Elegance just oozed out of every nook and cranny. Celebrities (like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jerry Seinfeld and Jay Leno) circulated among the well-heeled exhibitors and the smartly dressed spectators who forked over $150 in advance or $175 for a ticket at the gate. Champagne flowed in genteel streams at the automotive art exhibit (City Bike’s Otto Hoffman, a frequent judge at Pebble Beach, was spotted there, acquiring another bronze for his collection) while acres of white tents and awnings kept the sun off the latest concept cars and the curious crowds they attracted.
Halfway down the fairway, off to the side and nestled between two well-manicured sand traps were 15 motorcycles, all looking especially tiny next to the Packard open touring cars and other behemoths on the grass. This was “Class X,” British Motorcycles through 1959. That designation covers a lot of territory and the motorcycles selected for exhibition varied from a 1913 Premier, with 3 1/2 horsepower to a 1957 Manx Norton, from production bikes to racers, and included that ultimate icon, the Rollie Free bathing suit bike.
If it was easy most of the day to walk down the fairway pass Class X without noticing it, that was not the case when the judges asked an entrant to start his motorcycle. When a Vincent Black Shadow with straight pipes comes to life, however, hundreds of heads turn. What a magnificent sound, particularly for the owner who was perspiring until the flames finally burst forth from those chrome tubes.

When Class X was called to the podium at the awards ceremony, it was the 1954 AJS E-95 “Porcupine” belonging to George Barber (of the Barber Museum) that took best of class, followed by a recently restored 1947 Vincent Rapide works-racer called “Gunga Din” and, in third place, a lovely 1932 BSA W32-6 BSA with side car.
There were many more motorcycles to look at besides the fifteen on the fairway. For three days, up to and including the Concours on Sunday, MidAmerica Auctions had about 80 bikes on display for their e-auction. Bidding occurred over this entire period on site and over the Internet, with the current high bid available for anyone who cared. Somebody certainly cared about the 1912 Flying Merkel on the block—it went for 90 grand. The highlight of MidAmerica’s tent was the display of seven Brough Superiors including one un-restored example with a patina to die for (or, short of that, to have for $250,000). These machines attracted the attention of Jay Leno who dropped by and talked Brough-shop with the CEO of the recently-revived Brough-Superior company.
Will the bikes be back next year? That seems highly likely, as their appearance was well-received. The bigger questions are which type will be selected (American, perhaps?) and whether there might be two classes instead of one. It’s been a long time coming, but motorcycles and cars have so much in common (including their owners) that sharing a little space on the grass at Pebble Beach couldn’t seem more natural.