The Quail Motorcycle Gathering celebrated its eleventh year on May 4, and with it, Ducati celebrated its first appearance at the Quail and its third year of its Scrambler Summer Road Trip.

The Ducati Scrambler Summer Road Trip included Ducati’s Spirit of the Scrambler class at the Quail, a competition for Scrambler owners (and modifiers) to enter to win an award if their bike was judged to most embody that “spirit.” The inaugural award went to one Tom Zipprian, whose 2015 Ducati Scrambler Icon won the class.

From a quick view of the bike, the modifications to the tank and front end are obvious: the headlight has been replaced with a dirt bike style front plate, with an LED headlight built in. The Scrambler’s high bars are replaced with a lower, sleeker, more cafe-inspired set. The front fender has been eliminated in a very naked-wheel BikeExif style. The stock gas tank has been replaced with a lower-profile, smoother version in a really lovely creamsicle paint scheme. That theme is carried through to the plate number on the rear end, and the sherbet-orange rear spring that holds onto a completely replaced rear swingarm.

Ducati Scrambler Quail Motorcycle Gathering 2

Both wheels are custom (or, at least, aftermarket), and are embraced by bigger, chunkier tires than stock; the front wheel gets an extra brake disc as a bonus. It looks as though the suspension has been entirely upgraded with a new rear shock and beefier forks, and a custom-looking lower triple. The aftermarket silencer adds to the bike’s minimalist look.

I can absolutely see why this bike won its class. The “Scrambler” moniker comes from the bike’s “scrambled” purpose: not a dedicated dirt bike nor dual sport, but as at home on dirt as it is on pavement. The modifications on this winner added not only beauty but functionality as well.

I can’t find anything definitive about the owner of the bike, other than someone of the same name works at Zero Motorcycles–it would make a lot of sense, though, that a mechanical engineer motorcycle enthusiast who lives in California and works in the electric motorcycle industry also owns and heavily modifies his beloved Ducati Scrambler. Congratulations, Tom! Nice bike!

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Press Release From Ducati North America

Mountain View, CA (May 7, 2019) – In honor of the customizable joy of the Scrambler Ducati world, this past weekend at The Quail Motorcycle Gathering Ducati North America presented the “Spirit of the Scrambler” award in front of VIPs and enthusiasts during the influential California motorcycle show. Ducati North America CEO Jason Chinnock was in attendance with his personal, customized Scrambler Ducati Desert Sled to present the award to Tom Zipprian, who received the trophy for his one-of-a-kind 2015 Scrambler Icon.

With more than 3,000 attendees at The Quail this year, it was amid a competitive atmosphere that the 2015 Scrambler Icon came out on top. With design cues including a sleek seat and custom-painted tank evoking a subdued orange and yellow color palette, the Scrambler Icon was a hit among spectators.

Additionally, Ducati brought its Scrambler Summer Road Trip with new 2019 models for guests to experience. Demo rides were had by riders of all skill levels on the beautiful roads around the Carmel Valley. Additional activities at the Scrambler Road Trip area included a coffee lounge, games and guitars for the community experience. This is the third year of the Scrambler Summer Road Trip, and its first appearance at The Quail, kicking off a cross-country tour.

What began with Ducati’s idea in 1962 to mix-up or Scramble a motorcycle to ride as well on the street as down a dusty dirt road, has become an international movement. The “Spirit of the Scrambler” class was designed to recognize Scramblers built to have fun no matter the terrain, expressing the owner’s personality without ever taking itself too seriously.

It was in 2015 when the Scrambler Ducati brand relaunched, and it has had immense success since then, with more than 59,000 bikes being sold worldwide, all the while introducing at least two new models every year. The brand has expanded the range from the entry-level Scrambler Sixty2 to the Scrambler 1100 Special, with Café Racer and off-road Desert Sled models also available. This year saw the refresh of the

800cc Scrambler models, addressing improved safety by adding cornering ABS, new functionality with a fuel level gauge and gear position indicator, and fresh style with new liveries across the range.

The Quail Motorcycle Gathering took place on Saturday, May 4 at the Quail Lodge & Golf Club in Carmel, California.

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