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We can’t resist bikes with a good story. Here are a few from our collection:
1959 Triumph Bonneville
This historic artifact from the brand’s first year model boasts the headlamp nacelle, generator, and remote fuel float bowl—components only featured in 1959. One of the fastest motorcycles of its time, topping out at a speed of 120mph, this Triumph gained its name from the Bonneville Salt Flats Speedway in Utah—the ultimate proving grounds for machines attempting to set new land-speed records. In 1956, when a Triumph nitro-fueled 650cc motorcycle earned the world absolute speed record there, this achievement led Triumph to name its 1959 model “Bonneville.”
Race tuner and mechanic Jack Wilson (1927-2000) can be credited with much of Triumph’s success, having built more than 60 world speed record-setting motorcycles, including the machine that inspired the Bonneville name. It was Jack Wilson who first uncrated the Bonneville in 1959, and Wilson who restored it 31 years later.
We can’t resist bikes with a good story. Here are a few from our collection:
1942 Harley-Davidson WLA
This tough military Harley was the preferred machine for the American and Allied armed forces during WWII, used for solo escort, dispatch, and police duties.
In January 2014, 89-year-old WWII Veteran, US Army Cpl. William Virgil Burton, of Bessemer, Alabama, visited the Barber Museum on a mission. He was looking for his “Ginny,” the 1942 Harley-Davidson WLA motorcycle that he rode during his service. Discovering the museum’s 1942 WLA, identical in vintage to “Ginny,” Cpl. Burton looked on with a mix of nostalgia and pride. He had ridden three different motorcycles during his service, but “Ginny” was his favorite. Ironically, when he was issued the bike, it already wore the name, which happened also to be his mother’s name.
The Barber Museum painted the name “Ginny” on the bike to honor Burton and those who serve in the military. Museum staff consulted with Burton about the name and insignia painted on his “Ginny,” so that the museum’s bike would match up with the bike in Burton’s memory.
We can’t resist bikes with a good story. Here are a few from our collection:
1995 The Britten
One of the most asked-about exhibits at the Barber Museum, the Britten V1000 was a radical departure from conventional racing motorcycle design. Its popularity is due to its creator, John Britten, an engineering genius who—together with a talented team of craftsmen—built the bike from scratch on a shoestring budget in his backyard workshop in New Zealand. A total of 10 Britten V1000s were created.
The Britten V1000's unconventional style and pink and blue colors make it a natural standout. Another distinctive feature of the Britten is its streamlined, lightweight carbon fiber body.
John Britten lived life fully and fearlessly. After fighting a short battle with cancer, Britten died on September 5, 1995, at the young age of 45.
We can’t resist bikes with a good story. Here are a few from our collection:
1912Indian Board Track Racer
Board track motorcycle racing was an extreme sport of the early 1900s. Tens of thousands of people would gather at the steep, bowl-shaped motordromes to watch riders circle the oil-slicked wooden board tracks. There were few safety barriers to prevent these racers—who were careening around the track at speeds of 70-100mph on motorcycles with no brakes—from crashing into the spectators at the top of the track.
Board track racer Harry Glenn stands next to this 1912 Indian at the Atlanta, Georgia Motordome. Glenn survived more than one crash at this particular track. Wright, Stephen. American Racer 1900-1939. p. 49
Retired board track racer Paul "Dare Devil" Derkum sits on a 1912 Indian in this Oilzum Lubricants advertisement. After retiring from board track racing, Derkum managed the Los Angeles Stadium Motordome. Wright, Stephen. American Racer 1900-1939
The 1912 Indian board track racer was a direct-drive, 8-valve motorcycle—referred to as "direct-drive" because it had no clutch or transmission. The four valve per cylinder design added both efficiency and horsepower as it allowed for greater air and fuel intake into the engine. One of the earliest participants in the sport, Indian was the dominant contender of its time, its racing team earning every American speed and distance record. Around 1914, Harley Davidson entered the sport and became Indian's greatest rival.
