Motorcycle Classics – September-October 2019

44 MOTORCYCLE CLASSICS September/October 2019

for  mile after blissful mile. Led by the California Highway

Patrol and followed by a sweep crew with a flatbed truck, the

ride is plenty safe and secure ... but our old bikes’ true condi-

tion was unknown, despite our prep and servicing.

After the somewhat surprising success with the Healey tow

vehicle, I considered even getting to the “starting line” for The

Quail Motorcycle Tour a victory. And on Friday morning, Randy

and I off-loaded the bikes from the Allstate trailer, topped up

the fuel tanks, geared up, took a breath, and went. We weren’t

ready for it, but we were at least ready to try. 

With Pobst aboard the ’55 G80 CS and  me aboard the ’54,

with each passing mile we exchanged amazed glances and

exclamations  that these bikes were actually doing it. Barely

legal in street equipment but  properly tagged and insured,

they hadn’t been ridden more than a block since Woodstock.

And the ride was simply incredible, as each explosion inside

the  G80s’ 500cc combustion chambers shoved the bikes for-

ward in a euphoric, steady gallop.

The Matchlesses are  simple: Besides the windings and

brush wires inside the magneto, the only  other functioning

wires on the bikes are the spark plug leads. And with  fuel

delivery courtesy of  gravity and physics’ Venturi effect, as

long as oil kept  circulating through the dry-sump engines,

very little could stop us. We hoped. Still, as the miles rushed

under our bikes and Carmel Valley Road took us farther and

farther south, I was worried that something, eventually, would

happen. A friend used to quip,  “To avoid future disappoint-

ment, set low expectations now.” And man, did I ever use that

attitude on this ride.

Removing the bikes’ big overlay  sprockets had brought

their gearing back to their original street spec, and so,  even

equipped with only 4-speed transmissions, the Matchlesses

practically  loafed along. Fifty miles per hour was an easy

speed, and both  bikes seemed so  understressed that it

appeared they could go on forever. My confidence grew at

the  midpoint of the ride, a rest stop at the Hahn Winery. A

nut-and-bolt check there revealed a few fasteners and a chain

in need of tightening, and with that corrected it was earplugs

back in, jackets and helmets back on, and

away.

Another surreal stint brought us to

Highway  68, the artery connecting

Monterey and the Salinas Valley, which

required Tour riders to mix with fast-

moving traffic for several miles to Laguna

Seca Raceway. Here participants would

enjoy  several laps on the famous track

before returning to the Quail Lodge. But

it was not to be for the brave Matchlesses.

As we approached Highway 68 on little

River Road, Randy began shouting some-

thing about his engine. I couldn’t grasp

what  he was saying, but it didn’t matter,

as he pulled over just before turning onto

the highway. There he explained that he’d

been hearing an odd sound, and that the

bike was bucking and not pulling well. We

pulled over under a shady pepper tree

and I began to check things out,  starting

with the oil level, and then pulling off the

side-mounted tappet cover to check — as

best as possible with few tools on hand —

the valve lash. 

Unloading the ’55 the morning of The Quail Motorcycle Tour (left). The ’55 G80 CS comes to life, and the ride begins.

After some 80 miles, both bikes gave up at the same time, like brothers in arms.