The 2nd annual Barber Vintage Festival
(Page 2 of 3)
March/April 2007
By Richard Backus
Also new for 2006 were vintage motocross races (see sidebar), factory Triumph demo rides, and a classic motorcycle charity ride sponsored by Motorcycle Classics that took riders on a breathtaking tour of the Alabama countryside. As with last year the Antique Motorcycle Club of America held a show in the Expo area, but this year they were joined by the Motorcycle Classics Concours d’Elegance, the Penton Owners Group, the Bridgestone Owners Club, the BMW Veteran Motorcycle Club of America, the Time Warp Vintage Motorcycle Club and the Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club.
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Barber’s Brian Slark (whose titles include parts manager and restorer), pegged attendance at 12,000, almost double 2005, and while rain on Friday turned the swap area into a bog in places, he looked at it as just a part of the learning curve. “We’ll have to put some gravel down or something for next year,” Slark says, “but despite the weather it was huge growth in one year.” The growth was large enough, Slark says, they’re considering limiting the swap. “We might limit it to 400, and try to be selective, keep it vintage and not let it overrun the rest of the activities.”
Looking forward
For 2007, Slark’s looking forward to more club displays (he’d like to see the Expo area evolve into a club village of sorts) and rides. “I like Motorcycle Classics’ concept of a ride, because there are some good roads here and I think it’s good for the community,” Slark says.
The museum’s also working on its celebrity lineup for 2007, and for his money Slark says he’d like to get dirt and road bike champion Dick Mann on board. “He’s one of my all-time heroes, everyone loves him, and he’s always ridden alone, kind of a David and Goliath figure. I think it’s just important to get motorcycle celebrities here on an informal basis and make them approachable.” Amen to that, and judging by the crowd’s pleasure at meeting Surtees this year, Slark’s absolutely right.
In fact, just about everything at the Barber Vintage Festival is right: A stunning museum, vintage racing, classic bike shows, motorcycle celebrities and scenic countryside. And, most importantly, it’s all been created by passion. “We love doing this,” Slark says, “because it’s our passion.”
After 2006’s showing, the festival has become an event not to be missed. Motorcycle Classics will be there again this year for what’s sure to be another bang-up weekend of motorcycling heaven, so make plans now to join us at the 3rd Annual Barber Vintage Festival, Oct. 19-21, 2007. MC
Diggin' the dirt at Barber
Motorcyclists have a new reason to head south in the fall, thanks to the Barber Vintage Festival.
New to the program for 2006 was a full complement of dirt events, including cross-country, observed trials and the ever-popular vintage motocross.
If you have never visited the Barber Museum, it would be difficult to appreciate the idea of turning over their pristinely manicured grounds to a boat-load of dirt bikers: It would be like handing over the keys to a golf course for the weekend to a herd of hungry knobbies. Not likely to happen many places on the planet other than the Barber Museum. Even though they have invested tens of millions into their state-of-the-art facility, the core group at Barber remains motorcyclists first and administrators second. Too bad the whole world doesn’t run like that.