Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum (pic heavy!)

SpeedSouth · 03-19-2009, 07:10 PM

I thought I'd share a little about a ride I took a few weekends back.

I joined a group of other riders from a local forum. We met up on the morning of the 7th, at about 8:45 am and prepared for the backroads ride towards Birmingham, and the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum - http://www.barbermuseum.org/

We met up in Douglasville. It was chilly and foggy but the promise of a nice day was motivation for just under 20 people in all. 17 or 18 bikes, I think.

This was our first stop. Notice the Dan Gurney Alligator, which I posted pictures of here somewhere last year after laying eyes on it for the first time at a "bike night".

We found another one in the museum. How cool is that?

And that was across from the Dan Gurney display, naturally...

Quick note about the Aliigator ( http://www.allamericanracers.com/all...ator_home.html )
Despite to strange looking layout on the bike, the rider does not look to be uncomfortable or in an odd position while riding. I mainly saw it from the rear, but I made it a point to try and see how it looked to ride, and I dare say it looked somewhat normal.

One other item of interest, which may have been an issue with this bike only, but it seemed to be difficult to start. One stop we even had to wait several extra minutes as the owner tried to get it fired. It wasn't an issue of being cold, for sure, so I'm not sure what the deal is/was.

On to our second stop. It was finally starting to clear up and show some blue sky...

We stopped in Talladega for lunch...

While gearing up after lunch I noticed my odometer...

We made it to our stated destination without issue. Well, there was one guy who decided to ride his rear wheel for a short bit. Funny thing though...he decided to leave alone during our very first stop. Imagine that!

As you walk in, you are greeted to the right with nice sample of what's inside..

I can't begin to describe the senastion that washed over me as I tried to take in all that lay before me. This place is big. 5 floors, but only the top 4 is open to the public. I was told the bottom floor is where they do all the restoration work. As you can see here, they have a nice selection cars down there. They also had a display of outboards that I could see and wanted to check out.

The center of the building is an elevator, outlined by these racks, filled with bikes!

Several of these displays are found throughout..

A few of the more interesting examples (IMO)

A pair of BMW's that circled the globe...

Concept Chassis?

BMW scooter with seatbelts and a wiper blade?

Ride a Wankel?

Front swingarm?

Snow ride, Jim?

Sidecar for two?

A scooter/bike half-breed?

Are you qualified?

Anyone want a Harley branded DS w/ a Rotax engine? It's a 1999 model...

Don't forget your rifle!

V-Max inspired?

"Over-engineered" comes to mind, for some reason...

Belt drive, you say?

Okay, that's enough for now.

Here's the trip computer info from my GPS when I pulled into my garage that night...

I took a total of 370 pictures. I was the last guy out of the museum and just barely caught the last 2 guys as they were about to roll off. I did not have time to stop and really admire any of the bikes on display. I was basically walking and taking pictures as fast as possible, and I'm glad I did because I can now enjoy the pictures forever.

I would love to go back and spend more time. Each bike has a data sheet displayed which lists facts about the bike. I have already spent hours looking at the pictures and the details of many, many interesting bikes. The different designs in suspension and drive systems alone span an extemely wide range.

My pictures are posted here - http://s88.photobucket.com/albums/k1...009/?start=all

There are just over 350 pictures there.
I will post more here if there is interest...or you can just go over there and see them all.

Overall, that day was excellent! The weather was nice. It was my first real "group" ride. The route was filled with sweet, twisty roads. I met some cool, new people. The museum is a "must-see" (again!).

I have no idea how I obtained the top speed listed on the GPS. Seriously. I did follow two 2 guys back on I-20, but I was in back and the pace was set at 80. I can't imagine hitting that on the back roads during the ride over and I find it hard to imagine I could hit that, being a bit of a fat ass.

It is just low enough to be reasonable for the bike, however...so it's just a mystery for the day.

Oh, before I forget...here's a little video one guy took...
I'm on the 14th bike to roll past.
http://gs90.photobucket.com/groups/k...arber022-1.flv

Notice the water in the apex.
It caught a few people off guard...especially the lone cruiser.

I hope you enjoy the pictures as much as I enjoyed the experience.

Jim · 03-19-2009, 07:45 PM

Very cool!, thanks for sharing them... Looks like a good day..

katoranger · 03-19-2009, 09:19 PM

Any Chinese bikes?

I need to go sometime.

AZ200cc · 03-19-2009, 11:18 PM

They almost look like a bunch of toy models in the first few pics, And hell ya I would ride a Wankel, That looks like an old Norton. The Harley DS looks to have even less travel than our Chinabikes

Awesome pics.

SpeedSouth · 03-19-2009, 11:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by katoranger

Any Chinese bikes?

I need to go sometime.

Not that I'm aware of, and I was looking. Sort of. I didn't have nearly enough time to take it all in though. I spoke w/ one guy (a local?) who said it was his 3rd visit and it's been different each time. Evidently they rotate the bikes around some so the entire collection is never on display at one time.

