IRON HORSES MC

The Iron Horses MC was founded in 1966 in a small pub in the town of Fürth, located in the middle Franconia region of Germany. As was often the case at the time, the founding members were exclusively US soldiers. However, since nobody in their homeland knew about Fürth, the club changed its location name to Nuremberg in the early 1970s – a city known in the States due to the Nuremberg Trials. The unit of the first members was called “Old Ironsides” and carried a battalion patch in yellow and black – these became the club’s colors. The shape of the colors was also brought by the founding members from the United States. Some of them were already members of a Riders Association, the Iron Horses from Ohio. However, the new MC had nothing in common with this association anymore; it had become an independent club through the combination of old and new. In the founders’ self-conception, “Iron” represented their unity and “Horses” represented their bikes.

The first president of the club was named Charlie. He was married to a German woman and, after his military service, unlike many of the other members at that time, he chose to stay in Germany. His wife also owned the pub where the MC was founded, and it served as the first clubhouse in the early years. Charlie remained loyal to the club until his last breath, wearing his colors until the end. After another traditional club in the Nuremberg scene changed its colors and joined the Iron Horses MC as the Fürth chapter, Charlie also switched as a Lifetime Member and Honorary President to the chapter of his adopted hometown. He passed away in 2008 and was laid to rest with all honors by his brothers, who had come from all over Europe. His kutte (vest with patches) survived the decades and hangs in the clubhouse of the Iron Horses MC Fürth today.

Since getting colors embroidered was not easy in the 1960s, they used their good connections with the army and used parachute silk. It was nearly indestructible, and the first colors were almost impossible to tear. Charlie’s kutte is probably the last Iron Horses kutte from 1966.

Anyone who has been on the road since 1966 has certainly played a significant role in German biker history. In their collection, you can still find the original invitation to all German clubs for the first Presidents Rally in 1974, which the Iron Horses MC initiated and organized at that time. It was held at the Lawmen MC Frankfurt. In the early seventies, the first German members joined the Horses. One of the first was Toby, who later became one of the international Presidents. There was a lot of turnover; many GIs were transferred and took their kutte with them. That’s why, and because the Iron Horses were always fond of traveling, chapters were established throughout Europe. The first ones were founded in Belgium and the Netherlands in the early 1980s. The new chapters admitted local members, ensuring the MC’s continuity and establishing themselves in the scene. Today, the Iron Horses MC has chapters all over Europe, from Wales to Hungary – and since 2014, also in Central America. During its 50 years of existence, the club maintained many other chapters in various countries, but they either merged into existing chapters or dissolved.

In the early years of the scene, countless clubs would pop up at the beginning of the season, only to disappear by the end of the same year. In Nuremberg alone, there were up to seventy clubs in the early 1980s. A few serious ones established themselves and formed the Nuremberg Family – “Family” referred to the alliance of regional, friendly clubs that remained independent but organized parties together and attended rallies together. Besides the Iron Horses, the original Nuremberg Family included the Freedom Riders MC, Zombies Elite MC, Road Pack MC, Knight Rider MC, Flying Angel MC, Uncommon Ghost MC, Zerberus MC, Golden Drakes MC, Kolbenquäler MC, Living Death MC, and the Chopperclub Nuremberg.

There weren’t as many events back then as there are today. At the annual Presidents’ Meeting of German MCs, rally dates for the upcoming year were coordinated. Starting from the first Presidents’ Meeting in 1974, the Nuremberg Iron Horses MC was allocated four official rally dates, the last one being in 1983. The club hosted the legendary Hog Rallies back then – the name had nothing to do with the Harley Owners Group (HOG) but referred to the prize that could be won: there was a pen in the party area, and in its muddy enclosure, a real pig wallowed. Whoever managed to bring the pig down to the ground with soapy hands and hold onto it could take it home as the prize.

Many things were different in the early days. Not only could women become members, but until the mid-1980s, there was also something called the ASSOC-Colour. These Assoc’s or Associates were like today’s supporters; members could request the ASSOC-Colour for good friends or their girlfriends. At the international level, there are two mandatory events for all members today: the International Run, which always leads to a different friendly club in Europe, and the end-of-season annual party. Here, all members come together again and celebrate with their families among their brothers. At the annual party, they prefer to stay among themselves to celebrate without any club politics.

For all these years, friendship, loyalty, and respect have been the motto. The Iron Horses MC sees itself as a neutral club, maintaining friendships with local clubs of all sizes and colors on different continents. This attitude is respected by the scene and reciprocated accordingly.