What Does It Mean When A Biker Goes Nomad?

Outlaw motorcycle clubs — MCs, aka motorcycle gangs — started popping up in California in the late 1940s after World War II, grabbing national headlines with their raucous and violent behavior at biker enthusiast events. It was 1948 when the term "outlaw" was first used to describe a certain sect of riders who wreaked havoc by starting brawls and riots and engaged in general destructive acts that sometimes even ended in deaths, per the California Department of Justice. 

As the clubs evolved, they expanded to different towns, and the crews in each were known as chapters. New gangs popped up, and by the end of the 1960s, MC clubs were all over America, with law enforcement even naming the big four: the Hells Angels originating in California, the Pagans in Maryland, the Outlaws in Illinois, and the Bandidos in Texas. Nomads, those chosen by top leaders to go to new places and help charters get established, were part of this growth. Since then, their role in the larger MC ecosystem has grown. Here's a look at what it means when a biker goes Nomad. 

Nomads work as lone wolves — none of them officially belong to any specific chapter within a motorcycle club. So they might be a Hells Angel with a home base in California, but they don't pledge allegiance to any one city or chapter in that state — they only answer to national or international bosses rather than to any specific local leaders. At the same time, they're welcomed by all chapters within their club, so they're essentially members of all of them. 

As self-proclaimed former Nomad, Sose the Ghost, explains on Instagram, being a Nomad is typically an earned spot bestowed upon those who have proven their loyalty and grit for years. In some cases, though, the job may be assigned to someone who is worthy but doesn't do well within the structure of their chapter. You can't just decide to be a Nomad because you want the freedom of the open road or to not be tethered down. It's a job the higher-ups choose you for, a "reward for loyalty," Sose says. The role carries a certain authority and autonomy due to the work involved, and it also involves being able to handle yourself well in new places among people you may not know. According to Sose, a Nomad "moves how the club needs him to move when s*** gets real." 

Today, Nomads are still responsible for seeking out spots and finding members for new chapters, but there is more to it than that. In the role, they sometimes work as mediators within chapters that are having internal friction. Other times, they may vet or do background checks on people who there are rumblings about within the club. If a national president is having issues with a chapter, he may send a Nomad or a group of Nomads to spend some time among its members, see what the problem is, and tell them how to fix it. If the issue isn't resolved, the Nomad has authority to "correct the problem," according to Countrymen MC.

Nomads exist among the OG 1% outlaw MC clubs, like the Pagans who are involved in illegal enterprises like secret drug rings. They also play a role among the other 99% of MC groups, like the Countrymen, formed in 2016 for military vets and first responders. This club is more about creating a community among people who aren't necessarily involved in crime but may be "rough around the edges," with a kinship derived from their mutual love for riding and their shared values. 

Nomads play a unique role in the structures and hierarchies of MC clubs. It's not always an easy life, and it doesn't work for everyone. As Sose the Ghost points out, being a Nomad offers freedom, but it also means a lot of "responsibility with no safety net."