I'd ride that Wankel too, at least once.
If I'm not mistaken, that was the original (or origin) of the Mazda rotary....correct?

I think the suspension is a little better on this machine...

I would encourage anyone with an opportunity to visit the museum. Easily worth the $15 admission in my opinion.

winwun · 03-20-2009, 08:29 AM

Yeah, as I recall, the Wankel was the proto for the Mazda entry.

I don't know if it ever hit the road or not, but Mercedes had a rotary of 37.5 CID that developed 350 hp -- awesome, to say the least . . .

I don't know if anyone ever overcame the wiper and seal problems associated with the concept . . .

At least the rotary wasn't constantly trying to tear itself apart, as was the otto . . .

panamarandy · 03-20-2009, 11:06 AM

now that looks like a great place to go for a day trip. I am gonna check into it..

warrior91 · 03-22-2009, 11:45 PM

Great pics...thanks for the view.
I would love to spend all day in a place like that.

maf119l · 03-23-2009, 05:26 PM

Depressing.Seeing all those bikes sitting around not being rode.

SpeedSouth · 03-23-2009, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maf119l

Depressing.Seeing all those bikes sitting around not being rode.

For many of the bikes, I'd agree.

On the other hand, there are several (hundred?) that I'd never ride, even if they were sitting in my own garage.

Take these board racers, for example...
I don't think you'd catch me riding one of these, ever.

The guys who raced those were seriously hardcore!

I wouldn't want to ride this thing either...

Doesn't that fuel tank belong on an old boat somewhere?

maf119l · 03-24-2009, 11:01 AM

I'd have to ride them even if it was only a few miles a month.

Jim · 01-01-2011, 08:47 PM

Bump, in case anyone hasn't seen these cool pictures.

Weldangrind · 01-02-2011, 02:45 AM

Thanks Jim!

Jim · 01-02-2011, 11:13 PM

No problem, SpeedSouth took some great pictures I figured they shouldn't stay buried.

03-19-2009, 07:10 PM	#1
SpeedSouth Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Atlanta, Ga Posts: 710	Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum (pic heavy!) I thought I'd share a little about a ride I took a few weekends back. I joined a group of other riders from a local forum. We met up on the morning of the 7th, at about 8:45 am and prepared for the backroads ride towards Birmingham, and the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum - http://www.barbermuseum.org/ We met up in Douglasville. It was chilly and foggy but the promise of a nice day was motivation for just under 20 people in all. 17 or 18 bikes, I think. This was our first stop. Notice the Dan Gurney Alligator, which I posted pictures of here somewhere last year after laying eyes on it for the first time at a "bike night". We found another one in the museum. How cool is that? And that was across from the Dan Gurney display, naturally... Quick note about the Aliigator ( http://www.allamericanracers.com/all...ator_home.html ) Despite to strange looking layout on the bike, the rider does not look to be uncomfortable or in an odd position while riding. I mainly saw it from the rear, but I made it a point to try and see how it looked to ride, and I dare say it looked somewhat normal. One other item of interest, which may have been an issue with this bike only, but it seemed to be difficult to start. One stop we even had to wait several extra minutes as the owner tried to get it fired. It wasn't an issue of being cold, for sure, so I'm not sure what the deal is/was. On to our second stop. It was finally starting to clear up and show some blue sky... We stopped in Talladega for lunch... While gearing up after lunch I noticed my odometer... We made it to our stated destination without issue. Well, there was one guy who decided to ride his rear wheel for a short bit. Funny thing though...he decided to leave alone during our very first stop. Imagine that! As you walk in, you are greeted to the right with nice sample of what's inside.. I can't begin to describe the senastion that washed over me as I tried to take in all that lay before me. This place is big. 5 floors, but only the top 4 is open to the public. I was told the bottom floor is where they do all the restoration work. As you can see here, they have a nice selection cars down there. They also had a display of outboards that I could see and wanted to check out. The center of the building is an elevator, outlined by these racks, filled with bikes! Several of these displays are found throughout.. A few of the more interesting examples (IMO) A pair of BMW's that circled the globe... Concept Chassis? BMW scooter with seatbelts and a wiper blade? Ride a Wankel? Front swingarm? Snow ride, Jim? Sidecar for two? A scooter/bike half-breed? Are you qualified? Anyone want a Harley branded DS w/ a Rotax engine? It's a 1999 model... Don't forget your rifle! V-Max inspired? "Over-engineered" comes to mind, for some reason... Belt drive, you say? Okay, that's enough for now. Here's the trip computer info from my GPS when I pulled into my garage that night... I took a total of 370 pictures. I was the last guy out of the museum and just barely caught the last 2 guys as they were about to roll off. I did not have time to stop and really admire any of the bikes on display. I was basically walking and taking pictures as fast as possible, and I'm glad I did because I can now enjoy the pictures forever. I would love to go back and spend more time. Each bike has a data sheet displayed which lists facts about the bike. I have already spent hours looking at the pictures and the details of many, many interesting bikes. The different designs in suspension and drive systems alone span an extemely wide range. My pictures are posted here - http://s88.photobucket.com/albums/k1...009/?start=all There are just over 350 pictures there. I will post more here if there is interest...or you can just go over there and see them all. Overall, that day was excellent! The weather was nice. It was my first real "group" ride. The route was filled with sweet, twisty roads. I met some cool, new people. The museum is a "must-see" (again!). I have no idea how I obtained the top speed listed on the GPS. Seriously. I did follow two 2 guys back on I-20, but I was in back and the pace was set at 80. I can't imagine hitting that on the back roads during the ride over and I find it hard to imagine I could hit that, being a bit of a fat ass. It is just low enough to be reasonable for the bike, however...so it's just a mystery for the day. Oh, before I forget...here's a little video one guy took... I'm on the 14th bike to roll past. http://gs90.photobucket.com/groups/k...arber022-1.flv Notice the water in the apex. It caught a few people off guard...especially the lone cruiser. I hope you enjoy the pictures as much as I enjoyed the experience. __________________ 2008 American Lifan LF200 GY-5 (930 km) - Sold 2007 Kawasaki EX250 - Sold 2006 Kawasaki EX650R - My new ride! 2005 Kawasaki EX250 - A new project
	0

