble with the police linked in particular to their violent street altercations, the three brothers set out on a journey to discover the unknown. They traveled over 245 hours by motorcycle to reach their long-awaited destination: a town called Los Santos. There they settled down and bought new motorcycles. 🏍
Unfortunately, they couldn’t find work. That’s when they started robbing stores, jewelry stores and stealing from passers-by on the street… Finally, the police arrested them. They were each sentenced to two years’ imprisonment. When they got out of prison, they had no money or material possessions; they were totally destitute. So they set up a bikers’ club called “Sons of Silence MC” to meet up and share their passion for two-wheelers. 👊
The Sons Of Silence were founded by Bruce Richardson in Colorado in 1966. 10 years later, Leonard Loyd Reed, known as JR, became president and held the position for 20 years. In 1998, the club expanded into Europe and opened a chapter in Munich. It is particularly popular in Germany. The gang controls much of the southwestern USA and the Rocky Mountains. The club has at least 30 chapters across the USA and 5 smaller clubs in Germany. In total, the club has around 275 members, with some chapters being multiracial, although this is not the norm, as we’ll see later.
Sons of Silence logo and slogans
The club’s motto is “donec mors non separat”, which is Latin for “until death do us part”. Genuine fraternal values are taught at their group meetings. They are ready to sacrifice themselves for each other in a fight…
The logo is a patch sewn onto the back of each member’s jacket, along with various other insignia. The main logo features an American eagle surmounted by the letter “A”. Members also like to create their own logo by adding their personal touch, such as their initials. ✍️
It’s common to see badges featuring symbols such as the skull and crossbones. These symbols often express the rejection of social norms and the desire to follow a different path. Members of this club are bound to keep the club’s secrets until they die and must take an oath before joining the gang.
Getting into this biker gang
To be admitted to this gang, you have to meet certain criteria. The first is to own a motorcycle. Anyone wishing to join the gang must ride a motorcycle on a daily basis, and owning a Harley Davidson is highly recommended, although over the years, motorcycle models and brands have multiplied within the Sons of Silence. This is clearly visible from photos at rallies where members proudly display the club logo. 😎
The second criterion, which is also tending to disappear over the years due to various anti-racist movements, is that you have to be white to join the gang. This feature has been heavily criticized in recent years, but the tradition still seems to apply, particularly in the most isolated chapters in the USA.
Famous gang members
Let’s quickly review the most famous members of this biker gang, who have often contributed to making the MC logo known around the world, sometimes in a positive way, but quite often through criminal and illegal activities… 👇
⇒ Bruce G. Richardson: The founder.
Bruce G. Richardson was born on August 22, 1939, and was known as “The Dude”. He was the promoter and principal of the Sons of Silence motorcycle club. In 1984, he was implicated in the kidnapping of a doctor and sentenced to 6 years in prison. He died in his sleep in 2013. He is the gang’s most emblematic figure.
⇒ Leonard Loyd Reed: Former national chairman.
Leonard Loyd Reed joined the motorcycle gang in 1974. In the late ’70s, he became club president. In the ’90s, he teamed up with a California lawyer, Richard Lester, to form the Colorado Confederation of Clubs, aiming to improve communication between clubs. He is the “cleanest” man in the gang’s history, with no charges recorded against him.
⇒ Leonard Ray Shipley: The former president.
Leonard Ray Shipley was arrested and convicted for possession of methamphetamine. He was also in possession of a controlled substance for distribution. Several weapons were found during a search of his home. He was sentenced to 24 years in prison. He was a very “loudmouth” president and many appreciated him for it.
⇒ Ronald Merrill “Bad Ron” Gruber
This man is simply known as one of the most dangerous members of the Sons of Silence. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison for rape and assault in 1977. During his prison sentence, he was beaten by two guards he had defied. In 1994, he was convicted of federal racketeering. Some members considered him an icon, to the point of having his face tattooed on their skin.
Biker gang 1%
The Sons of Silence are also distinguished by the “1%” patch they sport, often next to the one bearing the club’s name. This means that members proudly claim the status of bikers 1%, part of the outlaw bikers. In other words, 99% of bikers play by the rules and don’t engage in any illegal activity. The remaining 1% live on crime, drugs and trafficking of all kinds…
When we think of biker clubs, we usually think of leather jackets and motorcycles. But we often forget the often illegal activities behind these images of motorcycle freedom over vast open spaces. In recent years, however, these gangs have been negatively perceived by the general public. ❌
Despite their influence on the American population, outlaw bikers have been mystified on TV and in literature. The book “Hell’s Angels” by Hunter S. Thompson shed some light on their behavior. The popular TV series “Sons of Anarchy” also sparked renewed interest. People realized they had to watch out for these 1% gangs, often made up of criminals.
Members’ sworn enemies
The club is engaged in a territorial war with the Bandidos and other biker clubs. They are allied with the Hells Angels, which means they have many enemies. Despite their small numbers, the gang makes up for it with firepower. In 1980, one of their members killed the national vice-president of the Outlaws MC in Indianapolis with an AK47. 🔫
They are considered one of the 5 most dangerous motorcycle gangs in the United States and many other countries. Gang members often find themselves mixed up in illegal affairs. Fights regularly break out in bars with bikers from other organizations. Some of these men have been sentenced to long prison terms for simple brawls. The number of shootings is also incalculable.
The Sons of Silence take on the police
In 1995, police special units raided 25 clubs in Colorado Springs, Commerce City and Fort Collins. In all, 39 members were arrested and 48 weapons were seized, including four grenades. In addition, 30 kilos of methamphetamine were seized, along with $25,000 in cash. The operation targeted three important club chapters.
In the late ’70s, the Sons of Silence successfully expanded their territory in the Midwest. Michael “Righteous Mike” Ramsey, a former member of the rival Outlaw club, became president of the Sons of Silence. This sparked a long war with the Outlaws, marked by several murders. The local police even created a special unit to combat this gang war. ☠️
In 1999, in one of the largest covert operations ever, the authorities arrested 31 gang members. They were involved in a variety of trafficking activities. The club’s premises were searched from top to bottom, revealing huge quantities of hard drugs, firearms, cash and ammunition. The arrest was made possible by the infiltration of two federal agents, who gathered valuable information about the club’s life on behalf of the FBI.
Displays true biker style
We’ve come to the end of this article. You’ve discovered the origins of this extraordinary club. You know the club’s values, as well as the logo and colors of the crest. You know how the club has evolved over time, and how it has established itself in the motorcycle world as a true benchmark. You now have an in-depth knowledge of one of the 5 most respected motorcycle gangs on the planet. Congratulations! 🔥THE MOST POPULAR PRODUCTS🔥