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Barber Vintage Days: An Unforgettable Experience

Once again, Barber Motorsports proved itself to be a premier destination for motorsport enthusiasts. This marks my eighth year attending the annual ‘Barber Vintage Days’ held each October in Birmingham, Alabama, and each visit is just as thrilling as the last. If you’ve never visited Barber Museum, it truly deserves a spot on your bucket list. As the largest motorcycle museum in the world, it boasts over 1,500 motorcycles on display, along with the world’s largest Lotus Collection.

Barber Museum is open year-round, but the excitement peaks during Barber Vintage Days. The weekend comes alive with a variety of racing events including cross country, motocross, flat track, and the famous 2 ½ mile road course. Both the cross country and motocross competitions feature 15 classes, welcoming everyone from beginners to experts. Watching these races at both venues is always a highlight. The flat track racing includes 10 competitive classes, with the Bultaco Racing Class standing out as the premier event. If you’ve never witnessed a ¼ mile asphalt flat track race, you’ll be hooked once you see these incredible bikes speed around the track.

Barber Vintage Days is much more than just racing. The swap meet rivals any flea market in the area, featuring ten rows packed with everything a motorcycle enthusiast might need. Savvy attendees often find someone from their area who brought a trailer and negotiate space for purchases for the return trip home. Personally, I was able to find parts for my Kawasaki and my 1200RT.  You could easily spend an entire day exploring the swap meet alone.

The vendor area also impresses with its wide variety of suppliers, catering to every need with special event pricing and deals. Major motorcycle vendors are in attendance, offering demo rides throughout the weekend. Notably, BMW has transformed the weekend into their US Motorrad Event of the year for the third consecutive year. All their new bikes are available for viewing, and you can sit on most of them—except for the stunning 1000 SBK Prototype, which looks fast even when standing still.

What truly sets Barber apart from other events is their commitment to excellence. Every aspect of the event is first class.  You would think you were at Disney World.  Guests can comfortably sit on the grass to watch the races without worrying about ants, litter, or other distractions. The grass itself is meticulously maintained, thanks to an installed irrigation system, topsoil, and careful landscaping. Unless it rains, you’ll stay dry. This attention to detail extends throughout the park, including the gates, artwork, and even the guardrails, which are lined with shrubs to ensure nothing distracts from your photographs.

Make plans to join us next year. The experience is well worth the trip, and I guarantee it’s unlike any event you’ve attended before.

Iron Horse Weekend

I think we had a record number of members and guest spend the weekend at Iron Horse Motorcycle Campground with 22 total attendees. There were several group rides throughout the weekend led by various members. Lenny, Bill, Cecil, Fred and Jim shared some of their favorite routes including 143, 28, 129 to name a few. Tim gave us a good workout on some of his favorite routes through the mountains and we all came back smiling. It would be nice to have just one of these routes closer to Jacksonville, but I guess we can't have everything.

The weather was perfect for riding with only a little fog in the morning and short afternoon showers that didn't get us soaked. We were pretty much dry by the time we got back to camp.

We had 19 members join us for dinner Saturday night. The meal and sharing of adventures over the past few days was excellent.

I had a blast!!

Chip had his own adventure on the route home, but more about that later.

Regards

John Brueggemann

Ride to Pearl's Country Store

On Saturday, September 20, a group of nine met at Larry’s Giant Subs in Green Cove Springs. Woody Potter didn’t make the ride to Pearl’s Country Store and BBQ in Micanopy with us. Nevertheless, it was terrific to see Woody Potter recovering and out riding. It was a beautiful day, and the route Lenny developed was most enjoyable. By the time we arrived for lunch, it was getting a tad warm. We were able to pull tables together and eat inside. My son Matt, who lives in Gainesville, joined us. The BBQ and generous portions at Pearl’s are always worth the ride. A special thanks to Mark Wolff for configuring his Sena and riding Sweep. 

Tom Nolan

Brunch at the "Cool Moose Cafe" in Riverside

September 3rd, 2025

Fourteen Riders and guest joined us for a delicious brunch at the Cool Moose Cafe. The food was delicious and the service was excellent (although I don't think Barry ever got his water). If you haven't been to this area of town, its worth a trip. The angled parking at the storefront showed off the bikes well.

