Source: Cycle World
Like the minimoto category it was built around, the 2024 Barber Small Bore event had a little something for everyone, including on- and off-road activities dreamed up for the sole purpose of having fun on two (small) wheels. (Drew Ruiz/)Riding around Barber Motorsports Park during the 2024 Barber Small Bore event is a reminder that adults are just kids with bigger and better toys. Only in this case the toys aren’t that much bigger.An event celebrating minimotos and the massively diverse group of people who ride them, Barber Small Bore’s roots can be traced back to the hills of Tennessee and a minimoto meetup called the Smoky Mountain Crawl, which literally outgrew the small, quiet city of Townsend, Tennessee. Luckily, the brains behind the event, MNNTHBX, found a new home for the party at Barber Motorsports Park starting in 2019.The event evolved over the next few years with the addition of newer and more outlandish activities like hill climbs, off-road racing, roadracing, drag racing, stunt shows, and any other oddball event that the MNNTHBX crew could dream up in its attempt to bring the minimoto community together and to remind people that these bikes are, above all else, about having fun.To give you an idea of just how much delight a minimoto gathering is, here are some photos from the 2024 Barber Small Bore event. Yes, there was a little rain. And, yes, that rain made the off-road races as chaotic as you’d expect. But, no, it didn’t stop anyone from having a good time. Maybe they had even more fun?Unfortunately, that’s the last of the fun for the time being, as MNNTHBX has announced that the 2024 Barber Small Bore was the end of the road—for now.We’ll miss the event and all the laughs that came with watching grown adults having the time of their lives on little bikes. We’re also thankful that Mr. Barber and Barber Motorsports Park opened their doors for as long as they did, giving MNNTHBX and the rest of the companies that supported Small Bore a chance to bring the community together and have some fun.We’ll let the pictures do the rest of the talking, and hopefully see you at another minimoto event down the road.They came, they saw, they conquered. Like any good festival, Small Bore is a place where riding groups, families, and friends come together for an epic weekend of making memories. Buc-ee’s onesies were not required, but encouraged. The mega convenience store is located just outside of Barber Motorsports Park and a weekend at Barber means at least a few stops to the store every day—even if you can’t possibly eat any more Beaver Nuggets. (Drew Ruiz/)Greg Hatcher and Kevin Estep (part of the MNNTHBX team) pose with their 2025 custom Grom build and the Bucc-ee’s mascot. It may seem like just another picture, but this snap tells you everything you need to know about Small Bore: It’s an event that was built around minibikes, good times, and things that make you wonder, “Did I see that right?” (Drew Ruiz/)Honda has fully embraced the minimoto scene since the early years of modified Ruckus scooters and been a big Small Bore supporter going back to the Smoky Mountain Crawl days. Thanks to its massive investment in the category and diverse lineup, it’s become the standout brand at events like Small Bore, with the vast majority of people rolling in on Groms, Trail125s, and Monkeys. That doesn’t include the countless vintage machines that people cruise in on either. (Drew Ruiz/)Speaking of keeping things fun, Honda was somehow able to strike a deal with Bucc-ee’s and have this Bucc-ee’s–themed Navi on display during the 2024 Barber Small Bore event. No, this won’t be available as an official graphic. Yes, we’re bummed too. (Drew Ruiz/)Sportbike Track Time hosted minimoto racing all weekend long on the Barber Proving Grounds track, and casual riders could sign up for open sessions. We snuck on early as part of a <i>three-hour</i> (!) endurance race Honda arranged aboard track-prepped 2025 Groms. The only thing more fun than hustling a minimoto around a small track: rubbing elbows with friends. Of the group we raced with, about three-quarters walked away already wanting to build their own track-prepped Grom. These things are addicting! (Drew Ruiz/)It’s not as serious as it looks. But also, it kind of is as serious as it looks. (Drew Ruiz/)The team at MNNTHBX have a knack for coming up with ideas that fall somewhere between brilliant and terrifying. Their hill climb event is one of those. Add an hours-long downpour into the mix and you have the recipe for an outrageous time. (Drew Ruiz/)The hill climb is a good time—if you’re watching, that is. The riding part looks a little more like torture. Luckily, enough people signed up for said torture to keep the crowd in awe for no less than an hour. Some people had more luck than others, but only a few were lucky enough to make it to the top thanks to an absolutely diabolical “track” design that consisted of a rock garden, massive logs, and a bundle of car tires just before the crest of the hill. (Drew Ruiz/)Add this to the list of wild ideas that the MNNTHBX team has come up with: a mariachi band for “trackside entertainment.” (Drew Ruiz/)Another reminder that the minimoto world celebrates almost anything with small engines and/or smallish wheels. In this photo alone you’ll find everything from