The 5th Annual Barber Vintage Festival

It was sometime late Saturday afternoon, surrounded by a sea of pitted AMRMA racers when it all caught up with me. Miles had passed beneath my shoes and the feet inside of them were now voicing their displeasure, two octaves below my camera-bag weary shoulders. Already charged twice, the battery in my Nikon was drained again and close to the end of my third memory card, it weakly blinked. Stomach empty and eyes blurred, everything (pardon the pun) was shot.

And I couldn’t have been happier.

For years I’ve heard stories; the grandeur, the architecture, the quality and selection of machines and the impressive facility housing it all. Truth be told, it sounded too good to be true so to preserve what’s left of my sanity, I blocked the images and ignored the pull. The wait officially neared its end when two months eariler, Jonzo called and said; “I booked the flight. We’re going to Barber.” 

Located just outside of Birmingham, Alabama, Barber is the brainchild of dairy farmer George Barber, who opened the facility late in 2003. Situated on rolling green hills, the grounds contain virtually everything needed to host, hold, repair, display and race practically any type of vintage vehicle. A clear emphasis on the vintage motorcycle, these are displayed per era or type in the museum, or, as (curator) Brian Slark puts it ‘The crown jewel.” Slark, a former Works Norton mechanic and shop owner is truly a vintage motorcycle expert; well versed and trained for the task at hand. He joins a superb staff that works together to keep the Barber machine running at peak performance. One look is all it takes to demonstrate the success of their efforts.

The mixture of sun and rain did little to dampen the enthusiasm of those attending the Vintage Festival. For John and myself, much time was spent cataloging machines in the museum, but occasionally we’d take a break and catch the tram to visit the track, the swap meet, or the various shows and events that filled the three day schedule. The racing (AHRMA’s last round of the season) was spirited and the pits displayed an amazing array of vintage racing specials.

Saturday’s auction, hosted by Bator International saw roughly 80% of the machines offered sail off to new homes, with prices (not surprisingly) in close proximity to the national average. The real deals however, were found in the swap meet area. What do you need? It all seemed available, poised and laid out in row after long row. Oh, to be born rich instead of handsome!

I could do what so many had done to me in the past; teasing and tempting with what we saw and experienced, but instead I’ll skip the nipple twisting and suggest you simply go and see it for yourself. If you can’t attend the festival, the museum is open daily and there’s a full docket of weekly and monthly events to enjoy, including trackdays and seminars. Proclaimed somewhat justly as the finest of its kind in the world, Barber displays within barriers of steel and concrete the ageless and artistic beauty of the motorcycle. Bonded together with the souls who strive to preserve this heritage. Words and photographs -no matter how carefully applied- fail in translation. Nolan Woodbury

The VINCATI Seminar at the Barber Vintage Festival

Nolan and I had the opportunity to attend the “VINCATI Seminar” at the Barber Museum Theater, hosted by Sidney M. “Big Sid” Biberman and his son Matthew Biberman.

About 15 minutes before the seminar, I had the honor to meet “Big Sid” and chat with him about Vincents and motorcycles in general. Although in a wheelchair now, he was a very courteous and colorful guy; still full of passion, especially when he spoke of the virtues of the Vincent twin. During his youth, “Big Sid” was six-foot, five inches and 300 pounds! Big indeed.

In the circle of Vincent lore, Big Sid is a living legend who raced Vincents on the street and in competition events from the mid 50’s through the 60’s.  Astonishingly, he told me that he had hosted Phil Irving himself (Chief Designer of the Vincent V-twin) at his home several times! He is also a world-recognized Vincent restoration and historical expert on the marque.

The seminar was led by his son Matthew and focused on their recent build of a very special motorcycle. Basically a vintage Ducati GT 750 with a Vincent engine slid underneath, the “VINCATI.” earned the praise and blessing of Irving himself.  They talked about the challenges and triumphs of building it, eventually rolling the actual bike onto the floor for everyone to see.

You can read more in their latest book: “Big Sid’s VINCATI” – A story of a father, a son, and the motorcycle of a lifetime.” My VMOL partner Nolan Woodbury had read the first book, so he bought “Big Sid’s VINCATI” for his brother Nick, who is a huge Vincent fan.  I was so impressed after talking to Bid Sid personally that I purchased his earlier title: “Vincent’s with Big Sid” and read it cover-to-cover on the airplane ride home. He signed my book: “To JJ – A true motorcyclist – Bid Sid”. I will cherish this for years to come.

It was an honor to meet both Big Sid and his son Matthew.  If you ever get a chance to meet and hear them talk about Vincents, jump on it. Living legends like Big Sid Biberman are few and far between. JJ Cerilli

Barber Motorsports Park; http://barbermuseum.org/index.php

Bator Auction results; http://www.batorauctions.com/Barber_Auction_Results.htm