Skip Barber's Motorcycle Collection

[MyBoyBlue]

I went and made a visit to bike heaven in Alabama last weekend. All of these bikes have a view of the track outside where he has his Porsche Racing School.

Each bike (and car) is maintained, oiled, and ready to go with a moments notice from Skip.

[MyBoyBlue]

[MyBoyBlue]

[MyBoyBlue]

My Dad's first motorcycle as a kid


19hp (HA HA HA)

[MyBoyBlue]

700hp turbo 4 banger



HARLEY DAVIDSON!!!!

[Rambunctous]

Excellent Post!

[Eric Baker]

DAYUM! Crazy nice collection.

[jerseygirl]

Thanks for sharing those pics. Every year I saw I am going to make it down for the Vintage races, and ever year something comes up. These make me want to go even more!!

P.S. It is not Skip, it is George Barber.

[JRide]

Thanks for posting! I really want to make my way there to ride that track and check out that collection.

[mrezra]

I have always wanted to go... Thanks for sharing!

[DuncanMoto]

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry9000/4.6.0.297 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/102 UP.Link/6.3.1.20.0)

Great photos.
Awesome collection.

[dontpanic]

Just amazing....

[Sportygurl131]

[a13x]

P.S. It is not Skip, it is George Barber.

Yea GEORGE BARBER. No relation to Skip Barber....


Great museum and racetrack fo sho. One of my favorite places ever! One of my best motorcycle memories was throwing two dinners there (which happened to fall on my b'day weekend) back in 2008 and getting a private tour of the lower level and 'hidden' back room by the museum curator. Epic museum and must-visit for any motorcycle fan.

[fivetoez]

Skip DOES have QUITE the automotive collection though.

[caddydaddy]

I'm moving down south soon, so this place will definitely be on my list!

[xsiliconkid]

Thanks for sharing those pics. Every year I saw I am going to make it down for the Vintage races, and ever year something comes up. These make me want to go even more!!

P.S. It is not Skip, it is George Barber.

Yeah, George...
Got to know him a bit a few years back when I had a business in Alabama... his collection was still it the old place (a warehouse under/next to a freeway in downtown Birmingham .
He was one of the main drivers behind "The art of the Motorcycle" exhibit that started in the Guggenheim in NY and then toured the World....
A trustee of the NY Guggenheim resigned over having "motorcycles" in the Museum... Turns out it was the most successful exhibit in the place.
"George's" bikes that were in the tour went to Chicago, Spain, but then came home. He did not want them going to Las Vegas:-)...

George also has one of the best collections of Lotus cars.

Know where he made all his money? Milk, distribution of milk in Al.

ps the collection of motorcycles only started around 1990 (George was a car guy_. Gerry Wood had a hand in a lot of advice etc.......
Since day 1, each year a number of bikes that made various motorcycle magazine's around the world best bike list - are bought, prepared tand put away in storgae for future generations..... so it will have legs way into the future.

[a13x]

Since day 1, each year a number of bikes that made various motorcycle magazine's around the world best bike list - are bought, prepared tand put away in storgae for future generations..... so it will have legs way into the future.

Yea that's some of the stuff in the "Job Security Room" (as curator Brian Slark calls it). There's a pic of the room in my photos. HUGE room stuffed to the rafters with bikes and the floor is just littered with row upon row like cordwood. I saw the 1st prototype cannondale dirtbike along with the 1st production one. about 4 or 5 Valvoline #1 bikes. The infamous Pit Bull Hawk (Hawk chassis with 2stroke motor) etc etc. Brian said bikes don't make the main exhibit rooms unless they are 100% restored and runners. Lots of the bikes in the Job Security Room are 95% but THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH. Or they are just back there marinating for a while.

[xsiliconkid]

Great place for a dinner/meeting!

I use to have Board of Director dinner meetings in the heart of the Huntsville Space Museum (more to keep BoD types away from real issues:-)...
I NEVER though to use the Barber Museum, doh!

[CBR929RE]

Know where he made all his money? Milk, distribution of milk in Al.

That's half my job, I don't ever see having the kind of money he does.


they do all the bike (not sure about cars) restorations on site. Even custom make some parts that can't be found anymore.


Funny the R7 is such a porker now.
That Tamburini F4 is pure sex. I would hump each pipe.
and I've always had a hard on for the Britten.

[xsiliconkid]

That's half my job, I don't ever see having the kind of money he does.

.

Milk distribution + Alabama = $
Al is such a gvt controlled state. Barber had exclusive rights in AL for ALL milk distribution...

Speaking of the Britten, if you have not seen this....WATCH it!
5 part NZ TV documentary on line
http://www.nzonscreen.com/title/brit...visionary-1993

[GixerJockey]

P.S. It is not Skip, it is George Barber.

Was wondering when someone was going to pick up on that...


Great pics!

[Tricky Mike]

Yeah, great shots. i don't think I could walk past that Britten without averting my eyes and genuflecting.

Tangential, but I was lucky enough to get the "insider's tour" of Paul Russel's shop in Essex, MA a few years back ( http://www.paulrussell.com/ )

It was a humbling experience. Most of Ralph Lauren's cars from the Speed, Style and Beauty exhibit were there. The attention to detail in restoration was amazing. Everything was period-specific... if the original frame was gas-welded, the restored frame has all gas welds. Despite the fact that their resident welder can TIG gum wrappers together. Some parts of the shop were more like a clean room than a shop. His staff are true renaissance men.

[CBR929RE]

Milk distribution + Alabama = $
Al is such a gvt controlled state. Barber had exclusive rights in AL for ALL milk distribution...

Speaking of the Britten, if you have not seen this....WATCH it!
5 part NZ TV documentary on line
http://www.nzonscreen.com/title/brit...visionary-1993

well way down the bottom of the totem pole. I have a feeling he didn't do much of the actual delivering like me.

I watched the first part, sweet. That guy is the man.

[MyBoyBlue]

That Tamburini F4 is pure sex. I would hump each pipe.

When no one was looking I did finger a couple exhaust pipes and stroked a few handlebars