Set in the 1960s, The Bikeriders follows the rise of the Vandals, a Midwestern motorcycle club, through the eyes of its members. Kathy, a strong-willed woman married to the reckless Benny, narrates the club's transformation over a decade. Initially a haven for local outsiders led by the steady Johnny, the Vandals gradually evolve into a dangerous gang. As the club's activities become more violent, Kathy, Benny, and Johnny face difficult choices about their loyalty to the club and each other. The film captures the gritty essence of the biker subculture, inspired by Danny Lyon's iconic photo-book documenting the Chicago Outlaws Motorcycle Club12345.

The Bikeriders blends real-life inspiration with fictional storytelling, creating a narrative that captures the essence of 1960s motorcycle culture while taking creative liberties. Here's a breakdown of the real and invented elements in the film:

While the film draws heavily from Lyon's photographic documentation of the Chicago Outlaws, the characters and their individual stories are inventions of the filmmakers. The movie captures the authentic look and feel of the era and the biker community, but crafts its own narrative to explore themes of loyalty, identity, and the changing nature of counterculture groups in America. This approach allows The Bikeriders to offer a compelling story while maintaining a connection to the real-life inspiration that gives it depth and authenticity.

The Vandals MC in The Bikeriders draws inspiration from the real-life Chicago Outlaws Motorcycle Club, one of the oldest and most notorious outlaw motorcycle gangs in the United States. Founded in 1935 in McCook, Illinois, the Outlaws MC has a long and storied history that served as the foundation for the fictional Vandals12. The club's roots in the Midwest, particularly Chicago, align closely with the setting of the film.

Like their fictional counterparts, the real Outlaws MC began as a group of local outsiders before evolving into a more dangerous organization over time2. This transformation mirrors the narrative arc of the Vandals in the film, showcasing how motorcycle clubs can shift from rebellious social groups to criminal enterprises. The authenticity of the film's portrayal is enhanced by its basis in Danny Lyon's photographic work, which documented the actual Chicago Outlaws during the 1960s, providing a raw and unfiltered look into the biker subculture that inspired Jeff Nichols' cinematic recreation13.