Inside the 2024 Quail Motorcycle Gathering

The Quail Lodge and Golf Club in Carmel, California hosted the 14^th Quail Motorcycle Ride and Gathering on May 3 and 4. This event has become the premier motorcycle show and concours event in the U.S., with over 200 entries from around the country displayed with the same care and elegance afforded to the superb automotive gathering held during Monterey Motor Week each August. 

This year’s event honored multi-time AMA Motocross Champion Rick Johnson as the Legend of the Sport during the Sunday festivities.  

Sunshine greeted the enthusiastic collection of riders for the Friday Quail Motorcycle Ride — a 100-mile tour of the Carmel Valley led by a host of California Highway Patrol Motor Officers. Bikes on the ride ranged from vintage Vincents, Triumphs and Moto Guzzis to Vespa Scooters, modern road race replicas and adventure touring bikes. Even a Morgan three-wheeler joined the fun.  

The tour stopped at nearby Weathertech Laguna Seca Raceway, where participants could take spirited parade laps around the legendary track, including its world renowned “Corkscrew” turn. The ride eventually finished back at the Quail Lodge for lunch.

Sunday’s main event had several more challenges, as rain was forecast for most of the day. Gordon McCall, event organizer and host, offered this: “We all know that the rain’s coming. We’ve put up as many tents as possible to offer shelter to the bikes, entrants and attendees. It’s an all-weather sport and I think the people that are coming will have a great and memorable time.”  

Fortunately, the rain held off for much of the morning, allowing judges to view the bikes on the field and make their selections.  

Fourteen classes with close to 200 entries were featured, including tributes to the Ducati 916, Vespa Scooters, Suzuki Haybusa and the American Motorcyclist Association. Taking home the coveted “Best in Show” trophy was Vic World from Southern California, who brought a 1968 Honda CB750 Prototype — one of the earliest known CB750s to exist. 

Everything from competition on- and off-road bikes to choppers, customs, antiques, American and European bikes could be found either under the tents or out in the elements.  And fortunately, most of the attendees brought their rain gear and umbrellas to enjoy it all.