21st Annual Barber Vintage Festival Dedicated to the Memory of Founder and Visionary, George W. Barber
Motorcyclists from across the nation and around the world will converge on Barber Motorsports Park and the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum on Friday, October 9, through Sunday, October 11, for the 21st annual Barber Vintage Festival.
This year’s festival carries special meaning as we celebrate the life and legacy of park and museum founder George W. Barber, as well as the motorsports community that has flourished through his vision. Barber, 85, died following a brief illness on Sunday, February 15.
Known for its breathtaking landscaping and whimsical art, the 880-acre park hosts many events each year, including the “Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix” and “MotoAmerica Superbikes at Barber.” Barber Vintage Festival, however, is the culmination of Barber’s dream.
Barber won 63 races as a driver, and contests of speed and skill are integral to the three-day weekend. AHRMA road racing takes place on the 17-turn, 2.38-mile road course, with flat-track, cross-country, motocross, and trials competitions at designated areas throughout the park.
Last year, nearly 400 vendors participated in one of the largest vintage motorcycle swap meets in the country. A short walk from the front doors of the museum, the always well-attended gathering promises rare machinery, difficult-to-find parts, and historic memorabilia.
BMW Motorrad Days Americas, Isle of Triumph, manufacturer demo rides, and new-product reveals, plus gravity-defying stunt shows, a kids’ zone, live music, and the ever-popular “Wall of Death,” are a few of the other attractions planned for festival attendees.
Inside the museum, home to the world’s largest motorcycle collection and one of the greatest displays of Lotus race cars, visitors can take in historical seminars and new exhibitions. The celebration continues into the night with “Motorcycles by Moonlight,” our annual gala.
“Barber Vintage Festival is the realization of George Barber’s vision to create a world-class gathering of motorcycle enthusiasts,” said Brian Case, executive director of the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum. “As we honor his life and legacy, we celebrate the global community of collectors, fans, and riders who continue to bring that vision to life.”
Tickets are now on sale. Children 15 years of age and under are free with a paying adult. BMW Motorrad USA, Law Tigers Motorcycle Lawyers, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Triumph Motorcycles, Mecum Auctions, and Papa Johns are the official partners.
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ARCH Motorcycle Company co-founders Gard Hollinger and Keanu Reeves visited the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum during the May 15-17 “MotoAmerica Superbikes at Barber” race weekend. V10 Entertainment is chronicling ARCH’s prototype V-twin 2s-R entry in the Super Hooligan National Championship with riders Corey Alexander and Jeremy McWilliams.
Following a tour of the museum led by Executive Director Brian Case, Hollinger and Reeves signed one of the concrete supports in the basement conservation area and filmed with three-time FIM 500cc World Champion Kenny Roberts. McWilliams raced two seasons for Team Roberts, earning pole position on the Proton KR3 at the 2002 Australian Grand Prix.
“Hooligans: The ARCH Racing Project,” premieres Sunday, July 12, at 9 p.m. EDT on the Samsung TV Network.
#BarberMuseum #BarberMotorsportsPark #ARCHMotorcycle #MotoAmerica
Jun 25
Who remembers the advertising campaign for the 1990 Honda CBR600F? The headline for the print ad read, “It will blow you away.”
Unlike the original 1988 model, “Hurricane” was not part of the CBR600F’s actual model name. Nevertheless, “wind” remained a prominent theme in the promotion of this seminal sport bike.
“Hold on tight. The new Honda CBR600F has just blown into town.”
“Where the winds of change become the most apparent is in the engine.”
“And furthered by advanced aerodynamics to help cut the wind down to size.”
“The CBR set the standard for middleweight performance when it first breezed onto the scene.”
“The new CBR600F has arrived. Batten down the hatches.”
For a generation of young, performance-hungry motorcycle enthusiasts, the CBR600F was arguably the ultimate, all-round Japanese middleweight.
The museum has preserved a zero-mile example of this fully faired inline-four for anyone who wants to take a trip down memory lane or lay eyes on one in person for the first time.
#BarberMuseum #BarberMotorsportsPark #Honda #Hurricane
Jun 23
@kayla_yaakov is the latest Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum guest to sign one of the basement-level concrete supports. @barbermotorpark has a special place in Kayla’s heart, owing in part to her longstanding relationship with the late George Barber.
In May, Yaakov and @rahalducatimoto Team Principal @bspies11 helped kick off the three-day “MotoAmerica Superbikes at Barber” race weekend with a well-attended meet and greet in the Barber Advanced Design Center on the fifth floor of the museum.
