Highlights From the 2024 Quail Motorcycle Gathering

[Hugh Janus]

In its 14th year The Quail Motorcycle Gathering remains the premier concours d’elegance for motorcycles in America. (The Quail Signature Events/)

For the 14th edition of The Quail Motorcycle Gathering earlier this month, sunshine was in short supply, but the spirits of the 1,000 or so attendees slogging through the manicured grasses of the Quail Lodge & Golf Club in Carmel, California, were unflagging. It was, in the words of returning master of ceremonies and two-wheel culture expert Paul d’Orleans, more like a “Watersports Gathering,” with dark skies dumping buckets of precipitation on the event, but the QMG still brought out the heavy-duty hardware, with more than 200 vintage and modern motorcycles, scooters, and bicycles on display.

The premier two-wheel concours d’elegance carried on with its usual format, showcasing four featured motorcycle classes alongside 10 returning traditional classes. The anniversaries and marques highlighted this year included the 25th anniversary of Suzuki Hayabusa, the 30th anniversary of the Ducati 916, the 100th anniversary of the American Motorcyclist Association, and a celebration of the Vespa, dubbed “Decades of Scooter Fun!”

Related: Why We Ride to the Quail Returns for 2022

Vic World’s pristine (and one-of-one) 1968 Honda CB750 Factory Prototype took home Best of Show honors at The Quail. (The Quail Signature Events/)

A 1968 Honda CB750 Factory Prototype scooped up the “Best of Show” award, and attendees also got to witness a Fireside Chat between AMA Hall of Famer, Supercross champ, and 2024 Legend of the Sport Honoree Ricky Johnson, and AMA Hall of Famer and three-time MotoGP world champion Wayne Rainey.

Related: The Quail Motorcycle Gathering

This historic 1926 Moto Guzzi C2V (Corsa Due Valvole) racer presented by Greg Saule snagged the Antique Second Place award. (The Quail Signature Events/)
Steve Wellman’s mind-blowing prototype based on a 2006 Hayabusa won the 25th Anniversary of the Suzuki Hayabusa prize. Fifteen years in the making, the bike currently features a raw turbo ’Busa drag race motor putting out about 600-plus horsepower, carbon wings right out of Formula 1, carbon wheels, and more. The goal, says Wellman, is to build an 800-hp production model using a proprietary CNC-milled billet engine. (The Quail Signature Events/)
The extraordinary craftsmanship on Barry Weiss’ sculptural Seeley-Norton Commando, with a vintage Seeley racing chassis, came courtesy of Johnny Green and Evan Wilcox, and convinced the judges to award it Spirit of the Quail honors this year. (The Quail Signature Events/)
A 1992 Cagiva D92 Works Prototype Dakar racer from Cory Muensterman took home the Competition Off-Road prize as well as the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Heritage Award. (The Quail Signature Events/)
There’s no argument that Max Hazan’s lovely hand-built 1938 JAP 1000 build was more than deserving of its Custom/Modified second place trophy. Just ask owner Jason Mamoa. (The Quail Signature Events/)
An on-stage chat featured 2024 Legend of the Sport Honoree and AMA Hall of Famers Ricky Johnson and Wayne Rainey as well as QMG event founder Gordon McCall. (The Quail Signature Events/)
This 1960 Parilla Grand Sport from Jon Jacobson took the Historical Vehicle Association (HVA) award. (The Quail Signature Events/)
Also on display at this year’s Quail was the record-setting 2018 Aprilia Tuono V4 1100 Factory ridden by Rennie Scaysbrook at The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. (The Quail Signature Events/)
In the Custom/Modified category, Chris Ranuio’s tribute to 1920s Harley-Davidson boardtrack racers snapped up first place. (The Quail Signature Events/)
One of the featured classes was for Vespa, and taking first place in that group was this 1946 V98 model from Josh Rogers. (The Quail Signature Events/)
Long, low, and exquisitely detailed, this 1980 Harley-Davidson Sportster Custom was the top finisher for the Arlen Ness Memorial Award. (The Quail Signature Events/)
In the American class, first place was given to this 1979 Harley-Davidson FLH Electra Glide from John Ventura. (The Quail Signature Events/)
Winning first place in the British category was this mint 1950 Triumph TR5 Square Barrel, courtesy of Bob Ives. (The Quail Signature Events/)
Plenty of other gorgeous hardware was on display too, including this rare V-8-powered 1992 Honda NR750, in the Iconic Motorbikes booth. (The Quail Signature Events/)
Even though none were finalists in the British class, there were lots of super-clean Vincent examples hanging around too, like this one from Magro Motorcycles. (The Quail Signature Events/)

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