A biker bar is a bar that is frequented by bikers (motorcycle riders). Some are owned or managed by people who are friendly toward bikers.''Biker Gangs and Organized Crime'' – Thomas Barker.
p. 64. Some bars and restaurants advertise that they are "biker friendly" to attract more bikers and motorcycle (bike) enthusiasts. Biker bars are patronized by people from all walks of life, including bikers, non-bikers, and

motorcycle club A motorcycle club is a group of individuals whose primary interest and activities involve motorcycles. A motorcycle group can range as clubbed groups of different bikes or bikers who own same model of vehicle like the Harley Owners Group. There ...

adherents, including

outlaw motorcycle club An outlaw motorcycle club, known colloquially as a biker club or club (in Australia), is a motorcycle subculture generally centered on the use of Cruiser (motorcycle), cruiser motorcycles, particularly Harley-Davidsons and chopper (motorcycle ...

Biker socialization

Biker bars provide a place for people to congregate, socialize, network, eat, drink and celebrate. At times, biker bars may have many motorcycles parked in front of them, such as during a

motorcycle rally A motorcycle rally is a gathering of motorcycle enthusiasts. Rallies can be large or small, and one-time or recurring. Some rallies are ride-in events, whereas some like the Iron Butt Rally involve days of riding and an actual gathering only at t ...

. This provides an opportunity for bikers to socialize, compare their motorcycles, mechanical customizations and modifications, and to discuss aspects of motorcycles and motorcycling. Many biker bars have rules on whether they allow patrons to wear "

colors Color (or colour in Commonwealth English; see spelling differences) is the visual perception based on the electromagnetic spectrum. Though color is not an inherent property of matter, color perception is related to an object's light absorpt ...

", many biker bars do not allow "colors" as these are used to define one's position and/or alliance to one club over another. The "No Colors" club rules have become more popular over the years as a way to reduce tension between rival club members and potential security issues.

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs may assign a club member to remain outside of a bar to guard their motorcycles from vandalism or theft while the rest of the group congregates inside. Members of

outlaw An outlaw, in its original and legal meaning, is a person declared as outside the protection of the law. In pre-modern societies, all legal protection was withdrawn from the criminal, so anyone was legally empowered to persecute or kill them. ...

motorcycle clubs have been known to patronize biker bars. Some motorcycle clubs, including outlaw motorcycle clubs, adopt public biker bars as their club bar; as a bar that club members regularly frequent. This can provide opportunities for motorcycle clubs to meet potential prospects, or recruits, for their clubs. Motorcycle clubs may cordon off an area of a bar as reserved for their members and those that they choose to socialize with, such as other select bikers, single women and friends. This may also occur to provide club members with a vantage point to observe activity occurring in a bar and to spot potential threats. Club biker bars also provide a space for members to meet and discuss club matters, and as a means to unify the group through socialization and camaraderie. Sometimes arrangements are made between motorcycle clubs and bar managers or owners regarding the utilization of a bar in relation to the regular presence of club members. Motorcycle club members have also performed bouncer services at times in biker bars. This can occur for several reasons, such as to protect their members or to prevent various conflicts from occurring or escalating. Sometimes club members work in unison with bouncer staff in bars, and sometimes club members are paid employees as part-time bouncers. Additionally, club members sometimes receive preferential service by bar staff, such as not having to wait in lines to get inside of a crowded bar while non-club members wait outside in a queue.

Notable biker bars

* Ace Cafe, on the

North Circular Road The North Circular Road (officially the A406 and sometimes known as simply the North Circular) is a ring road around Central London. It runs from Chiswick in the west to North Woolwich in the east via suburban north London, connecting var ...

in London, England *

Cook's Corner Cook's Corner is an Orange County, California, Orange County, California bar built in 1884 that is popular with motorcyclists. It is located between the city of Lake Forest, California, Lake Forest and the unincorporated community of Silverado ...

is a bar and restaurant located in Trabuco Canyon, Orange County, California * Dinosaur Bar-B-Que is a

chain A chain is a serial assembly of connected pieces, called links, typically made of metal, with an overall character similar to that of a rope in that it is flexible and curved in compression but linear, rigid, and load-bearing in tension. A ...

in New York and

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

* Full Throttle Saloon near in Vale, South Dakota has been described as the world's largest biker bar *

Hogs and Heifers Hogs and Heifers Saloon is a small chain of bars. The original bar opened in 1992 in the Meatpacking District of Manhattan, in New York City. A second location was opened on 1st Avenue between 95th and 96th Streets in Manhattan by early 2000. A ...

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

from 1992–2015 * Hurley Mountain Inn in

Hurley, New York Hurley is a Administrative divisions of New York#Town, town in Ulster County, New York, Ulster County, New York (state), New York, United States. The population was 6,178 at the 2020 census.US Census Bureau, Hurley town, Ulster County, New York ...

was a biker bar until a

New York State Police The New York State Police (NYSP) is the state police of the U.S. state of New York; it is part of the New York State Executive Department and employs over 5,000 sworn state troopers and 711 non-sworn members. The New York State Police are re ...

barracks was built across the street * Johnny's Bar in Hollister, California was a historical biker bar Quote: "Johnny's Bar is included in history books about American motorcycles because it was around when the Hollister riot of 1947 happened and inspired the movie "The Wild One," starring Marlon Brando." * The Rock Store in Cornell, California

Biker socialization

Motorcycle clubs

Notable biker bars

See also

References

Bibliography

Further reading

Books