Fuzzygalore.com Barber Museum: 1956 Parilla Corsa
1956 Parilla Corsa with full dustbin fairing on display at the Barber Motorsports Museum in Leeds, Alabama.
Barber Motorsports Museum: 1974 Hercules W2000 Wankel Rotary Motorcycle
Until I visited the Barber Motorsports Museum, the only rotary engined motorcycle that I’d ever seen or heard was the Suzuki RE-5 owned by my friend Quacka. There’s a good reason for that. There were never many production models made using a rotary mill.
Like the RE-5, the Hercules was apparently a victim of it’s own innovation – the rotary power plant was prone to heat issues. It never saw favor in the marketplace and the model died off.
The German-made Hercules W2000:
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The Barber Motorsports Museum is the most amazing place. It is like a Church of Motorcycling History. Be sure to check out more blog posts from our visit there!
1920′s Board Track Racing Video from Daytona, Florida
Barber Motorsports Museum Board Track Racing Display:
Imagine running full speed at 75mph and a 45° angle with nothing but your feet as brakes…
Great board track racing video from Daytona, Florida in the 1920′s. The intro title is a little long but stick with it. It just serves as further proof that motorcycle riders have always been adrenaline junkies.
Barber Motorcycle Museum: Bimota Tesi and Bimota Tesi 3D
The Tesi with it’s hub-steering has become one of those motorcycles that is the stuff of legend. Seeing the unusual Bimota in the wild is a bit like seeing a UFO. Sure some people say they’ve seen them but I’m usually a little skeptical and never imagined seeing one myself. That was until we visited Barber Motorsports Museum where they have not 1 but 2 different Tesi models on display; a 1991 Tesi and a 2008 Tesi 3D.
“While featuring the original Hub-Steering developed by Bimota, the Tesi 3D Concept boasts several new developments and refinements: The front and rear swing utilize a trellis structure similar to the rear swing of our DB5 and DB6 series’ models. Also the front suspension has been radically redesigned and now uses a pull-rod mechanism with the hydraulic suspension located low beside the engine. Carbon body-parts and cowling, forged alloy wheels, and radial disc brakes are further features of the new TESI 3D. “
Such radical visual styling elicits a love it or hate it response in people. Where do you stand?
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Barber Motorcycle Museum: Cushman Motor Scooters
From the mid 1930′s through the late 1960’s, the Cushman company produced some of the most charming 2 and 3-wheeled motor scooters with model names like the Eagle, Model 53 Airborne and the Pacemaker.