[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Quail Motorcycle Gathering has become the premier West Coast event for classic bikes: a Pebble Beach Concours for two-wheelers. The eye appeal of hundreds of stunning classics arranged on the putting green of a top-scale resort in the hills above Monterey, California has led many manufacturers to use the event as a backdrop to roll out new products.
In its eighth year, The Quail Motorcycle Gathering held May 14, 2016 at the Quail Lodge & Golf Club in Carmel, California featured more than 300 of the world’s finest and rarest vintage and modern motorcycles and celebrated a wide range of classes, including Pre-1916 Motorcycles, Extraordinary Bicycles, BMW Classics, and the 40th Anniversary of Superbike.
This year, Honda, Kawasaki and SHOEI, among others, presented new items and processes:
Energica Motor Company unveiled the Energica Eva for the first time in the United States. This Italian-made, all-electric streetfighter comes equipped with an integrated fast charge system. It was put to the test on a 350-mile trek from Los Angeles to San Francisco, making a stop at Quail (about 120 miles south of San Francisco), where it was put on display.
Kawasaki Motors Corp’s 2017 Z125 PRO made its public West Coast debut at The Quail Motorcycle Gathering. This small displacement street motorcycle is designed to welcome new riders with a low price and minimal intimidation.
Indian Motorcycle of Hollister showed the latest addition of the Dark Horse family, the 2016 Indian Chieftain Dark Horse Stealth Edition. Customized by Indian Motorcycle of Hollister, this special edition bike made one of its first public showings at The Quail.
SHOEI Helmets introduced the SHOEI Professional Fitting Service, a new program presently only offered at a few events in the U.S. As explained by Matthias Beier, marketing coordinator, this program translates careful measurements of a rider’s head into a 3-D model, showing where to add pads or shave a few millimeters of padding. This program, which is in the development stage, will optimize fit, resulting in improved safety, better field of vision and quieter operation.
To learn more about The Quail Motorcycle Gathering, visit the event’s website at www.signatureevents.peninsula.com.
