Yellow Jackets Motorcycle Club

The Gardena, California Yellow Jackets Motorcycle Club, the Original Yellow Jackets, are an "Original Motorcycle Club". Established in 1938, the Yellow Jackets Motorcycle Club is one of the oldest clubs still in existence in the United States.[1] Early Southern California clubs included the 13 Rebels, the Yellow Jackets and the Orange County Motorcycle Club, which all existed before the founding of the Boozefighters, whose actions during the Hollister riot were fictionalized in the film The Wild One starring Marlon Brando, and whose formation in 1946 marks the beginning of the "one percenter" outlaw motorcycle clubs.[2] They met at a small bar called the 'Crash Inn' in Southern California, and eventually made the owner an honorary member. Many different clubs were represented at the Crash Inn. Clubs that could be found there included The Sharks, The 13 Rebels, The Top Hatters, the Boozefighters, and the Hounds to name a few. They would belly up to the bar, laugh, drink, and have a good time. Of course that was a much different time. The Gardena chapter was represented at the July 4th, 1947 Hollister, California celebration. this became known as the Hollister riot, depicted in the film The Wild One and often referenced as the birthplace of the American outlaw biker[3] The Yellow Jackets MC is a international club, meaning that its membership is spread across the entire country, with multiple chapters in various states and Canada. They are also in Italy and Germany. Formed as a racing club, the Yellow Jackets MC along with the other "Originals", set the stage for the development of the modern American motorcycle club. From its roots in the California motorcycle culture, the club began to spread eastward, growing its ranks with new members, and absorbing members from other clubs. Today, Yellow Jackets MC membership stretches countrywide and overseas.

"They existed much earlier than the start of World War II; even as early as 1930, and were incorporated in 1938. the Original Yellow Jackets, also known as just the "Originals", competed in races sanctioned by the American Motorcycle Association (AMA).[4] The last surviving member of the Originals, Bob McMillen left us in 2016, and he lived in California.

Several notorious Boozefighters raced while wearing Yellow Jackets colors such as Willy 'Wino' Forkner (out of Los Angeles). Wino started his own chapter of Yellow Jackets to race under. He started the los Angeles chapter so that he could race in American Motorcycle Association AMA sanctioned events.[5]

Today, the Yellow Jackets are an American Motorycle club riding American or Allied motorcycles of the "cruiser" style. The aim is to bring back the culture of the immediate post-WW2 American Motorcycle Club culture.

The Yellow Jackets are an AMA club, and is not affiliated with clubs of similar names. Yellow Jackets are open to men, 21 years of age of more, who own a qualifying motorcycle.

The Motorcycle Club life is not for everyone, as prospective members are first asked to hang around, then prospect before being asked to join the club. At every phase of the process a member must prove his fitness and commitment to the club.

 The Yellow Jackets are a fully integrated and diverse club, and do not discriminate or show preference based on race, creed, or color.

Yellow Jacket MC members are identified by the three piece patches on their vests or "cut". A top rocker with the name of the club, a center patch with the rumbling Yellow Jacket and a bottom rocker showing the year the club was established.