Varangian Host Motorcycle Club

[Fallschirmjager]

History

   Varangian Host Motorcycle Club (VHMC) is a nationwide outlaw motorcycle club from Hewlett Harbor, NY. Founded in 1972 by a Soviet migrant Leonid “Russian Leo” Weinberg (born Leonid Turgenev), VHMC was one of the first Russo-American outlaw motorcycle clubs in the United States. With strong ties to Brighton Beach and Russian organized crime there, Varangians became a household name among the Russian Mob associates as diligent enforcers and effective narcotic dealers mostly due to their customs of celebrations and almost non-stop partying which set Varangians apart from most other outlaw motorcycle clubs at the time. This grew especially prevalent when in 1977 Varangian Host Motorcycle Club moved their clubhouse from a small decrepit ruin on Channel Drive to a fully renovated townhouse on Club Drive, naming it the Iron Hall. It gained a reputation as a den of prostitutes, drug dealers, alcoholics and other kinds of public deviants. It also gained popularity in the neighborhood as many of the upper class locals attended these parties that reportedly went on days. Iron Hall remains the VHMC’s headquarters to this day. Lenoid Weinberg was arrested, charged and found guilty of the murder of Arch Stanton, a private investigator who allegedly was investigating the club. His position was assumed by the club’s Vice President at the time, Nikolai Starkhovski who soon after expanded the club with two new charters - one in Belmar, New Jersey in March of 1982 and New Canaan charter in Connecticut just a month later.

   Despite their association with organized crime, their general ease and oddball attitude made them appear more vandals than hardened criminals which did little to make law enforcement crack down on the growing club. The epitome of their carousing arrived in 1986 in the Lake Erie 4th of July celebrations in Shelburne, Vermont which was attended by several outlaw clubs from both the US and Canada. The whole affair lasted for nearly three days in a row and included everything from drunk shenanigans to outright hedonist orgies. Two days after the festivities, Nikolai Strakhovski was hit by a drunk truck driver and died on the scene. Andrew Kirkenstein (born Andrey Loginov), Vice-President to Starkhovski was next to assume the presidency of mother charter  and the club in general.

   With the Soviet dissolution in December of 1991, over the year of 1992 Varangian Host saw a large influx of members that led them to form two other charters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (commonly known as Pitt charter) and Syracuse, New York charter (commonly known as the Nord charter). The Nomad charter followed in 1993 and shortly grew into the largest of their charters to date. Serenada, Texas charter is the last formal charter that was founded by a group of Nomads in 2002. Leonid Weinberg was released in 2005 after serving 23 years in prison and shortly after left the club, becoming an anti-crime advocate, specifically reaching out to inner-city kids that most commonly fall into a life of crime.

   Matthew Nakhimov became the 4th President of the mother charter in 2007 after Andrew Kirkenstein died of prostate cancer. Nakhimov is the first president in the club's history to be born in the United States and remains the president of the club to date. The new generation of Varangians is mostly made up of second or third generation migrants, with loose reports even claiming that the club accepts Americans with no roots in Eastern Europe whatsoever. Their modus operandi remains largely secret, but according to Pittsburgh Bureau of Police the motorcycle club is involved in drug trade, prostitution and possibly firearms trafficking. None of these claims have been backed up and Matthew Nakhimov has publicly stated “that just because Varangians do not support American Motorcycle Association by-laws, doesn’t mean that they are criminals.”

 

Out of Character

 

   Just because this faction is Russian in origin, we do not intend to roleplay a low grade, stereotypical Russian crime group riding motorcycles. Outlaw culture has no national, religious or ethnic boundaries contrary to the common perception. It is a society for rejects and oddballs that seek familiarity and loyalty and our intention is to portray a traditional outlaw motorcycle club. We endorse portrayal of second or third generation immigrants from Eastern Europe and other post Soviet states that have assimilated into the American culture and way of life. Any questions regarding the faction can be directed at @Fallschirmjager or in our Discord server. By joining this faction you agree to give faction leadership full decisive power over your character's fate via the use of Faction CK Clause.

[Fallschirmjager]

[Sonny]

 

[Sonny]

 

 

[HellRaiser]

I like

[Sonny]

 

Those whom know, they know.

 

Credit: Outlaws Motorcycle Club, one of the many Florida Chapters

[Fallschirmjager]

Member of Straight Satans MC, early 1960s.

[Fallschirmjager]

[Sonny]

 

 

[Sonny]

[Fallschirmjager]

  

Margo Seefried, known as "Lil Bit" was married to Tommy Seefried of the LA County Coffin Cheaters. According to some negatives taken in the 60s and reports from the Coffin Cheaters remnant, she was a patched member of the club and rode her own '48 Panhead, flying the Coffin Cheater colors. She and Tommy remained married until their deaths in 2021.

