Summer of 21 - #3 - Barber Motorsports Museum

April 20th, 2021 - Part 2

We left the Southern Museum of Flight (BLOG HERE) and headed to the Barber Motorsports Park  in Birmingham, Alabama.  

The Barber Motorsports Museum home to the world's largest motorcycle collection is also here and was what we came to visit.

We entered the museum and were met by masses of motorcycles!!!  I thought of Erica & Alex and wondered if they had been here. They would love it, I'm sure.

They told us the best way to tour the museum was to take the elevator to the top floor and work our way down.

Waiting for the elevator and here it comes, there is a car on top of the elevator going up and down with it.  That's different and definitely gets your attention. 

There are so many bikes and cars here that I'll probably just let you look at some pictures.

Majestic Eagle

Tool Kit

Motorcycle/Side Car

2004 Triumph Daytona 600

Honda Gold Wing

1947 Cushman Ice Cream Truck

My eyes soon diverted through the huge windows and onto the landscaping outside......

Race Track

Nice landscaping

Close up of the waterfall

Further down the track

Ok, back to the exhibits.

Harley-Davidson Model X-8-A

Narcisse N10 Tandem Moped

I liked the way these were displayed, as though they were racing!!! Thought of the Walls family in Vegas.

It was good to see the vintage cars from a different viewpoint.

Fox Kawasaki

There were displays through the decades.

A reminder of my hometown in England - Enfield. Quite apt that it represented the 60's when I was growing up there, in the hippy/mod flower power days. "Those were the days my friend"!!!!!!  Thankfully, they weren't the best days of my life.

Royal Enfield Continental GT

The stories below cover the 80's and the 90's. The exerts are copied from the displays to make it easier for you to read.

"In March of 1990, Jim Rogers and Tabitha Estabrook set out on a journey that would take them twenty-two months and over 65,000 rolling miles to complete. 

 

The 1988 BMW R100 RT bike was ridden by Jim, and is in original condition, as picked up at the conclusion of their journey.  Mr. Roger’s book, Investment Biker, gives a full account of the journey that is credited by Guinness Book of Records for setting two world records.

Jim's Bike

 

Their map showing part of their route

Mr. Rogers, a native of Demopolis, Alabama, started his career on Wall Street as an investor and retired at the age of thirty-seven.  One of his passions (motorcycling) led him to travel the four corners of the earth – not only as an adventurer, but also to learn of the world’s developing countries and investment markets by actually crossing them on two wheels.  The trip entailed thousands of sea, air, barge, and rail miles across six continents as well as the 65,000 miles covered actually riding."

 

The 1989 BMW R 80  "is the bike that Jim’s companion, Tabitha rode on the journey. To take a street bike on such an adventure, riding through rough terrain from deep sand to snow drifts requires feats of endurance and tenacity.  This journey if undertaken today would be done on a dual sport or adventure bike, which would be a lot more suitable."

Tabitha's Bike

2008 Can-Am Spider

1983 Ducati MHR1000 MK 3

Lo and behold, here's another flash back to the 60's in London. I love it!!!!

There was a lot to see and I got a little ahead of Bryan and found myself back by the window. I noticed there were people outside and realized there was a door that led out there. I messaged Bryan and told him where I was and out I went.  It was a beautiful day. There was a drivers experience going on where people were driving the race cars around the track. (We later found out it cost in the region of $2,000.) 

driving around the cones as fast as they could.

Apart from the roar of the cars, which was quite envigorating, it was a "peaceful relaxing" place to be as you looked at the trees, plants, and flowers and listened to the water in between the noise of the cars!!!

Bryan joined me out there and we walked around.

There is a stone frog and fish in this picture

There I zoomed in so you could see them. 😀

There I am 

but look what's lurking behind me!!!

Help BRYAN!!!!!!

There he is, he saved me, ha!!ha!!

Now it was my turn to save him. Watch out BRYAN!!!

It was a lovely walk to finish off our visit.

What an awesome day, we returned home tired but happy. This is what this life is all about. Exploring new places and adventures.