OUTLAW motorcycle gang members say tomorrow's poker run north of Adelaide will further unite former warring parties against tough new anti-bikie laws.

Bikies and police have spent the past week gearing up for tomorrow's Gypsy Jokers poker run through the Barossa Valley.

Up to 400 bikies from clubs including the Rebels, Hells Angels, Finks and the Descendants will ride with the Gypsy Jokers in the event - dubbed the Freedom of Association Protest Poker Run.

A Gypsy Jokers member said organisers expected a smooth ride and no friction between different club members.

"This is just the start of bigger things to come. We are united now so this is the beginning of it," he said.

"While these laws are here we will be up in arms protesting about it."

Under the new laws, members of outlaw motorcycle gangs will be committing a criminal offence by associating with each other.

Assistant Police Commissioner Tony Harrison said police would have a major presence throughout the run from Gawler through the Barossa Valley.

"It's the first time that I have become aware that these outlaw motorcycle gangs have united for a common purpose so we are taking a different approach in relation to planning for tomorrow's event," he said.

Asst Comm Harrison said police were preparing for any potential situation, including violence between clubs.

"They do come with a lot of baggage to this event, we don't have to go too far back in history to realise that there has been shootouts in the streets of Adelaide involving these outlaw motorcycle gangs," he said.

STAR Group officers and undercover police are expected to be used during the run as well as breath testing stations and checks on registration and condition of motorcycles.

The Gypsy Jokers member said club members were vowing the laws would not force them to sever ties with each other.

"Long standing friends of ours that we have known for 30 40 years and they're telling us that we cant talk to each other," he said.

"And that's why we have the need to highlight it to all the public because if they can get away with doing to us then they can get away to doing it to anybody else."

 http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,25181216-5006301,00.html

Today's Adelaide Now website 13/3/09