A 1951 Vincent Rapide owned by Max Hazan was awarded “Best of Show” out of 250 entrants today at The Quail Motorcycle Gathering presented by GEICO Motorcycle. Nearly 3,200 spectators gathered on the lawns of Quail Lodge & Golf Club for the show’s highly-anticipated awards ceremony recognizing the most significant bikes in motorcycling history.
The 12th-anniversary event presented an array of pre-and post-war sports and racing motorcycles, as well as live entertainment, motorcycle lifestyle vendors, a silent auction supporting local charity Monterey Youth Museum, award-winning wines, local brews, and locally beloved food trucks.
Traditional classes that included British, Italian, Other European, Japanese, Competition On-Road, Competition Off-Road, Antique, Custom/Modified, Choppers, and Extraordinary Bicycles and Scooters lined The Quail Motorcycle Gathering event field for guests to explore.
“The success of this year’s The Quail Motorcycle Gathering was truly overwhelming. From the immense support of our incredible sponsors to the amazing spectators and the diverse demonstration of remarkable motorcycles and classic cars, we are so proud to have come back stronger than ever and are excited to see what 2023 will bring.” – Gordon McCall, Director of Motorsports for The Peninsula Signature Events
In addition to the “Best in Class” awards given in each of the above categories, the following top honors were announced:
Best of Show
1951 Vincent Rapide
Max Hazan – California
Spirit of The Quail Award
1984 Honda RS750
Chris Carter – California
Harley-Davidson XR750
1972 Harley-Davidson XR750
Terry Kaluza – California
BMW/ 5 Series
1971 BMW R75/5
Scott Wilmot – California
Two-Stroke “Braaaps”
1986 Suzuki RG500 Gamma
Matt Torrens – California
mini bikes | BIG FUN
1971 Montessa Cota 25
David Bookout – California
Design and Style Award Presented by ARCH Motorcycle
1951 Vincent Rapide
Max Hazan – California
Why We Ride Award Presented by Why We Ride
1987 Yamaha YSR50
Kristen Skvorak – California
Hagerty HVA Preservation Award
1929 Excelsior-Henderson Super X 45CI OHV Factory Alcohol Burner
Jeffrey Thomas – Washington
AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Heritage Award Presented by AMA
2006 Ducati Fuse
Revival Cycles – Texas
The event also showcased five featured displays unique to this year’s show. The first of these, the Two-Stroke “Braaaps” display, showcased a curated group of the finest examples of both on- and off-road pre-mixed motorcycle superstars. Standout examples from this class included a 1986 Suzuki RG500 Gamma from Matt Torrens of California, 1981 MAICO MC490 from Paul Griffin of California, and 1995 Aprilia RS250 from Marty Musso of California – all of which were built by several of the best-known manufacturers in the world.
Other featured classes highlighted the late-1950s “Mini-Bike” craze with new versions by several manufacturers, a group of Hot Rod and Classic Car four-wheeled machines new to The Quail, a range of BMW 5/ Series most legendary motorcycles, and crowd favorite, the Harley-Davidson XR750 renowned as the “most successful race bike of all time” and used by Evel Knievel.
Throughout the event, guests were given the opportunity to participate in a silent auction supporting the Monterey County Youth Museum, which included everything from golf at the Quail Lodge & Golf Club to stays at The Peninsula Chicago and New York.
Monday Motorcycles offered guests the chance to participate in demo rides. Additionally, Hyundai Tires and Helite Moto displayed their full product lineup including their airbag apparel.
Next year’s The Quail Motorcycle Gathering is scheduled for Saturday, May 6, 2023. Tickets will go on sale in the fall. To learn more, please visit the event website, and follow the action on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
