There's a new form of motorcycle gang popping up across the nation. It's one that can gather at the drop of a social media post; it's one that isn't focused sharply on violence; it's one that hopes to garner fame over the Internet.

Screen capture of motorcycle chase on the West Side Highway
Screen capture of motorcycle chase on the West Side Highway (YouTube)
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The new breed swarms the streets on their bikes, performing stunts and disrespecting everyone else on the road. When they're finished, they post the video on YouTube for the world to see.

"They can videotape it from helmet cams," said Nick Irons, professor of criminology at the County College of Morris. "It gives them the ego boost that they're looking for."

The packs can assemble quickly, sometimes from a Tweet or a Facebook post. While the main goal is to ride at high speeds and feel the rush of taking over a road, Irons said a sense of "mob mentality" sets in if someone gets in their way.

The gang description sounds very similar to the incident in New York City over the weekend that captured nationwide attention - a bikers-versus-SUV scenario that resulted in a biker getting his spine crushed and the driver of the SUV needing stitches after a multi-mile chase.

The confrontation allegedly began when the SUV and one motorcycle made light contact with each other on the highway. When the bikers surrounded the vehicle, the driver accelerated and bounced over at least one bike and its rider. The other bikers gave chase and eventually caught up to the SUV at a traffic light. Police said the driver was pulled out of the vehicle, in front of his wife and child, and was beaten.

Police have said that some of the bikers involved in Sunday's chase are part of a gang known as Hollywood Stuntz, and they were participating in their annual New York ride.

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