03-19-2009, 07:45 PM	#2
Jim Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Abbotsford, BC, Canada Posts: 4,880	Very cool!, thanks for sharing them... Looks like a good day.. __________________ "Be excellent to each other" "We are all human. Let's start to prove it!"
	0

03-19-2009, 09:19 PM	#3
katoranger Join Date: May 2007 Location: Altamont, Kansas Posts: 15,103	Any Chinese bikes? I need to go sometime. __________________ You meet the nicest people on a Honda Clone.
	0

03-19-2009, 11:18 PM	#4
AZ200cc Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Show Low Arizona Posts: 2,889	They almost look like a bunch of toy models in the first few pics, And hell ya I would ride a Wankel, That looks like an old Norton. The Harley DS looks to have even less travel than our Chinabikes Awesome pics. __________________ <br />2001 Suzuki DR200SE<br />1997 Suzuki RM250 YIKES<br />1995 Yamaha Breeze 125 daughters<br />1991 Honda XR80r Restored<br />maybe a 2003 Yamaha TTR90
	0

03-20-2009, 08:29 AM	#6
winwun Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 169	Yeah, as I recall, the Wankel was the proto for the Mazda entry. I don't know if it ever hit the road or not, but Mercedes had a rotary of 37.5 CID that developed 350 hp -- awesome, to say the least . . . I don't know if anyone ever overcame the wiper and seal problems associated with the concept . . . At least the rotary wasn't constantly trying to tear itself apart, as was the otto . . . __________________ If everyone picked up a couple of pieces of litter, pretty soon there wouldn't be ANY, and wouldn't THAT be nice ? Luke, 11: 21
	0

03-20-2009, 11:06 AM	#7
panamarandy Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: panama city, florida Posts: 353	now that looks like a great place to go for a day trip. I am gonna check into it.. __________________ 2007 Tank Vision R-3 2005 Quinqi Scooter
	0

03-22-2009, 11:45 PM	#8
warrior91 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: N.E. Saskatchewan, Canada Posts: 679	Great pics...thanks for the view. I would love to spend all day in a place like that. __________________ '91 Yamaha Warrior- stage 2 '83 Honda ATC 70 '08 Yongjiang 125cc mx (Loncin) '08 Yongjiang 150cc atv (Jinlong)
	0

03-23-2009, 05:26 PM	#9
maf119l Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: perkinston,ms Posts: 296	Depressing.Seeing all those bikes sitting around not being rode. __________________ yamaha vstar 650,unknown chinese 4 wheeler,johnny pag 250 spyder,lifan gy-5
	0

03-24-2009, 11:01 AM	#11
maf119l Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: perkinston,ms Posts: 296	I'd have to ride them even if it was only a few miles a month. __________________ yamaha vstar 650,unknown chinese 4 wheeler,johnny pag 250 spyder,lifan gy-5
	0

01-01-2011, 08:47 PM	#12
Jim Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Abbotsford, BC, Canada Posts: 4,880	Bump, in case anyone hasn't seen these cool pictures. __________________ "Be excellent to each other" "We are all human. Let's start to prove it!"
	0

01-02-2011, 02:45 AM	#13
Weldangrind Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Sardis, BC, Canada Posts: 25,977	Thanks Jim! __________________ Weldangrind "I figure I'm well-prepared for coping with a bike that comes from the factory with unresolved issues and that rewards the self-reliant owner." - Buccaneer
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01-02-2011, 11:13 PM	#14
Jim Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Abbotsford, BC, Canada Posts: 4,880	No problem, SpeedSouth took some great pictures I figured they shouldn't stay buried. __________________ "Be excellent to each other" "We are all human. Let's start to prove it!"
	0