Quail on Two

A full report on the first Quail Motorcycle Gathering

By Michael T. Lynch

The Quail Lodge in Carmel California has a long motorsports tradition, but it wasn’t until May 8-9, the Friday and Saturday before Mothers’ Day this year that it held its first motorcycle-only event. The Quail Motorcycle Gathering enjoyed clear days in the mid-60s, with a brisk breeze at times.

Participants had to make a choice on Friday between a golf tournament and a motorcycle tour. The tournament group got to pal around with Kenny Roberts, the two-time AMA and three-time 500cc World Champion and Bubba Shobert, a four-time AMA Champion. Bubba had his son, Clint, in tow. The venue was the Robert Muir Graves-designed Quail Lodge Golf Club course, which meanders among ten lakes and along the Carmel River.

The tour participants headed out on America’s most photographed stretch of roadway, Highway One through the area known as Big Sur. After numerous stops to photograph the views, especially at the Bixby Canyon Bridge, scene of uncountable motorcycle and automobile ads, the group continued on to lunch at the River Inn, the area’s first tourist establishment, dating to the 1930s. Bucking occasional wind gusts on the return leg, the convoy was led by California Highway Patrolman Ray Faulk and Gordon McCall, one of the event organizers.

There was a gala dinner Friday night in the Lodge’s ballroom. The diners were treated to an array of collector motorcycles on the ballroom’s terrace, in place for Saturday afternoon’s Bonhams auction. Speakers included local resident Danny Sullivan, an Indianapolis 500 winner, AMA Grand National Champion Mert Lawwill and Cycle World Editor, Dave Edwards.

The most enthusiastic person in the crowd had to be Xavier Barlier, Vice President of Marketing and Communications for Champagne Louis Roederer, who provided the bubbly for the dinner and the next day’s awards. Barlier had followed Lawwill’s racing exploits in the 1960s and 70s from his native France, and brought a French-language VCR tape of Bruce Brown’s motorcycle classic, On Any Sunday, in which Lawwill is prominently featured. Mert graciously signed the case. After Friday night’s excitement, Xavier had his exotic Benelli 750 Sei (six cylinders in line across the frame) on the lawn on Saturday.

Saturday dawned clear and as the entrants came through their gate, they passed the semi-trailer and tractor of three-time AMA Superbike Champion Doug Chandler. Doug had the rig set up with its awning like it was a race weekend and was showing off some of his old bikes, and new ones ridden by his son, Jett.

As the field filled, some multiple entrants were pleasantly surprised to find that the organizers had provided special areas and signage for their collections. Among these was Ned Spieker’s Triumph grouping, which included a rare T100R racer. Larry Bowman’s four Crockers and Gary Wasserman’s four /2 series BMWs got similar treatment. Wasserman’s bikes had some of the most exotic BMW-approved accessories ever seen by this observer.

As the crowd circulated among the bikes, Wayne Rainey, two-time AMA Superbike Champion and winner of the 500cc Grand Prix title in 1990-91-92, was greeting old friends on the field.

The entry was exceptional, starting at the top of the alphabet with two AJS 7R racers from the 1950s and ranging down to Bill Moore’s two Yamahas. The time continuum spanned Alan Kunovsky’s 1913 Indian Twin racer and local newspaper journalist Mary Brownfield’s 2009 Suzuki GSXR-600, covering all but a few years of the beginnings of the meet’s theme, The History of the Motorcycle. There were plenty of vintage BMWs, Bultacos, Ducatis, Indians, MV Agustas, Nortons, Triumphs, Velocettes and Vincents, but the younger set could see their dream bikes as well, like the Ducati 998 Desmosedici, a street legal version of Casey Stoner’s MotoGP Championship winner and Alison Malkhassian’s BMW HP2, as well as modern Buells, Harleys, Hondas and many more current offerings.

Quail Lodge is located in a valley known for its culinary tradition. Earthbound Farms, the world’s largest producer of organic produce is a next-door neighbor and many of Monterey County’s finest vineyards are further out Carmel Valley Road which is also home to local produce growers and artisanal beer, cheese and jam makers. Inspired by such local offerings, Executive Chef Jeff Rogers had a real feast available for the attendees. The luncheon was included in admission to the event. The menu was as All American as motorcycle riding, and included Greek salad with local romaine, tomatoes and onions, mesquite-grilled chicken, baby back pork ribs, watermelon and strawberry shortcake. The guests were provided with real plates, metal utensils and tables with tablecloths to enjoy their meals. For the rest of the afternoon, I heard as much about the food and not having to sit on the ground to eat, as I did about the motorcycles.

The show itself ended with the awards ceremony where special Quail Motorcycle Gathering-commissioned bronze sculptures by Steve Posson were given. The fact that Posson is a long-time motorcyclist made them even more meaningful. Major awards not mentioned in the captions included the Cycle World Trophy, presented by the magazine’s Editor, Dave Edwards. One qualification Dave and his writers insisted upon was that the winner had to take part in the Quail Motorcycle Tour. It was given to Tim Stafford’s 1969 BMW R60/2. The Competition and Sport Award went to Al and Chris Rudy’s Harley-Davidson KR dirt track racer. Mert Lawwill, who rode one of these bikes during his 1969 championship season, appropriately presented the award. Craig Vetter was one of the great innovators in motorcycle history as the designer and founder of Windjammer fairings. He also penned the futuristic design of the 1973 Triumph Hurricane. He chose Fred Hayes’ 2008 HDT MD670F as the recipient of the Innovation Award. Featuring the world’s first purpose-built diesel motorcycle engine, it was a deserving winner.

As The Quail Motorcycle Gathering wound down, the crowds began to make their way to the Quail Lodge for the Bonhams auction in the ballroom. I noticed Eddie Lawson in the sales room. He is a four-time World Motorcycle Grand Prix Champion in the 500cc class. A Vincent White Lightning, named for the lack of black enamel on its engine cases, was the high sale of the day, followed by a Triumph Bonneville desert sled built by Bud Ekins for Steven McQueen and painted by the legendary Von Dutch. It brought $84,240. Accenting the desirability of anything related to the King of Cool, McQueen’s International Drivers License, necessary for his participation in the International Six Days Trial, sold for $42,700 and a 1929 Harley-Davidson DL he once owned brought $39,780. Other notables were a rare road version of Honda’s CB93 production 125cc road racer at $50,310, a 1911 Indian 61 Twin for $54,990 and an ex-Derek Minter Norton Manx, which brought $38,610.

As the two days of homage to the history of the motorcycle ended, everyone agreed that the Quail Motorcycle Gathering’s combination of hospitality, setting and camaraderie had added an instant classic to the worldwide motorcycle calendar. Many were questioning the Quail staff about bringing entries for next year. Quail Lodge General Manager Sarah Cruse simply said, “Our date is May 8, 2010 and the event will be bigger and better.” Knowing Sarah, I believe her and hope you’ll become part of the Quail Lodge’s long motorsports tradition next May.