Status Inactive Country United States | Frequency Annually Years active 2006–2008 | |
Genre Concours d'Elegance, motorcycle show and auction Location(s) Half Moon Bay, California | ||
The annual Legend of the Motorcycle International Concours d’Elegance was a competitive event held on a 44-mile (72 km) scenic loop that begins at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Half Moon Bay, California and follows the coast down, along, and back up the mountain ridge-top that overlooks the Pacific Ocean.
This atypical concours d’elegance was established to create a competitive event for motorcycles that previously, only had been associated with fine automobiles. It was planned to include exhibits of up to two hundred motorcycles that represent almost a century of motorcycle history and three featured brands—Vincent, Henderson, and Excelsior.
A few motorcycles whose significance is rooted in the present and, perhaps in the distant future may turn up in vintage shows and motorcycle museums, also will be showcased at the concours every year—such as motorcycles built by legendary motorcycle builders who include Japanese minimalist master, Shinya Kimura, and the noted bike builder, stuntman, and innovator, Indian Larry. In 2008 the founder of the West Coast Choppers, Jesse James, showed his Radial Hell aero bike, which is powered by a 7-cylinder Rotec radial aircraft engine. West Coast Choppers unveiled their Airstream Bike at the Legend show, which cost over $300,000 and was made for Airstream CEO, Bob Wheeler. Ian Barry at Falcon Motorcycles also unveiled The Bullet Falcon, at the 2008 concours. It was custom-created for the skateboarder and actor Jason Lee, and won "Best Custom" at the show.
The one-day-event is run by a selection committee made up of vintage motorcycle experts, who scour the world for the best in unique, rare, or accurately-restored running specimens. Over 10,000 entries are submitted for consideration in this concours per year, and finalists are established by the prior autumn.
On average, 6,000 visitors attend the event, including motorcycle luminaries such as Peter Fonda, the son of Steve McQueen, Chad McQueen, Ewan McGregor, and the famed stuntman and racer, Bud Ekins.
Auction house Bonhams & Butterfields holds an annual sale of motorcycles in conjunction with this concours.