[Fallschirmjager]

[Sonny]

 

 

[Fallschirmjager]

 

[dakata]

Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeah!

[Sonny]

 

 

 

[Sonny]

[Fallschirmjager]

 

Allan Terk, known to most as Gut was originally a member of Hell Bent for Glory MC, before patching over to North Sacramento Hells Angels, being transfered to Berdoo Angels at some point down the line. He was an artist and worked with many California based musicians, including the Grateful Dead. At one point he also acted as the creative director for Jefferson Airplane and was also a US Navy Submarine Sonar Specialist before his life as an outlaw. His gained the nickname Gut due to his unsatiable hunger and was often described as permanent resident of the clubhouse fridge. In the years after he also became a cowboy and raised horses before passing away in 2018.



Gut's Hell Bent for Glory Kutte.

[Fallschirmjager]

[Sonny]

 

 

Originally founded in 1965 in Louisville, Kentucky. The Grim Reapers Motorcycle Club is one of the many outlaw (1%er) motorcycle clubs in the United States. The Grim Reapers Motorcycle Club was the first outlaw club in Iowa but are mostly known for their control of the distribution of cocaine in TENNESSEE. With 4 different chapters in ILLINOIS, INDIANA, TENNESSEE and KENTUCKY, they hold the most charters of 5 in KENTUCKY in modern times.

 

[Fallschirmjager]

   Matthew Koprowski, better known to most as Hazzard was an unfortunate result of a one night stand between Jan “Polack John” Koprowski - one of the founding members of Varangian Host’s Nomad Charter - and Janice Kephart, Virginia native from Bacova Junction who was married at the time no less. Mistreated by his stepfather and neglected by his mother Matthew developed a taste for trouble from an early age. His antics came in the form of bootlegging his stepfather’s VHS tapes and selling them to other kids, as well as running his own still. Matt ran away from home at fourteen. Drifting from town to town, he wound up settling on the outskirts of Roanoke, where he attempted to make contact with his biological father, who unbeknownst to him had passed away in just five years prior. Left with no other options, he returned home before going on another hiatus a year later - but he would not return this time.

 

   Finding stable employment in the Dirgewater Ranch as a farmhand he also found a paternal figure in a cattle wrangler he called Low, who forced him to enroll in a local highschool and graduate. Though with its own heap of trouble, Matt eventually graduated highschool. Also around this time, according to Matt, Low passed away due to unspecified health complications. And with the fall of the old fashioned cattle industry that swept across the US in the late 2000s, Matt was also left out of a job. Once again, left on his own, he wandered before making contact with John Bregovic known to most as Padre - a former Southern Baptist preacher-turned-outlaw and a member of Varangian Host Nomads.

 

   After hanging around the charter and doing more than a few favors for Bregovic as well as his heritage, Matt was invited to start his prospect phase with the club in 2011 and received his rockers in 2013. Reputed to be a punch drunk, practical joker and true nomad - by having no permanent residence since childhood - Hazzard wanders the world, finding trouble both literally and in the form of other delinquents.

[Fallschirmjager]

Vagabonds MC was formed in 1962 in Toronto Canada by Ed Leslie, known to most as Edjo. It is the oldest Canadian Outlaw Motorcycle Club that is still active. This belt buckle was made by Tom "Wop" Ziatas whilst serving time in Kingston, Ontario. He learned leather-working from Bernie Guindon, called The Frog, from Satan's Choice MC, Vagabond's rival club at the time.

[Sonny]

 

George Christi (Left), one of the longest sitting 'Presidents' for the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club, serving from 1978-2011 as the Ventura (California) charter President. Harry "Taco" Bowman (Right), serving as the 'National President' for the Outlaw Motorcycle Club between 1984 & 1999.

On two different occasions (1992 and 1993) were George Christi (Hells Angels Motorcycle Club) as well as Harry "Taco" Bowman (Outlaws Motorcycle Club) attempting to form peace through peace treaties (peace talks) during the rising tension between Harry "Taco" Bowman and Sonny Barger on which essentially was described as "Who had the better club" by Philip Reich, a Detroit policeman.  Nothing became of the attempts due to the withdrawal of the Outlaws MC leadership, something George Christi believed to be pressure internally within the Outlaws Motorcycle Club.

 

With more on Outlaw culture and history, here's a story told by George Christi in his later years, after his years in the club.

 

Credit for the picture: Unknown, originally posted by George Christi
Credit for the edited mashup picture(s): SonnyB
Credit for the text: George Christi

 

[Fallschirmjager]

Drunk and sobe'..., less drunk shenannigans 

[Sonny]