It's a good spot for a quick walk and some local shopping. It was a great day to be out on the bike for a quick ride. It's amazing what a 10 degree drop in temperature can adjust your riding outlook.

BMWRA rally in Athens Ohio, August 28 – September 1

The BMWRA rally in Athens Ohio was well attended by the BMWNEF. I met up with Larry Meeker, Mike Wallington, Jim Quinn, Mark Cooley, Jack Wells, Fred Veator, Courtney Black, Bob Jimenez, Bob Long, Ed Miller, Judy Miller and Steve Wishard, there may have been others.

Mike Wallington and Larry Meeker began their ride on Wednesday stopping at the Willville bike camp that evening and met up with Fred Veator. Jack Wells and I headed north on the “not so travelled roads” and stayed in Marion SC. Others found their way to the rally by motorcycle or car. 

A little rain fell Thursday evening but as a rule the weekend was dry, some clouds but a pleasant temperature for riding and camping.

There were some vendors, food trucks, training, seminars and a large pavilion of Airheads. A few fleas came home with happy recipients. It was good to visit with old friends and new.

Chris Parker, Editor of the Airmail and Owners News presented a nice talk with contributing editor Tamila Rich and copy editor Ethan Powsner. Paul and Voni Graves gave an interesting talk about Magic, Miles and Motorcycles. 

A few of us took a scenic ride to lunch at the Triple Nickel Diner in Chesterhill OH. We all had a nice meal and a great ride. One of the riders unfortunately dropped his bike and broke the shift lever. Temporary repairs were made, and he completed the ride successfully.

Mike had a little trouble with his battery on the way home, and I understand the dealer is covering a new battery under warrantee.

Jack and I rode back in beautiful weather and will prepare for the Iron Horse adventure later this month. Jim Allen

BMWRA Motostoria Aug 2025

Club Ride to Zachary's Riverhouse / Jekyll Island

August 16, 2025

Nine riders met at the Raceway Station at SR200 and I-95 and rode Zachry’s Riverhouse, Jekyll Island. It was a two-hour route with a pitstop in Wolfson, GA. We overtook a thunderstorm about 15 miles from the restaurant. But, being the brave riders we are, we pressed on. It was dry at the restaurant while we waited for a table. 

Good food and service make Zachry’s a busy place. 

Most of, if not all of us, had some rain going home. The temperature from Zachry’s to downtown JAX never climbed above 79 degrees. Comfortable riding for August 16. 

The Lake City contingent took the end around Okefenokee loop to miss the weather through Waycross and Homer. No rain was encountered until the last 8 miles where we were greeted with rain and lightening.

We welcomed 3 new riders to the event and all enjoyed the ride and dinner.

Tom Nolan / Jim Allen

Club Ride To The Brown Lantern in Live Oak Florida

On Wednesday, August 13, we completed an experimental ride to the Brown Lantern in Live Oak. Starting from two locations is what sets this ride apart. A group of five started from Larry’s Giant Subs in Green Cove Springs, and a northern group of eight started from the Love’s Travel Stop at US 301 and I-10 near Baldwin. The two groups arrived about 15 minutes apart. The head count was 16 for lunch, with three people meeting us at the Brown Lantern. 

The service was good and the food satisfying and plentiful. 

The afternoon proved to be hot, with riders hoping for rain on the way home. 

Tom Nolan, Jim Allen

2025 BMWMOA National Rally in Lebanon, TN

June 19th - 22nd, 2025

reported by John Brueggemann

We were notified of 22 BMWNEF Members registered for the Rally.

Jim Allen, Bill Botkin, Shep Brown, John Brueggemann, Bruce Crockcroft, Doug Donery, Joe Edelson, Bob Flanagan, Davis and Heather Hart, Larry Meeker, Allen Moskowicz, Bill Peterson, Jim Quinn, Eric Rossman, Paul Steinbrecher, Chris Terajewicz, Fred Veator, Mike Wallington, Jack Wells, Celia Williams, and Steve Wishard

Mike Wallington and I took two days to ride up to the rally. We decided to knock out the Georgia State Parks portion of this year’s BMWNEF State Park Challenge. We stopped at six State Parks on the way to Tennessee camping at Watson Mill State Park in Comer Georgia.

