Honda will celebrate 40 years of the Honda Gold Wing at The Quail.
ThePeninsula Signature Events, a division of The Peninsula Hotels, will celebrate both pre-and post-war eras of the world’s finest sports and racing bikes during the seventh annual The Quail Motorcycle Gathering, presented by TUDOR, hosted at Quail Lodge & Golf Club. The event will take place on Saturday,May 16 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with a media preview from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. and will showcase more than 300 motorcycles with more than 2,000 guests in attendance.
In a rare appearance, this year’s Legends of the Sport series will honor two luminaries for the first time in the show’s history, 1969 AMA Grand National Champion Mert Lawwill and 1970 AMA Grand National Champion Gene Romero. Both Lawwill and Romero were inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1998.
This year, The Quail Motorcycle Gathering will exhibit several bikes on display, a few highlights include:
• 1942 BMW R-75 Wehrmachtsgespann (A Tribute to Military Motorcycles category)
• 1939 BMW R/12 “Art Deco” Two-Cylinder BMW (Pre-war, first production motorcycle to feature hydraulically damped telescopic forks, owned by Dr. Craig Venter)
• 1950 Vincent Black Shadow (Fully restored iconic bike owned by Indy 500 winner, Danny Sullivan)
Additional categories on display will include: Formula 750 Group, Scooter, American, Antique, British, Japanese, German, Italian, Other European, Competition On/Off Road and Custom/Modified.
The featured display, A Tribute to Military Motorcycles, will include a fantastic exhibition of military bikes from the United States, Germany, England, Denmark and Italy, among others, that will demonstrate how the motorcycle has progressed from World War I to modern times. The exhibit, presented by Indian Motorcycle of Hollister, will examine military spec to civilian sport motorcycles, as well as how military motorcycles have influenced the sport of motorcycling today.
In honor of the 40th anniversary of the Honda Gold Wing, Honda has chosen The Quail Motorcycle Gathering to showcase all five generations of the Gold Wing as part of its display. In partnership with Cycle World magazine, motorcycle fans and admirers are invited to join The Cycle World Tour, which will depart from Quail Lodge & Golf Club on May 16 at 8:15 a.m. for a scenic 50-mile drive down the awe-inspiring Monterey Peninsula, returning in time for The Quail Motorcycle Gathering. Cycle World editor-in-chief Mark Hoyer will lead the ride on a 1975 Honda GL1000. To find out more about The Cycle World Tour, please visit their website.
A respected panel of judges from the motorcycling community will preside over the entrants at this year’s event. For the sixth year, Somer Hooker will preside over 30 judges in his role as chief judge at The Quail Motorcycle Gathering. Hooker has penned motorcycle stories for numerous esteemed publications and has served as a chief judge for other prestigious events including the Cobble Beach Concours, Pinehurst Concours, the Celebration of the Motorcycle and the Barber Museum AMA Races Concours. Allen Siekman will serve as assistant chief judge, a newly added position to this year’s event. As president of the Japanese Motorcycle Heritage Foundation, Siekman has an extensive background in judging with the AMA’s Vintage Days as well as the AMCA. David Edwards, previously the editor of Cycle World magazine for 25 years and a consultant for Bonhams, will serve on the judging committee as well. Kara Snow, also joining the judging panel this year, has presented restorations at various shows, including The Best of France and Italy show as well as the Celebration of the Motorcycle, where she also served as a judge. Returning judge, Craig Vetter, has been with The Quail Motorcycle Gathering since its inception and has had the honor of being inducted into the AMA Hall of Fame.
To kick off the celebration, The Quail Ride will be led by champion motorcyclist Gene Romero andwill take place on Friday, May 15. Riders will discover the back roads of the Monterey Peninsula as they embark on the 100-mile journey, starting with parade laps at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. The exclusive event, which has been sold out for months, is limited to just 100 riders and offers rare access to the finest motorcycling experience the Monterey Peninsula has to offer.
The Quail Motorcycle Gathering general admission tickets are $75 for adults, $60 for teens (ages 13-17) and $15 for children (ages 3-12). Tickets include a gourmet barbeque lunch, award winning wines, local brews parking and a gear valet service for those riding to the event. Local band, VENT will play live music (sponsored by KPIG Radio), with Delaney Ann opening the show. The family-friendly event will include a dedicated children’s corner to accommodate guests of all ages. Charities supported through the event include the Naval Postgraduate School Foundation and Monterey Youth Museum.
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