Trip to Barber Museum

[JimL]

Most of you folks on this forum already know about the Barber Motorsports museum in Birmingham,AL.  My father-in-law has heard me talk about it many times.  He was in town visiting yesterday and wanted to drive down to see it.  As expected he was not disappointed!  Here are just a couple of the many photos we took.

[Jack B]

When you look at the 1975 Goldwing it looks more like a Valkyrie than a wing.

[JimL]

When you look at the 1975 Goldwing it looks more like a Valkyrie than a wing.

I agree.  The original Wing had a nice look.

[Big IV]

I liked the wings without all that tupperware winginess!  I wish they still offered a stripper if they're not going to offer a Valk.
I'm impressed that the Barber museum has the Valk on a display. Wheels through Time (still in Maggie Valley, NC) has all American made bikes but won't believe that the Honda has some American made vehicles.
Barber museum is on my to-do list

[JimL]

I liked the wings without all that tupperware winginess!  I wish they still offered a stripper if they're not going to offer a Valk.
I'm impressed that the Barber museum has the Valk on a display. Wheels through Time (still in Maggie Valley, NC) has all American made bikes but won't believe that the Honda has some American made vehicles.
Barber museum is on my to-do list

Thanks for the reminder on Wheels through Time!  I knew there was something else I was planning to see on my way over tp visit the Biltmore House this summer.

[Ken Tarver]

Went to Barber's about 10 days ago myself...great place!
Ken

[RedValk]

....and the Cheaha rally this year is going to Barbers...not only for the museum...but for the AMA Superbike races too! It's gonna' be a hoot..........

[razor]

Is Wheels Through Time still in Magie?  I thought they were going to close last year. I know they auctioned off some of their bikes last fall.

[RedValk]

Ray, when we went to Wheels thru Time in Maggie last Labor day weekend (September) for the Rune Rally, they told us they were closing in November...and moving sometime after that. I THINK...they said they might be moving to AZ? i just know Maggie was NOT receptive to them, so they were closing and moving........

[razor]

Tim, that's what I thought.  JIML needs to check on it before he makes plans to stop by.  I will say this, WTT was not in the same league with Barbers!!!  I'm looking forward to visiting Barbers again this year at Cheaha.  Felt really rushed because of the weather when we went in '07.  But I have been told they have a couple a hundred bikes more than what are displayed, and they rotate them in and out. So different bikes at different times.    Gives a whole new meaning to "milk money"

[sandy]

I've heard that Wheels was moving to Prescott, AZ. So far only a rumor. It's about 100 miles North of me. It's at 4600' altitude so it has a moderate climate for AZ.

[RedValk]

i had heard something like that too Sandy...so it may not be rumour?

Yep Ray, we WERE rushded last time we did it in 07. I've been there many times, and.....every time, i see something different from where they rotate the collection at Barbers. And you're right...after seeing Barbers several times...Wheels Through Time was kind of anti-climatic. But of note, was the fact all the bikes in WTT would run...could be fired up. all the bikes at Barbers...they don't even put fluids in them.

i went up to Icon (big bike dealer) in Birmingham right after i bought my first Rune in early August 03. i wanted to see another Rune...and Icon had one of the few others ones in the state....at that time. So i road up there...and went it....and looked around...but couldn't find a Rune on the floor. When i enquired where it was, they said you just missed it....Barbers bought it for their collection. So i started to leave...but they said "wait...is that your Rune in the parking lot?" Yep. Wait.....we want to get a bunch of the guys to hear what it sounds like before you leave. I asked why, you just sold one to Barbers...surely you heard that one?

Nope. Barbers wouldn't let them service it or fire it up. when i asked how they got it out of the bike shop...and to the museum...they said a truck with a hydraulic lift came....wheeled it onto the hydraulic platform...and into the truck. IT NEVER WAS CRANKED/FIRED UP. so they had never heard a Rune run.

so i fired mine up. that was BEFORE the exhaust mod 

So .....i respect the fact that the bikes in WTT were unique in that they ran. In fact, the owner rode/drove antiques from the musem back and forth to work...and would park em' out front the day he rode/drove them. so that was kind of cool........

I'm REALLY looking forward to seeing the Superbike races at Barbers....that will be a first for me this year at Cheaha!

[Bob E.]

I went to the AMA Superbike races at Virginia Internation Raceway (VIR) in 2007 and, aside from being about 104*F, it was awesome.  The speed those guys carry is incredible.