The Brittens are coming! The Brittens are coming! The 11th Annual Barber Vintage Festival, at Barber Motorsports Park in Leeds, Alabama, kicks off today and runs through Sunday so there's still time to make it.
60,000-plus vintage motorcycle enthusiasts are expected on Barber’s beautiful 740-acre park. Of course, it doesn’t hurt having the world’s preeminent motorcycle museum in your backyard (with over 1400 bikes), but the festival’s popularity doesn’t hinge just on the museum. The key to success is the Barber organization’s enthusiasm for this vintage jamboree. It starts at the top with founder George Barber and extends to every member of the staff from what I've seen, with everyone making sure the event goes without a hitch, from food and drink to music and bikes.
This year a major highlight is 9 of the 10 Britten motorcycles ever produced will be on display. These hand-built, water-cooled 999cc, 60 degree V-Twin quad cam, 4-stroke, 188 mph New Zealand bad boys are a must-see. Also returning is the Ace Cafe (for all things cafe), the 'Century Race' for bikes 100 years old or older, (I'm not kidding, Dale Walksler won in 2013 riding his 1912 Indian!), the American Motor Drome 'Wall of Death' will be there, with daredevils on vintage Indians and Harleys riding the wall of a 14-foot tall, 30-foot diameter wooden drum. Cool-ass stuff. In need of a few odd-ball parts for your pre-war BSA? Then spend some quality time rummaging thru the huge 24-hour swap meet.
Need more reasons to go? Throw in vintage racing from the American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association, Legends of Motocross, observe some leg-wettin' trials from Speed & Sport and Penton Cross Country and you have a weekend of vintage motorcycling that beats the hell out of boring conversation with Coffee Guy (sorry Jim) and a slow bartender.
Today in motorcycle history proudly supports the National Association for Bikers with a Disability (NABD). www.nabd.org.uk
This year a major highlight is 9 of the 10 Britten motorcycles ever produced will be on display. These hand-built, water-cooled 999cc, 60 degree V-Twin quad cam, 4-stroke, 188 mph New Zealand bad boys are a must-see. Also returning is the Ace Cafe (for all things cafe), the 'Century Race' for bikes 100 years old or older, (I'm not kidding, Dale Walksler won in 2013 riding his 1912 Indian!), the American Motor Drome 'Wall of Death' will be there, with daredevils on vintage Indians and Harleys riding the wall of a 14-foot tall, 30-foot diameter wooden drum. Cool-ass stuff. In need of a few odd-ball parts for your pre-war BSA? Then spend some quality time rummaging thru the huge 24-hour swap meet.
Need more reasons to go? Throw in vintage racing from the American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association, Legends of Motocross, observe some leg-wettin' trials from Speed & Sport and Penton Cross Country and you have a weekend of vintage motorcycling that beats the hell out of boring conversation with Coffee Guy (sorry Jim) and a slow bartender.
Today in motorcycle history proudly supports the National Association for Bikers with a Disability (NABD). www.nabd.org.uk
