Select bikes from one of the most comprehensive and internationally recognized motorcycle collections in the world is now on display at the Petersen Automotive Museum. Founded in 1995 by former racing driver and automobile collector George Barber, the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum, based in Birmingham, Alabama, features motorcycles built by nearly 200 different manufacturers from 20 countries around the globe. It represents nearly every facet of motorcycle history, from popular production street bikes to rare one-off Grand Prix racers.
This exhibit, which is held in the Richard Varner Family Gallery and located on the museum’s second floor, draws from the Barber Museum’s extensive holdings to highlight the motorcycle’s development, from its early origins as a means of personal transportation to its modern-day prominence around the world as a vehicle whose style, popularity and utility parallel those of its four-wheeled counterparts.
Motorcycles on display include the 1928 Sunbeam Model 80 TT, the 1961 Yamaha RR250 “Yellow Tanker,” the 2008 Honda CBR600RR raced by Jake Zemke and the 1905 Indian Single.
The display will be open until March 2, 2025, and you can visit the Petersen Automotive Museum here for more information.
