Opening Weekend at Barber Motorsports Park

[Visian]

The Barber Motosports Park is something you need to see. Think the Augusta National of racetracks.

Last weekend was the opening weekend for the track and the museum... and it was bike nirvana.

Get to see a race at this track, whatever it takes!

Ian


ps => Here are the results of the race... (http://www.ussuperbike.com/article.php?UID=Fe8MsikJpLRMqexKlZzvVQFtIWX5pX&aid=2578)

[Visian]

The museum isn't half full yet, but it only shows a fraction of the collection.... and plenty of beemers.

Here is a nice roadracer....

[Visian]

.... and another

[Visian]

My personal preference is the 250GP... and this is the last year the series will run in the US.

[Visian]

... another 250 shot. This track requires a very long lens, and my camera only goes up to 230mm before going into digital zoom.

[Visian]

whoops... attach the pic!

[Visian]

Mr. DuHamel's bike didn't look quite this nice after the second hundred miler. Neither did Mr. Bostrom's. Eric took out Miguel, and ruined a sure Honda 1-2-3 sweep. No doubt the people at Honda were unenthused...

[Visian]

Finally got to see one of these monsters in motion...

[Visian]

Hmmm... a cross-frame four... shaft drive... hmmmm

[Visian]

They had some nice red cars there, too.

[Visian]

The museum was a piece of modern art.

[Visian]

See?

[lorazepam]

Dang Visian, I am afraid to post my nasty pics now. What camera are you using? I have a fuji finepix S602, and I have hit the wall on that bugger when if comes to nice crisp long shots. Keep the pics coming dude :clap

[Visian]

Originally posted by lorazepam
What camera are you using?

That's my new Nikon 5700 :bliss

I am still learning how to use it well. And I am waiting for my 2x teleconverter.

Believe it or not, these pics weren't even shot at the highest quality setting.

Ian

[Visian]

Rain tires were tested... and required, for a portion of the weekend.

This thing looks like a GS tire, eh?

[Visian]

Interesting views abounded in the parking lot.

[Visian]

More red ones, back in the museum.

[Visian]

I saw this bike win at Daytona.

[Visian]

I saw this bike kick some serious butt at Daytona and Road Atlanta.

[Visian]

It is very odd that one of the biggest motorcycle museums in the world burned down (http://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/detail?sectionID=50677&documentID=180968) and one of the biggest opened in its new home within a week of each other.

[Visian]

I would pay extra for a sandcasting like this one on my bike!

[Visian]

One last red car....

[kbasa]

Wow!

It looks like the layout of the museum is a quantum leap ahead of what they had before.

Thanks, Ian!

:clap :clap

[guitarian]

And both are in cities named Birmingham.

Originally posted by Visian
It is very odd that one of the biggest motorcycle museums in the world burned down (http://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/detail?sectionID=50677&documentID=180968) and one of the biggest opened in its new home within a week of each other.

[The_Veg]

I've only been to the old museum, back when when it was new in the '90s and it certainly does look like the new one is a great leap forward. When you say that it's only half-full, do you mean they built more space than needed, or that only half the collection is in yet? Last I heard the collection was something around 750 bikes. I've really got no excuse not to go see it though since I have a brother in Birmingham, mother in Tuscaloosa and father in Atlanta and friends in all three. Next time in in that neck of the woods...!

[DDHR1150RT]

Ian, those pics absolutely rock!!!!!!! A+ photography!

Are there any more pics? :D

If so, please post them for us unfortunates who missed being there :cry

Well, at least I live close to Birmingham (the Atlanta area) so someday (when I get my "trusty?" steed back) I will be riding to see this new Utopia of motorcycle heaven :bliss

[DDHR1150RT]

Originally posted by Visian
I saw this bike kick some serious butt at Daytona and Road Atlanta.

The Britten has to be one of the most sought after motorcycles in the world with one of the most uplifting and saddening stories ever documented behind it. I only wished that I could have physically witnessed this motorcycle run at Daytona and Road Atlanta as you experienced.

A truly amazing account, the video "One Man's Dream The Britten Bike Story" is a must see! John Britten was the utmost pioneer in motorcycle advancement. That bike and the man, are the true pinnacle of engineering dreams and freedom. An unbelievably amazing story!

[Visian]

Originally posted by The Veg
When you say that it's only half-full, do you mean they built more space than needed, or that only half the collection is in yet?

Both.

There is quite a bit more floorspace available... and you could see that they hustled to make the opening deadline.

And... nowhere near all the bikes they have will fit in that place at one time.

Ian

[Visian]

Originally posted by DDHR1150RT
Are there any more pics? :D


Well... not any more good ones. I spent too much time watching the motorcycle races! :p

Seriously, though, the track is a little difficult to shoot... you need a long lens. All the pros were using their heavy glass. I need to get a teleconverter for my camera.

And I wish that I took more pics of the track itself. It's stunning.

Thanks for the nice words about the pics. I am learning to use a complex camera.

Hopefully, other people post theirs?

Ian

[Visian]

Originally posted by DDHR1150RT
John Britten was the utmost pioneer in motorcycle advancement. That bike and the man, are the true pinnacle of engineering dreams and freedom. An unbelievably amazing story!


That motorcycle was so much better than everything else on the track that day at Daytona... it wasn't funny.

Here is an excerpt from a great web page about John Britten (http://www.nzedge.com/heroes/britten.html)


Ridden by Aucklander Andrew Stroud, the defining moment for the Britten came in the 1992 Daytona Supertwins race where the V1000 dominated the race, exploding to the front from the starting grid. Footage of the race shows Stroud toying with rival Ducati Ferracci rider Pascal Picotte, time and again granting the French rider space before almost insouciantly reeling him in, the homebuilt super-machine cheekily pulling wheel-stands next to the unamused factory Ducati.