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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Do @motoamerica King Of The Baggers riders want to race at @barbermotorpark? Judging by recent comments from @hayden69gillim, @bradleysmith38, and reigning class champ Kyle Wyman, the response to that question is a resounding, “Yes!”
Let’s set the stage: Earlier this month at @roadamerica, J&P Cycles/Motul/Vance & Hines Factory Indian rider Gillim and Harley-Davidson Dynojet Factory Racing teammates Smith and Wyman finished first, second, and third in the second of two KOTB races.
In the post-race press conference, Senior Communications Manager Sean Bice didn’t even finish his question before former MotoGP racer Smith leaned into the microphone and said, “Let’s go to Barber.” To which Gillim added, “That place would be awesome on a bagger.”
Watch the entire 41-second clip (Linktr.ee link in bio) and tell us if you agree with Gillim, Smith, and Wyman. Perhaps the national series will add the class to next year’s weekend race menu. In the meantime, “Bring King Of The Baggers to Barber” has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?
Photo: Brian J. Nelson
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Jun 7
Education is fundamental to the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum. School field trips, summer design camps, scout merit-badge programs, and undergraduate internships are among the high-energy, STEM-based, motorsports-leaning learning opportunities.
The collection is often used to illustrate key teaching points. Case in point: the SPARK Atlas. This third-generation, 120-mph, 280-pound electric race bike was designed and produced by an enthusiastic team of engineering students at the University of Michigan.
After two successful seasons of competition, including a pair of victories at Barber Motorsports Park, the Atlas was retired, its battery pack decommissioned, and the tube-framed machine was donated to the museum, where it inspires future generations of engineers.
Follow the Linktr.ee "Education Programs" link in our bio to learn more about the museum’s education programs.
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Jun 4
Last month’s meet and greet with @rahalducatimoto Team Principal @bspies11 and Supersport star @kayla_yaakov kicked off the three-day “MotoAmerica Superbikes at Barber” race weekend. @motoamerica Senior Communications Manager Sean Bice hosted the event in the Barber Advanced Design Center on the fifth floor of the museum.
Spies surprised attendees with his Suzuki GSX-R1000 and Yamaha YZF-R1 race bikes, the very same factory machines on which the “Texan Terror” won the 2008 AMA Superbike Championship and the 2009 FIM Superbike World Championship. Spies secured his first national title, the 2003 AMA Formula Xtreme Championship, at Barber Motorsports Park.
Yaakov had yet another standout MotoAmerica race weekend. The 18-year-old Pennsylvanian established a new Supersport lap record, earned pole position for the two races, and fought at the sharp end of the field on Saturday and Sunday, even leading a number of laps, and finished on the podium in both races.
The event is now available for viewing in three segments on the “Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum” YouTube page. Follow the "Barber You Tube Channel" link in our bio.
Photos: @a_sansotta
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Jun 2
Kenny Roberts was in high demand during the "@motoamerica Superbikes at Barber” race weekend at @barbermotorpark. Before anyone turned a wheel on track, the three-time world champ sat for a two-hour interview in the Barber Advanced Design Center with @pipedreams_pod co-hosts @corey23alexander and @jamesrispoli, both of whom compete in the Super Hooligan National Championship.
Between daily autograph sessions at the "World Champions" exhibition in the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum, Roberts jetted back and forth to the road course, where Team Roberts rider Kensei Matsudaira finished third on Saturday and second on Sunday, extending his Talent Cup podium-finishing streak to six consecutive races. Follow the Linktr.ee link in our bio to watch “Kenny Roberts–The King.”
Photos: Bryce Brown
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Jun 1
Have you registered the young artist, designer, or motorsports enthusiast in your life for Barber Design Camp yet? Now is the time.
Barber Design Camp: Rising 5th- and 6th-grade students will dive into the world of science, technology, engineering, art, math, and design. Expect a variety of hands-on activities, from learning the mechanics of motorcycles to developing model vehicles using computer-aided design and artificial intelligence. This week-long, introductory camp begins on Monday, June 15, and concludes on Friday, June 19, running daily from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Barber Advanced Design Camp: Students transitioning to either 7th, 8th, or 9th grade are ready to take their skills to the next level. Building on the foundation of Design Camp, students will deepen their experience with computer-aided design and 3D modeling/printing while exploring engineering and robotics through the lens of motorsports. This week-long camp commences on Monday, July 13, and concludes on Friday, July 17, running daily from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Pricing is $325 per student for museum members and $375 per student for non-members. Early and late drop-off/pick-up options are available. Click the "Design Camp" link in our bio to enroll your camper.
#BarberMuseum #BarberMotorsportsPark #DesignCamp
May 28
Final call, Scouts! The window is closing to sign up for the Summer Scouting America Engineering Merit Badge Program, a two-day, hands-on experience designed to complete all of the requirements for earning an engineering merit badge via the lens of motorsports.
Through engaging on-site activities at the museum, Scouts will learn and apply the engineering design process, strengthen critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and gain an introduction to computer-aided design and 3D printing technologies and applications.
Priced at $100 per person, the program is offered from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on select Mondays and Tuesdays in June and July. Follow the Linktr.ee "Scouting America Engineering Merit Badge Program" link in our bio to register for one of the three dates.
#BarberMuseum #BarberMotorsportsPark #ScoutingAmerica
May 26
In observance of Memorial Day, the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum will be closed on Monday, May 25. We will reopen on Tuesday, May 26, at 10 a.m. Enjoy a safe holiday with family and friends.
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May 24
“There are automotive museums, and then there is the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum in Leeds, Alabama. One of these things holds a Guinness World Record, consults with world champion racers, and has sent motorcycles to the Guggenheim. The others do not. If you are building any kind of list of must-visit car culture destinations in America, Barber goes at the top. Not near the top. The top. We’ll get to everything else later.”
That’s the opening paragraph from automotive writer Peter Corn’s feature, “Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum: Don’t sleep on Alabama,” published on the Racer website. Have you seen the collection in person? Plan your visit to Birmingham today. Follow the Linktre.ee link in our bio to read the full story.
Photo: Brandon A. Smith
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May 21
