The Quail Motorcycle Gathering: A Virgin Voyage

The moment we arrived on the grounds, as we snaked our way back to the green, it was sensory overload. The sights, the smells, and the atmosphere. Motorcycles being pushed and ridden into the event under the early morning overcast sky was enough to make even the uninformed motorcyclist drool. Machines spanning more than a century and manufactured from all corners of the world were on hand for our viewing pleasure. Between the motorcycles on display, interesting owners, and industry folks, it was hard to make it but a few feet without taking pictures or having a conversation.

At one point, I realized I was taking pictures of almost every motorcycle that I came across as I made my way slowly into the smorgasbord of unique machines.

The Quail also hosted a fair amount of vendors whose booths lined the perimeter of the show. Ducati was on site celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Monster with a themed booth highlighting the model’s variations through the past quarter century. Moto Guzzi was also on display with the new range of its V7 motorcycles as well as a showcase of custom-built V7s.

The Quail Motorcycle Gathering, now in its tenth year, has experienced ups and downs in terms of attendance and entrants since its inception in 2008. According to the event’s PR company, there were more than 3,000 spectators and over 350 entrants to the show this year. Per Motorcycle.com’s previous year’s coverage, the show’s Event Director, Gordon McCall is just fine with the scale of the event and was quoted saying “We don’t need more bikes,” he says. “I want people to feel like they’re able to see everything.”

I’m not sure why it took me so long to find the time to attend the Quail Motorcycle Gathering. I love the Monterey Peninsula and surrounding area, I love the various routes you can take to get there, and I love seeing unique or old motorcycles that remind us of how far motorcycling has come. Spending the day gawking at motorcycles such as the Best of Show-winning 1913 Flying Merkel made getting back on the 2018 Triumph Tiger 1200 XCA that I had ridden up from Long Beach, CA an even more interesting experience. As I adjusted the suspension by toggling through the TFT display and made sure my heated grips and seat were turned off, it made me consider, will this bike be on a golf green 100 years from now, and what will the attendees be walking out to in the parking lot to ride home?

Best of Show
1913 Flying Merkel Twin
Douglas & Marian McKenzie – California
Antique Class