If you're going to break down, break down at Barber

This last weekend I hauled my bike (not a Honda) southeast for a couple track days at Barber. Well, I had some bike issues (blew a freeze plug at about 100mph which was neat) on Saturday, so I couldn't ride Sunday.

Turns out, that was a blessing in disguise. I spent most of Sunday at the Barber Motorcycle Museum. What an incredible place. If you get the opportunity, don't pass it up.







A little bigger gallery here if you're interested: https://imgur.com/a/QSWwMQA

 

Outstanding pics !
Thank you !
Sorry about the bike issue but you made lemonade out of lemons


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Absolutely worth the trip. I wish that it were closer for me or that I traveled in that direction.

 

Over at my Porsche forum, a guy running his BMW at Roebling Road had a OTE when an oil line popped off. He thinks he cut the engine in time but haven't followed up on it.

Sorry about your mishap, Cold....but really glad it wasn't worse and at least your Sunday ended up with a positive!

Agree with Six....fantastic photos - thanks for sharing!!!

 

Thanks dudes. The bike will be fine. I'll either get it fixed or I'll get a replacement engine since they're plentiful. It does put the pressure on to get it resolved quickly since the first club race of the season is in a few weeks. Unfortunately I'm stuck waiting for parts. But given all the crash truck incidents I saw on Saturday, I'm counting myself lucky.

I hear they rotate bikes as they work on others. A couple of those bikes in your pics I either missed or they weren't out on the floor. Guess I'll have to go back! Yea it was a hike for me. I knew that I had to make a work trip to Mississippi and Alabama (branch offices) in 2024, so I planned this one out for a while. Spent a week working down there and then Sat/Sun was at Barber. 2,100 miles in 8 days on the little 4x8' harbor freight trailer was asking a lot of it. But it did fine.

 

You're probably right. I was there only once in 2010. Links to pics for anyone interested.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/pdcCkrmjG5oNeGT48

https://photos.app.goo.gl/7RMwxVxa7XJe55Gq5

Unrelated shows...while I'm typing.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/SG3fH6UiFFpy7wnu5

https://photos.app.goo.gl/wFq471F34VAp2ZZU7

Up in the air...okay, I'm done!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/qNoKWBCGdCevmEMJ8

Sully's plane, if you've never seen it.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/MBzjXVuBhZrKPCaX6

 

CD, super awesome museum! Sorry about the SV. Maybe Zoran has a known east coast hook up for an engine. Maybe my Team Boss is selling his SV (here in Cali). It is a superbike and that engine is FAST and reliable or was when we last used it.
Those pics are awesome! Kinda wish I kept my 500.

 

Pictures don't do the museum justice either. I was super impressed.

I actually reached out to Zoran this morning asking a question about whether or not to use any sealer (green loctite) when pressing in a new freeze plug. I wasn't clear on whether he or other pro's recommended it based on some forum responses over a decade ago. I always feel bad emailing him, but like... he knows everything!

The bike is gonna be fine. I got it shut down pretty quick, so I don't think it would have suffered any serious damage. You can see the freeze plug blew in the front cylinder. I found it the morning after when I realized what must have happened. I just need to get a new one in there. Flush out the oil/coolant mix in the engine a few times, and I should be good to go.

 

crazy. I think she will be fine

 

Agreed.

Also... freeze plug? What size small block Chevy you running in that thing?

 

Hah, it's an SV650--it's agricultural in nature. There are four casting holes that they fill with 22mm expansion plugs. Everyone refers to them as freeze plugs because they have the advantage of potentially saving your block if you leave water in it and it gets a little chilly. Officially. Suzuki doesn't even acknowledge them in their parts fiches nor in the factory service manual. So "RTFM", strangely, doesn't apply here. If it weren't for this bike, I'd have never heard of them.

 

Very nice photos. Barber is a must see for any motorcycle enthusiast, but it would take several trips to see everything as they do rotate things through. Been there twice and would love to go back again.

 

Nice pics guys! Thanks.

 

Wow! Thanks for the report. Impressive place, several "milestone" machines there. VF/VFR, Square Four and the Nimbus and a lot more.

 

Have any of you guys and girls ever tried a bike like that Easy Rider Captain America Harley?

 

won't catch me dead on a Harley, ok maybe a race bike. Not the bagger though. hahahaha

 

Nothing quite like that. Closest seating position-wise I've tried is a 1985 Kawasaki LTD with some higher handlebars. It was actually pretty fun to ride around the neighborhood. That's about it though.

Oh come on. Not even a Buell Blast!? Hah, they had one of these at the museum as well. Actually, Buell is very well represented there. Some insanely cool machines. Rogue, you should get a Buell Blast and maybe look as cool as I did 20 years ago.

 

Oh damn, you look all business, my friend! I think that was one of the only bikes that said, "don't buy me". lol

 

Only bike I've ever heard of where the creator literally ran an ad after putting it into a trash compactor because they were so embarrassed by it. Cracks me up. I actually kinda thought it was an interesting little machine, but I never actually rode one.

 

Oh man, that is crazy. lol