4th May, 2019 - report The Quail Gathering, Carmel, California, USA

We were all set for the finale of our US ‘Oil In The Blood’ with our screening at the Dainese Flagship store in San Francisco on the Thursday evening, and the exhibition of the TW Steel Oil In The Blood Energica Eva Electric special built by DeBolex Engineering at the The Quail Motorcycle Gathering on Saturday.

The screening went well on the Thursday night, hosted by builder and good friend Hugo Eccles of Untitled SF.

The Quail is the premiere US concourse event, and it was a huge honour to be invited to exhibit as part of the small and very select custom section. Held at The Quail Lodge in Carmel Valley In Northern California, it’s a Mecca for all that is wonderful about cycles. The one day event is hosted by our good friend and collaborator Paul D’Orleans of The Vintagent.

We were all set to travel from the UK when we were informed by our shipping company that the bike had been dropped on its side in transit from Las Vegas to Carmel. On inspection the damage was too bad to exhibit the bike. We were heartbroken, and felt particularly bad for Energica, as the Quail is their home event. We were all inconsolable as the accident could so easily have been avoided. But we had to pick ourselves up off the floor, dust ourselves down, and react positively. We rerouted the bike back to LA so we could fly it home immediately for Calum to fix up in time for the Bike Shed Show later in May.

So we ended up in Carmel as spectators, and if there is some small consolation it was the sheer number of the amazing motorcycles on display. Hundreds of wonderful historic bikes on the flawless grass lawns beneath a clear blue sunny sky.

Chaperoned by Mark Atkinson and Craig Rodsmith, our spirits were lifted with constant hilarious banter. Our good friends Revival Cycles won the Best Custom Bike with their jaw dropping Birdcage BMW, and as the sun went down we traded racing tales with Alp Sungertekin and Bryan Thompson, both very fast men and great bike builders.

Our disappointment was tempered by great company and wonderful bikes.

See images from out weekend over on the Gallery page.