Yaakov exceeded expectations that weekend. The Pennsylvanian, who celebrates her 19th birthday this month, set a new Supersport lap record, earned pole position for the two races, and fought for victories on both Saturday and Sunday, twice finishing on the podium.
Photo: Bryce Brown
#BarberMuseum #BarberMotorsportsPark #MotoAmerica
Jun 21
Hey, kids: This Sunday, June 21, fathers are admitted to the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum free of charge when accompanied by a ticketed adult. #HappyFathersDay
#barbermuseum #barbermotorsportspark
Jun 20
Sunday, June 21, is officially the longest day of the year. Birmingham, Alabama, home to Barber Motorsports Park and the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum, is expected to enjoy 14 hours and 13 minutes of daylight.
Sunday is also Father’s Day. Why not treat pops to a visit to the museum, recognized by Guinness World Records as the world’s largest motorcycle collection? It’s the only place where you can see more than 1,000 bikes exhibited at one time.
The collection represents 220 different manufacturers from 22 countries, spanning 100-plus years of production. The museum also houses the world’s most extensive collection of Lotus cars, as well many other rare and unusual objects.
Got other plans that day? From April 1 through September 30, the museum is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and on Sunday, from noon to 6 p.m. That’s a full hour later than the other six months of the year.
#BarberMuseum #BarberMotorsportsPark #SummerSolstice #FathersDay
Jun 18
This is a prototype of the cable adjuster used to mount motorcycles at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City for the landmark 1998 “Art of the Motorcycle” exhibition. The same design was later employed at the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum.
Guggenheim curator Ultan Guilfoyle collaborated with in-house fabricator Barry Hylton and mount maker Derek DeLuco to create a clean, functional design that permitted the vehicles to be presented with the two wheels touching the surface, as their designers intended.
The cables with their protective sleeves were first attached to the sides of the motorcycle frame, then run underneath the pedestal to these turnbuckles. A loose adjustment was made, the cables attached, then the adjusters were fixed to the pedestal.
Two cable adjusters per motorcycle were usually sufficient, except for very heavy machines, which required four cables and related hardware. From there, fine-tuning the adjustment to make sure the bike was at the right angle was straightforward.
#BarberMuseum #BarberMotorsportsPark #Guggenheim #SRGM
Jun 16
At each round of the @motoamerica Superbike Championship, former racer @chrisulrichracing18 invites fans and media to experience motorcycle road racing from the perspective of a passenger on a specially outfitted, slick-shod Suzuki GSX-R1000.
Proceeds from “Dunlop ECSTAR Suzuki Two-Seat Superbike Experience” benefit the Roadracing World Action Fund, a non-profit, tax-exempt 501(c)3 organization, which advocates for the use of soft trackside barriers that help reduce rider injuries.
Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum Membership & Volunteer Manager Lindsey McLain signed up this past May for a throttle-to-the-stop spin with Ulrich during the “MotoAmerica Superbikes at Barber” race weekend at Barber Motorsports Park.
McLain, who had never ridden “backpack” on a motorcycle, was both “terrified and excited.” She needn’t have worried. Ulrich, who now manages the M4 ECSTAR Suzuki team, knows the 17-turn, 2.38-mile Barber road course like the back of his hand.
“It was a lot of fun!” Lindsey exclaimed after her out lap and eye-opening second circuit at near racing speeds. “Thanks to Chris and everyone else who helped make this possible.”
Watch the point-of-view video on the "Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum" YouTube channel. Follow the link in our bio.
#BarberMuseum #BarberMotorsportsPark
Jun 14
TICKETS ARE NOW ON SALE! Join us at the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum on Friday, October 9, at 6 p.m. for our signature benefit, “Motorcycles by Moonlight,” which will serve as the official opening celebration for the 21st annual Barber Vintage Festival.
This year, we are honoring the life and legacy of our founder, George Barber. Through a short documentary film and personal experiences shared by special guests, attendees will fully understand his remarkable vision and enduring impact on the world of motorsports and beyond.
This unforgettable evening promises live entertainment, passed hors d’oeuvres, curated whiskey and wine tastings, a silent auction, an interactive chef-attended cooking station, and a thoughtfully prepared multi-course dinner. We’re looking forward to celebrating with you.
Click the "Motorcycles by Moonlight" Linktr.ee link in our bio to purchase tickets.
#BarberMuseum #BarberMotorsportsPark #BarberVintageFestival
Jun 11
