Barber Vintage Fest

At this year’s 19th Annual Barber Vintage Fest, a new display was unveiled. Three-time Grand Prix World Champion Kenny Roberts and his son, Kenny Roberts Jr. were featured in a new exhibit at the Barber Vintage Motorcycle Museum in Birmingham, Alabama. Three historic bikes are now on display for motorcycle fans to enjoy their racing significance. Kenny Roberts, Grand Marshal at this year’s event, and his 1980 Yamaha YZR500 (OW48) along with Kenny Jr.’s 2000 Suzuki RGV500, and the 1998 Modena KR3 500 ridden by Kenny Jr. were prominently featured. The Barber Museum is a bucket list trip for anyone who loves any type of motorcycle.

American Motor Drome Wall Of Death

by Mike Boyd | Oct 18, 2024 | Ride Life | 1 |

My first experience with the American Motor Drome Co. Wall of Death was at the Barber Vintage Festival in 2004. I was amazed by this legendary thrill show and have attended each year since, for the last 15 years now. Motor drome motorcycle stunt shows have a rich history in American motorcycling culture, and are a very unique subculture unto themselves.

The Wild World of Motorcycle Sidecar Racing

by Road Dirt Crew | Oct 16, 2023 | Industry & Racing, Legendary Bikes | 0 |

It’s a physically demanding sport, especially for the copilot, hence our comment about Tina. Battling G-forces back and forth to keep the rig planted on all three contact points, both riders must be both strong and flexible, and be in complete sync with each other. Mike and I observed it up close trackside at Barber, as teams tore around the highly technical course at breakneck speeds. I’ve ridden at high speed around tracks like this on a motorcycle, experiencing the g-forces on a bike, but can hardly imagine the exertion it takes to keep riders and machine planted while speeding around a course, battling those forces on a sidecar. These racers, particularly the passengers, are another level of tough.

Small Bore Mania

by Mike Boyd | Jun 14, 2023 | Ride Life, Rides & Roads | 3 |

I am rather late to the game in this niche of motorcycle mania. I learned about this rally at the beginning of the year, and it looked like a lot of fun. So, I went to my local motorcycle shop, Cycle World of Athens, and bought myself a new 2023 Honda Monkey (above). I have been riding for over 60 years, but this is a different experience entirely. The fun I’ve had riding this little bike around my region and taking it to Daytona Bike Week led to my decision to attend this rally in the mountains and see what other like-minded folks were doing with these little bikes.

Barber Vintage Fest 2021- A Photo Essay

by Mike Boyd | Oct 13, 2021 | Legendary Bikes, Ride Life | 2 |

If you’ve never experienced a weekend at Vintage Fest, you really should make plans for next year. It’s truly a memorable experience, a walk back through motorcycle time actually, with bikes, brands, makes and models from all eras of motorcycle history. Every year I’ve been able to attend, I’ve found something I’d not seen before, or at least in many years, and the people attending are from all walks of life, every age, from across the country and really the world. I’m so glad Vintage Fest was back on this year, as it’s truly one of my favorite annual motorcycling events.