The 2024 installment of The Quail Motorcycle Gathering in Carmel Valley, California, was wet. Like, really wet.
My Airbnb host assured me it would just be a sprinkle and quickly pass… He was wrong. It was kind of surreal to see so many beautiful and rare bikes sitting in the rain, but it did make for some interesting photos.
Here are a few standouts that caught my eye.
1992 Cagiva D92 Works Prototype Dakar Racer
My off-road background means I am a sucker for rally bikes, and this prototype factory works bike was particularly cool. One of three built for the 1991 African rallies, it is hand-built around a kickstart-only Ducati 900SS race engine with sandcast center cases and a raised sump for additional ground clearance. The dry clutch with mesh cover seems an odd decision for sandy desert racing, but it did just fine. Ridden by Danny LaPorte, it took first overall in the 1991 Pharaohs Rally and second overall in the 1992 Dakar Rally. Oh, and it carried 17 gallons of fuel! Photo by Nathan May.
The number one isn't bragging if you earned it. Photo by Nathan May.
1949 Triumph TR5 Trophy
Racing was one of the themes for this year’s event and this 1949 Triumph TR5 “Square Barrel” 500 cc Trophy fits the bill. Built for desert racing, it is hard to believe that hardtails were the norm for off-road racing at the time. At the 1953 Big Bear Run, Bill Martin built four Triumph TR5s with a “swinging-arm rear frame.” The bike piloted by Vern Robison went on to win the event. This win helped establish Triumph’s racing reputation and prompted Bill to begin producing the conversion kit that eventually found its way onto this bike. Photo by Nathan May.
The conversion kit that added rear suspension to this Triumph TR5 would set you back $100 in 1954, which Google tells me is the equivalent of $1,140 today. Photo by Nathan May.
1954 BMW RS54
Some restorations are so good that it is easy to overlook the details. Such is the case with this BMW RS54. This is an extraordinarily rare short-stroke, double-overhead-cam factory race bike. The meticulous restoration took over 12 years, and as you can imagine, parts are not easily found. When a part simply could not be found, flights to Germany were booked and the original technical drawings consulted. That is some serious commitment to the cause! Photo by Nathan May.
So many hours of work goes into perfecting the motorcycles shown at The Quail. Photo by Nathan May.
1929 Cleveland Tornado
This was probably my favorite bike from the event. It was just so darn pretty. The 1929 Cleveland Tornado was one of two bikes in the world that were guaranteed to be tested at 100 mph. The other being the Brough Superior SS100. I can’t imagine what it must have felt like to hit that mark back in 1929, but you certainly would have looked good doing it! Photo by Nathan May.
They weren't called the roaring '20s because of this in-line-four engine, but it is appropriate to that pre-Depression era. Photo by Nathan May.
1926 Moto Guzzi C2V Racer
C2V means Corsa 2 Valvole or Two-Valve Racer. Designed in 1923 by Carlos Guzzi, it was exceptionally advanced for its day, with a 500 cc powerplant and a host of innovations. The owner reports that it will hit 80 mph, if you have the guts! Photo by Nathan May.
Gleaming red, even in the rain. Photo by Nathan May.
1938 J.A.P. / Hazan Motorworks J.A.P. 1000
For years, Los Angeles-based Max Hazan dreamed of a build based on the J.A.P. 1000. Made famous as the powerplant for the legendary Brough Superior, it is not exactly easy to find these days. When the opportunity presented itself, Max jumped at the opportunity.
An Eaton TVS supercharger is used to pressurize the aluminum tank and provide fueling without the need for a fuel pump. Power is provided via a four-speed Norton "dolls head" gearbox. Everything else, from the chromoly frame to the wild rear hub, is fabricated by Max. Photo by Nathan May.
There's a lot more to this custom build than just the famous powerplant. Photo by Nathan May.
1968 Honda CB750 factory pre-production model
Winner of this year’s Best in Show award, this is the only pretype Honda CB750 in existence. It has so many cool and unique details that I felt obligated to include it. This bike was followed by four pre-production dealer samples, 7,414 sandcast units, and 650,000 diecast units. It was fun — and rare — to see the very first example of such a popular and pivotal model model. Photo by Nathan May.
Instantly recognizable as a CB750 but with enough differences to make it clear this is not a production model. Photo by Nathan May.
1952 Vincent Series C Touring Rapide
I could not find any information about this particular bike, but it sure is pretty. The Touring Vincents don’t get as much love as the Lightnings and Black Shadows, which is a shame. Just a beautiful bike and the color really sets it apart. Photo by Nathan May.
Less famous than its flashier siblings, but still with that instantly recognizable Vincent V-twin. Photo by Nathan May.
Honorable Mention for Meritorious Service: Moto Guzzi V85TT Travel
This one wasn't in the show, but got me to the show. A big thank you to Moto Guzzi for the loan of this V85TT Travel. Comfortable and surprisingly charming, it was the perfect bike to make the trip from Los Angeles to Carmel Valley. The landslide that closed a portion of the Pacific Coast Highway meant we had to get creative with our route and the V85 handled everything I threw at it without complaint. Photo by Nathan May.
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