Russian Night Wolves MC

[SuperCloud]

This is the first time I've ever heard of this motorcycle club. Assuming the assertions in the news articles are true it appears a few Orthodox monks are members (or associates if not members) and the Muslim leader of the Chechens too.

From an online video that was hard for me to follow in subtitles... it appears the American born Bandidos, Mongols, and Hell's Angels are trying to break into Russia. That and the Night Wolves have had violent altercations with the Three Roads club being backed by the Bandidos.

What I find most interesting about the Night Wolves are their philosophical views. At least as the news article in link 1 portrays them and presents them.

1. Russia's Night Wolves ride for the motherland

2. Night Wolves ? Russia?s answer to Hell?s Angels | Russia Beyond The Headlines

From link 1:

"Our values are quite simple: love your country, have faith and don't use or sell drugs," summed up Alexander Benish, second in command of the powerful motorcycle club whose members President Vladimir Putin calls his "brothers".


They may share a passion for the open road, but the Night Wolves -- "Nochnye Volki" in Russian -- reject the American biker label altogether.


"The biker lifestyle is anti-social. It's all about 'let's drink beer, break glasses, and if anyone has a problem with that, we beat them up'," said Benish, who at 46 has been a Wolf for two decades.


"They think they are better than the rest of society, and they have this cult of violence. That's not our philosophy. We only use violence as a last resort."

Likewise its riders come from varied social backgrounds, from car mechanics, to businessmen -- even a few monks.


"Everyone is free to join -- except for women. 'No woman no cry'," joked Benish in a play on the Bob Marley lyric.

Alongside the tough-guy routine, the riders also play what they see as a pastoral role, striving for "the moral and spiritual development of the young generation based on patriotism and traditions."


"The words of Saint Augustine could sum up the philosophy of the Night Wolves," said Benish, quoting the words of the medieval theologian: 'In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity.'"

 

[buzuxi02]

Violence only as a last resort? Lol

I guess it's possible. I don't know anything about the biker scene in Russia. But christian themed biker clubs are common, as is ones that do charitable rides. This Club probably falls into that category. Obviously got never hear of these unless you are involved in the biker scene.

I knew a biker who would do the charity ride alongs . So for no one to mistake him as some outlaw biker, his "passenger holding onto him" was a large child's teddy bear .

 

[buzuxi02]

Violence only as a last resort? Lol

I guess it's possible. I don't know anything about the biker scene in Russia. But christian themed biker clubs are common, as is ones that do charitable rides. This Club probably falls along those lines. Obviously you will never hear of these clubs unless you are involved in the biker scene.

I knew a biker who would do the charity ride alongs . So for no one to mistake him as some outlaw biker, his "passenger holding onto him" was a large child's teddy bear .

 

[Trying_to_be_Orthodox]

IMHO
Dont think that bikers have serious influence in Russia NOWADAYS.
Suppose, for almost all they are kinda freaks sometimes dangerous, sometimes nope.

Night Wolves have had violent altercations - Think better to say that a few Russian guys wanted to get signs of Banditos club. Yep, conflict with Night wolves was. And imho result of it is big shame for wolves - they having numerical superiority beated three roads club and killed somebody.

On today big difference between Usa/West and Russian bikers clubs - in criminality. Russian are uncriminal.

PS
"Everyone is free to join -- except for women. 'No woman no cry', - +no gays, no alcoholics, no junkies.

 

[ArmyMatt]

if that fosters things like patriotism, charity, brotherhood, and the Faith, I say go for it.

 

[SuperCloud]

Violence only as a last resort? Lol

I guess it's possible. I don't know anything about the biker scene in Russia. But christian themed biker clubs are common, as is ones that do charitable rides. This Club probably falls into that category.

If you watch the video below I think you'll see these Night Wolves are rather remarkable within the biker world. My father used to ride with the Buffalo Soldiers here locally. But I believe the local chapter disbanded. In terms of the 5 Big outlaw motorcycle clubs, the Outlaws MC dominates the Milwaukee 1%er scene. Their national president was located in Milwaukee a few years ago before being indicted by Federal law enforcement. And the reason I bring this up is because the Outlaws Milwaukee chapter clubhouse (now closed I think) on the South Side was Nothing compared to this clubhouse or compound you see in the video below of the Night Wolves.

And look at the theatrics and the massive crowds the attract to their Mad Max-like compound rally. It's spectacular!

Christian biker clubs in the USA also don't have as rigorous a selection process.

While the black biker club Wolf Pack is not a Christian based club, they have just in Milwaukee alone roughly 700 members. They are not 1%ers. Compare to the black 1%er biker club in Milwaukee (originating and headquartered in Chicago) the Hells Lovers. They have roughly 13 members in Milwaukee and about 2,000 member nationally I think.

The Night Wolves have about 5,000 members nationally throughout Russia. Those thin numbers nationally are what you find among the Hells Angles, Bandidos, Mongols, Pagans, and Outlaws in the United States.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94e8-3S-HoY