We arrived Thursday at the Rally and the grounds were quite wet from a good soaking the day before, but we found some dry spots for the tents over by Airhead Central. The rest of the weekend was sunny and hot apart from 10 minutes on Saturday. Bill Botkin provided us with an enjoyable ride down to Lynchburg, TN and a stop at the Jack Daniels Distillery. There are some fantastic twisty roads to ride around the area.

There were plenty of seminars, displays, demo rides, bike shows and other events to keep the senses entertained. The live bands were excellent with Paul Thorn really bringing the show to life. If you’ve never been to a national rally, you should really consider 2026 which will be on the East Coast again in Essex Junction, Vermont nestled on Lake Champlain. It’s only 1,200 miles up I-95.

Mike and I stopped by six more state parks in Georgia on our return home with a camp night at F. D. Roosevelt State Park. Now we just need a Rally in Central Florida to complete the challenge....

If you have any pictures from the rally you would like to add, please upload to an album in your profile and I'll link them below. (or email me)

Jumbo Shrimp Baseball Night

Friday, April 25th

What a great night at the Jumbo Shrimp Baseball game. There were 34 of us that meet for a dinner buffet of hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, drinks and cookies on the picnic deck prior to the game. Then we moved to our seats close to 1^st base and watched an exciting game. The Jumbo Shrimp won over the Gwinnett Stripers 7-0. All on hits with only one Home Run shot to start off the seventh inning.

There was plenty of entertainment between innings as Southpaw and Scampi stirred up trouble whenever they popped up. Several foul balls came over our heads, but none of use got one for a souvenir. Bill Botkin won a Jumbo Shrimp Hat that was the envy of the group. 

Friday nights is Fireworks night at the ballpark and they did not fail to entertain. They put on a very impressive show that was enjoyed by all. I had a blast, and if you did too, let us know. We’ll do it again next year.

Ride to Ozello Florida

report forthcoming

Click image below for video

Royal Enfield Demo Rides

Event by BMW Motorcycles of Jacksonville
1515 Wells Road, Orange Park, FL 32073
Come Demo Ride the Roya Enfield Motorcycle Lineup
March 22nd, (9:00am - 4pm)
Demos are scheduled to start at 9:30

Crave's Meetup

thanks to
Ray King
for organizing the event

Fleming Island Tech Day – February 28th 2025
Report coming

A Perfect Day for a Ride: Renegade’s on the River – January 29, 2025

On January 29, 2025, sixteen riders gathered at Weedman’s Grocery at 9:00 a.m. for a day
that promised ideal riding conditions and great camaraderie. Present were
Lenny O.,Chris T., Barry B., Mike W., Mike J., Colin F., Jim B., Larry M., John B.,
David S., Francis S., Rob H., Chris H., Doug D., Larry D., and Eric R.

After everyone signed in, Lenny O. conducted a detailed pre-ride briefing—introducing
each rider, outlining our route, clarifying the roles of leader and sweeper, and reminding
everyone of essential safety measures. We then split into two groups:

• Group 1 (11 riders): Led by Lenny O. and sweeped by Larry M.

• Group 2 (5 riders): Led by Chris T. and sweeped by John B.

By 9:45 a.m., motors were humming and we hit the road. Chris T. charted a picturesque
and winding route that took us through some roads new to many riders, making the
journey especially engaging. With minimal traffic, warm sunshine, and high spirits,
the day already felt like a win.

After about two hours of scenic riding, we arrived at Renegade’s on the River, a beautiful
spot overlooking the St. Johns River. The patio offered a serene view of the calm waters
under clear blue skies, with a gentle breeze adding to the relaxed mood. The food and
service were top-notch—so much so that many noted it as a future ride destination.

Following lunch, goodbyes were exchanged, and folks headed home either solo or in
smaller groups, each reporting a safe return. A heartfelt thanks goes out to Larry D.
or capturing videos and photos, preserving these memories for all of us.

A special shout-out also goes to Lenny O., our club Ride Captain, who rolled out the
new ride procedures and standard pre-ride briefing—an initiative he championed
late last year. It truly helped the day run seamlessly.

All told, it was a smooth, scenic, and wonderfully social ride - perfect weather,
great roads, and excellent company. Days like these remind us why we love
hitting the open road together. Ride safe, and see you on the next one!

Reports on all the rides and social events

can be found on the Blogs tab above or Clicking here

Rides & Events

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