The 14th edition of The Quail Motorcycle Gathering was held recently in Carmel, California, with its usual confluence of exceptional, rare, and classic motorcycles on display. The Quail pulls in some of the world’s most unique, superbly restored, or preserved original or custom machines. Over the years, I’ve come to realize that I’ve had the opportunity to see some machines that are of Quail quality, or maybe even better in some instances, right here in the upper Midwest. Here are but a few examples that I’ve seen:
1911 Levis
The Milwaukee-based British Biker Cooperative’s Rally & Show, held near Blue River, Wisconsin, often brings out some exceptional antique and classic bikes. A great example is this 1911 Levis. A British brand, Levis was in business from 1911 to 1939. The motorcycle was completely restored by owner Mike Crane. It was at the 2011 BBC Rally, where it started and ran as good as it looked; Crane rode it after this shot was taken. It was the first time I had seen a 100-year-old motorcycle fired up and ridden. Indeed, it started more easily than some of the 1970s Nortons seen at the event!
V-8 Powered Custom
Boscobel, Wisconsin’s Bill Becker built this epic V-8 powered custom nearly entirely by hand—without drawings, plans, or written specifications. He bent the mild steel tubing for the chassis by hand with the help of a buddy! Powered by a 1937 Ford 221ci flathead engine, it is a crowd-pleaser at every rally he takes it to.
1970 Victoria Avanti
This immaculate 1970 Victoria Avanti moped is on display at the Midwest Microcar and Vintage Motorcycle Museum in Mazomanie, Wisconsin. Victoria produced motorcycles in Germany from 1899 to 1966, and the name continued to be used on mopeds for several years after motorcycle production ceased.
1960 Gilera Giubileo 98
The Midwest Microcar and Vintage Motorcycle Museum is also the home of this showroom quality 1960 Gilera Giubileo 98 in the foreground. The Italian manufacturer has been in business since 1909, with full-scale motorcycle manufacturing starting in 1920. Gilera fielded GP world championship-winning bikes in the 1950s.
Sunbeam S7
Another classic owned by BBC member Mike Crane is this Sunbeam S7, powered by a longitudinally mounted four-stroke twin with shaft drive. BSA owned the brand—unrelated to the American Sunbeam applicant company—for several years before shutting it down in 1956.
1927 Indian Scout
The twice-yearly Slimey Crud Motorcycle Gang Café Racer Run on the first Sunday in May and October brings out everything from raunchy rat bikes to rare classics. This 1927 Indian Scout rode and ran as good as it looked at the Spring running of the 2017 Slimey Crud Run. You don’t see Indians of this vintage every day. In 1928, Indian’s top engineer, Charles Franklin, gave the Scout a major refresh by adapting the frame from the prototype Indian 401 to the Scout, making the bike lower, longer, and leaner.
Ariel Square Four
Legendary motorcycle designer Edward Turner is most often associated with his work for Triumph. However, his earlier work was for a different British brand—Ariel. Some experts view the Ariel Square Four he created in 1931 as his most innovative achievement. This late-’50s example of the Square Four is the 996cc pushrod version seen at the 2014 Fall running of the Crud Run.
Bikes built for all-out performance reflect their builders’ creative genius—and their riders’ courage. This Ducati 750 W3, built by the late Bill Whisenant and his crew at Motorcycle Performance in Madison, set records at the dragstrip and Bonneville Salt Flats. Nick Moore, who worked in the Motorcycle Performance shop, rode this bike to an A/F 750 class land speed record of 169.426 mph at Bonneville in 2017, which still stands. Whisenant rode a 1000cc Ducati to an APS/BG 1000 class record of 177.987 mph the same year. W3 stands for William Wesley Whisenant because these Ducati race bikes were as much Whisenant creations as they were Ducatis.
Harley-Davidson EL
This well-restored Harley-Davidson EL featured the Knucklehead engine. Introduced in 1936, the 61ci OHV engine was a bold move to improve performance over the old side-valve flathead. In service until the Panhead appeared in 1948, Harley-Davidsons with the original edition Knucklehead engine are highly sought after by collectors today.
Custom Chopper
Choppers are the quintessential expression of builder and rider individuality. This exquisitely finished Harley-Davidson-based chop shows all of that at the 2021 Slimey Crud Run. Finished with iridescent purple paint and shimmering chrome, it was one of only a few choppers to make the run.
While it’s true that events such as The Quail Motorcycle Gathering are probably the best place to see some of the best of the best in the motorcycle world, if you keep your eyes open, you never know where you may see something of Quail Quality in the Heartland!
