I’m not much of a golfer, so the beauty of Quail Lodge and Golf Club largely lost to me. But you’d be surprised at how quickly you can refresh a joint by squirting a little used engine oil and swishing around with some unburnt 110 octane. Sorting out your greens one day of the year, The Quail Motorcycle Gathering in Carmel, California, is reason enough for you to take off your cap and sweatshirt.
Since 2009, The Quail Motorcycle Gathering has become one of the most popular events for speed enthusiasts as well as dreamers, attracting several thousand spectators each year. Mirroring the automotive world, these prestigious golf events aren’t the cheapest to get in, but the size and variety of vehicles on display are often well worth the price of admission.
The Quail has dropped to about 200 motorcycles this year, perhaps so you can ride the whole lot in one day. All the traditional classes are represented, but they also have some fun classes, such as the Choppers Award, Bring the Baggers, and the Special Bicycle and Scooter Award.
If you’re too busy with your not-so-rare scooter in your not-so-pretty garage, here’s a quick recap of some of our favorites from the event.
1939 Miller-Balsamo 200 Carenata You can’t argue with Best of Show, and this year’s title goes to John Goldman’s 1939 Miller-Balsamo 200 Carenata. With enough art deco influences to make an Indian Chief look like a Honda Rebel, the 200 Carenata is a particularly spectacular machine from the golden era of motorcycles in Italy.
The brand that would later become Miller-Balsamo was founded by brothers Ernesto, Edgardo and Mario Balsamo in Milan in the early 1920s. Former sales representatives of Ariel and Excelsior, they had a vision of making these products. the motorcycle is fast and stylish, and this effort is certainly evident in the 200 Carenata.
Miller-Balsamo built some pretty cool bikes of the day and won some records in the late 20s, but the brand never came back strong after the Second World War. Despite the Carenata 200’s clever design and sleek body, sales of the 196 cc two-stroke engine fell short of expectations and the brand is better known as ‘Vespa’ today.
A marvel of craftsmanship that exemplifies what can happen, Goldman’s Miller-Balsamo 200 Carenata is extremely rare, and a worthy and enjoyable choice for Best of Show.
Hazan Special Velocette Custom Exif readers will instantly recognize this beautiful twin Velocette-powered custom car from Max Hazan, and owner Marco Diaz has left Quail with #1 in the Custom/Modified class.
This one deserves its own category, I call it the ‘Pick Your Jaw up the Floor Award?’ It’s a working title, but either way, Hazan’s manual customization is simply in a league of its own. While it looks more like a living room centerpiece, according to Hazan, this car can be run and ridden, despite being a real pain in the ass.
The whole project started when a pair of 349 cc Velocette MAC engines popped up on eBay, and Hazan immediately envisioned putting them together in one chassis. If that weren’t enough, the engines are actually bearing units in a hand-built chrome frame and the entire setup runs belts on custom machined pulleys through a four-speed gearbox. Matchless speed is tilted towards it.
Okay, but anyone with a flux core and a crescent can do it, so Hazan added a supercharger to the mix. The glossy Eaton TVS R410 is actually driven from the last belt in the system, which is a double-sided belt that sends power to the transmission and supercharger. And don’t think for a second that it’s just for show, as Hazan has a blow-through system set to 6 psi! [More]
1929 India 402 ‘Rarity means no one wants one when they’re new,’ quipped the elderly, and when it comes to the Indian Fours, that statement is somewhat true. Although production lasted from 1928 to 1942, Indian did not sell many Fours, and the model’s lack of success affected the entire brand.
But with nearly 100 years on, the Indian Fours has become a spectacle of engineering. There’s just something different about the air-cooled four-cylinder that runs under the seat that makes the Four interesting. While they don’t get the Chief’s trim-inspired bodywork, these bikes are some of the most valuable in the world, costing well over $200,000 in some cases.
Mike Lynch’s 1929 Indian 402 is a great example of this model, with its leaf-spring front end, gold-striped bodywork, and auburn saddle. In a fresh ’29 gallery, Lynch’s Indian was Bonham’s choice for #1 Antiques.
Ducati 350 racer 1961 Ducati didn’t produce the 350 in 1961 and in fact, the racer’s first Ducati 350 left the factory as a 200 cc bike. Frank Scurria raced his 200 cc Ducati in the 250 class in the early 1960s, and even though the bike was a huge hit, he was still tired of giving up so many cubic centimeters to make it work. participate in the contest.
Modified with a travel crank and aluminum under-cylinder spacers, Scurria’s Ducati is now a square 247 cc engine, and he won the AFM 250 cc championship in 1961 with this engine. But Scurria knew his little Ducati had a lot to offer, and with a borrowed piston and cylinder, he pushed the engine to 254 cc and raced it in the 350 cc class.
In second place behind the AJS 7R, Scurria’s Ducati was lethal in both the 250 and 350 cc classes, but things got even better in 1962. Ducati unveiled a new 250 over-square, and with Scurria mods, a 344 cc square. engines can be built. Maximizing every aspect of the new engine, Scurria’s 350 was the fastest Ducati he had ever raced and helped him finish third in the 1963 350 cc Championship.
Recognizing the value in Scurria’s creativity, the Ducati factory requested his technical drawings for a production 350, which were used to develop the 1965 Sebring 350. the engine didn’t heed his advice to start with new castings and build a more square 350 – the Ducati 350 engine owes its existence to a young racer’s aluminum cranks and shims .
Frank Scurria received the Hagerty HVA Historic Preservation Award for his 1961 Ducati, which he restored after being reunited with his original chassis in the early 2000s.
Moto Guzzi Eldorado 1972 But what about baggers? We won’t let you hang on it. While you might picture something with gibbons, tassels, and a little extra chrome, MotoAmerica’s Bring Back Baggers award went to a 1972 Moto Guzzi Eldorado, outfitted for police duty with California Highway Patrol.
There’s a lot to be done financially from building the right patrol bike, and Moto Guzzi understands the task well. Building on the strengths of the solid Ambassador, Moto Guzzi has added an extra 100 cc to their venerable air-cooled V-twin engine to better suit the American highways. The torque motor is mounted low and forward for stability, and ancillary systems such as oiling and power are lifted over tough long distances.
Considered a pack horse and suitable for long-distance riding, the Eldorado sold well to civilians and highway patrols, with much of it being imported into the United States. Still equipped with radio, siren, bag, cherries and berries, Daniel Crowley’s 1972 Moto Guzzi took home the award in the all-new bagger class.
Motorbike Quail Association | Through Kahn communication
