Want to see the evolution of the motorcycle. Take a trip to the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum in Alabama. The famed museum has motorcycles from the early 1900's to modern bikes that are still being produced today. The museum has a collection of more than 1200 vintage and modern motorcycles, as well as a substantial collection of race cars.
Here are some of the cool bikes that you can see at the Motorsports Museum in Birmingham.
1912 Indian Board Track Racer
The motorcycles in the MotoGP travel close to 200 mph. These bikes travel on smooth paved tracks with high quality brakes and built in electronics to help with cornering. It takes a brave person to pilot one of these bikes, but they don't hold a candle to the people who rode the old Indian board track racers.
90 mph on a wooden track with skinny tires and without brakes? These people weren't brave, they were crazy.
The 1912 Indian dominated board track racing for years. The bike had only two speeds; Fast and off. Riders had to use the kill switch to adjust the speed on the bike since it had a pre-set throttle and a wide-open carburetor. And as far as comfort goes, the rigid suspension system on this bike made sure that every nook and cranny of the track was felt by the pilot.
1913 Flying Merkel
Joseph Merkel set up shop in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1902. He sold single cylinder motorcycles, and began making a name for himself and his now legendary bikes. By 1905 he decided to start racing. This is where Merkel had the biggest impact. Unlike the Indian above, Merkel had an eye for comfort. He used a spring front fork that was a forerunner to the modern telescopic front fork. Merkel also developed a monoshock rear suspension, which led to Merkel's slogan, “All roads are smooth to the Flying Merkel.”
Merkel was a true motorcycle innovator. The Flying Merkel not only won races, but it also helped advance the technology regarding comfort. Flying Merkels had suspension, they had a throttle-controlled engine oiler, and they were one of the first motorcycles to have a self starter.
1951 Vincent Black Shadow
The Vincent Black Shadow is a bike of motorcycle lore. A legendary motorcycle that could cruise at triple digit speeds, the Vincent Black Shadow was truly ahead of its time.
But it wasn't just performance that made the Black Shadow a favorite of World War II Veterans. The bike was relatively light for its size, weighing in at 458 lbs despite its 998cc engine, had a unique suspended engine, and was designed for easy maintenance.
But the technical aspects of the Black Shadow aren't the only things that are impressive about this bike. What really set it apart was the blacked out engine. In a world of polished chrome, the black shadow was truly an original and radical bike.
1973 MV Agusta 500
In 1973, Phil Read rode this bike to the MotoGP world championship. It was the final GP offering from MV Agusta, and is considered to be one of the truest racing motorcycles in the world.
The MV Agusta 500 is one of the most successful bikes to ever race in the MotoGP. The bike was introduced in 1966 and ceased production in 1974. During those 9 years of racing, the MV Agusta ruled was the undisputed champ. Giacomo Agostini rode to 7 consecutive world championships aboard the MV Agusta between 1966 and 1972, before Phil Read took the reigns to claim World Championships in 1973 and 74.
The MV Agusta 500 displayed a racing dominance that may never be duplicated.
1994 Britten
It truly is amazing what a group of friends, some tools, and a little motorcycle knowledge can accomplish. In the early 90's John Britten and a group of friends in Christchurch, New Zealand, built this modern marvel of a motorcycle.
The Britten won the British, European, and American racing series in 1995. The bike also set numerous world speed records.
John Britten and his friends only made 10 of these marvelous machines. The Britten in the Barber Motorsports Museum is number 7.
2008 Ducati Desmosedici
After a 30 year absence from the MotoGP, Ducati returned in 2003 with the Desmosedici. The bike has slowly built respect around the circuit by claiming race wins, and in 2007, Casey Stoner clinched his and Ducati's first MotoGP championship.
The Ducati Desmosedici is consistently one of the fastest bikes on the track, and when Valentino Rossi takes control this year, Ducati could find itself back at the top of the podium.
