AMA Hall of Famer George Barber Passes at 85
Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum is the world's largest collection of historic motorcycles
It is with sad hearts that we learn of the passing of George Barber, founder of the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum. The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer was 85.
Barber was a philanthropist, real estate developer and businessman, son of George Warren Barber Sr., who founded Barber Dairies in the 1930s. Barber Jr. began privately collecting motorcycles in the '70s, and in 1994, established a museum to display his collection to the public. In 2003, he opened Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama, where he relocated his museum.
The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame inducted Barber in 2014, in recognition of his efforts in preserving motorcycle history.
Begin Press Release:
AMA Mourns Passing of AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer George Barber
The American Motorcyclist Association is saddened to learn of the passing of AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer George Barber, who passed away at 85 years old.
Founder of the prestigious Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum in Birmingham, Ala., home to the world’s largest collection of historic motorcycles, Barber had a unique impact on the motorcycling community.
Son of George H. Barber, founder of Barber Dairy and pioneer for dairy pasteurization in the United States, the younger Barber’s love for motor vehicles started early in his life. In the 1960s, Barber raced and wrenched on his own Porsche racers with great success, claiming a large collection of wins behind the wheel.
Barber’s interest in motorcycles began soon after, leading him to open his own museum and hire skilled workers to restore vintage motorcycles to help build his collection. At the same time, Barber operated a vintage motorcycle racing team, which raced across the United States and Europe.
In 1994, Barber’s museum gained 501(c)(3) nonprofit status and was officially named the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum.
In 2002, Barber opted to close the original location of the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum, moving his collection to its current location in September 2003, an 830-acre complex that also includes a 2.38-mile road circuit.
For his longtime preservation of motorcycle history, Barber was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2014.
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This museum is the ultimate! 1400 bikes and lots of cool cars. All in in a beautiful setting near the race track in a very artistic and fabulous enormous futuristic building. Well worth the trip...truly a memorable occasion. The high point of my motorcycle infatuation. Age 76 now and began riding at 12.
George was on the cover of American Motorcylist magazine for being awarded motorcyclist of the year in 2014 and I was in Birmingham on business. So I had to find time to go to the Museum that I had heard so much about.
I parked by the front door. Took pics of the statues and building and as I go to open the door to the museum there is George standing there smiling at me, as if he was expecting me. If was star struck, but it didn't stop me from introducing myself and congratulating him for being Motorcyclist of the year, and telling him "when I grow up I want to be just like you George."
He asked what I was riding and what brought me to Birmingham and I said "Your museum and some business." He ask what kind of business and I told him real estate. That started another conversation all together.
10 min later he invites me to let him know next time I'm in town to have lunch with him to talk real estate. Saddly that never happened.
I didn't get to spend a lot of time with George but I will never forget that chance meeting with one of the kindest, most generous people I've ever met.