an old Z50 to a new XR150L, scooters, Monkey, Grom, and Honda XRs of all sizes. (Drew Ruiz/)The Barber Motorsports Museum is worth a visit regardless of what brings you to Birmingham, Alabama. In 2014, the facility was recognized by Guinness World Records as being the world’s largest motorcycle collection, and it truly is a sight to see. (Drew Ruiz/)Another example of the picture-perfect displays that greet you at Barber Motorsports Museum. More than 1,000 bikes can be seen on any given day, and 200 different manufacturers from 22 countries are represented in the collection. Give yourself plenty of time to see it all! (Drew Ruiz/)A highlight from our trip to the Barber Motorsports Museum was spending 30 minutes talking with legendary motorcycle designer Pierre Terblanche (center), who now works out of the Barber Advanced Design Center (BADC). Behind Terblanche is the Ducati Supermono he famously brought to life. On the lift just in front of him is the “motorcycle of the future” concept he’s designed, which is modeled entirely (save for its wheel rims) by 3D printing. (Drew Ruiz/)The Bucc-ee’s theme continues. This time in the open stunting area. One of the cool things about an event like Barber Small Bore is that it highlights the many different directions people go with their minimoto builds. Some go the stunt bike route, others build show bikes, mini roadracers, or turn their Grom into a stretched-out drag bike. Simply, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a bone-stock bike when walking around a minimoto event. (Drew Ruiz/)Build it and they will come! Regardless of the event (or conditions) you’re guaranteed to have people lining up trackside to watch a bunch of adults slide their minimotos around. (Drew Ruiz/)Another example of “we’re still going to have some fun.” The beauty of minimotos and a big reason for their success is that the repair bill probably won’t drain your wallet if things go sideways. Pants are definitely recommended though. (Drew Ruiz/)One of the big rewards of attending Barber Small Bore was the chance to participate in the parade laps around the absolutely beautiful, 2.38-mile main track. (Drew Ruiz/)While most of the Barber Small Bore activities took place inside the park, sneaking out for a casual street ride on the Grom was a good reminder of how much fun minimotos can be in the real world. (Drew Ruiz/)
Full Text:
Like the minimoto category it was built around, the 2024 Barber Small Bore event had a little something for everyone, including on- and off-road activities dreamed up for the sole purpose of having fun on two (small) wheels. (Drew Ruiz/)
Riding around Barber Motorsports Park during the 2024 Barber Small Bore event is a reminder that adults are just kids with bigger and better toys. Only in this case the toys aren’t that much bigger.
An event celebrating minimotos and the massively diverse group of people who ride them, Barber Small Bore’s roots can be traced back to the hills of Tennessee and a minimoto meetup called the Smoky Mountain Crawl, which literally outgrew the small, quiet city of Townsend, Tennessee. Luckily, the brains behind the event, MNNTHBX, found a new home for the party at Barber Motorsports Park starting in 2019.
The event evolved over the next few years with the addition of newer and more outlandish activities like hill climbs, off-road racing, roadracing, drag racing, stunt shows, and any other oddball event that the MNNTHBX crew could dream up in its attempt to bring the minimoto community together and to remind people that these bikes are, above all else, about having fun.
To give you an idea of just how much delight a minimoto gathering is, here are some photos from the 2024 Barber Small Bore event. Yes, there was a little rain. And, yes, that rain made the off-road races as chaotic as you’d expect. But, no, it didn’t stop anyone from having a good time. Maybe they had even more fun?
Unfortunately, that’s the last of the fun for the time being, as MNNTHBX has announced that the 2024 Barber Small Bore was the end of the road—for now.
We’ll miss the event and all the laughs that came with watching grown adults having the time of their lives on little bikes. We’re also thankful that Mr. Barber and Barber Motorsports Park opened their doors for as long as they did, giving MNNTHBX and the rest of the companies that supported Small Bore a chance to bring the community together and have some fun.
We’ll let the pictures do the rest of the talking, and hopefully see you at another minimoto event down the road.
They came, they saw, they conquered. Like any good festival, Small Bore is a place where riding groups, families, and friends come together for an epic weekend of making memories. Buc-ee’s onesies were not required, but encouraged. The mega convenience store is located just outside of Barber Motorsports Park and a weekend at Barber means at least a few stops to the store every day—even if you can’t possibly eat any more Beaver Nuggets. (Drew Ruiz/)
Greg Hatcher and Kevin Estep (part of the MNNTHBX team) pose with their 2025 custom Grom build and the Bucc-ee’s mascot. It may seem like just another picture, but this snap tells you everything you need to know about Small Bore: It’s an event that was built around minibikes, good times, and things that make you wonder, “Did I see that right?” (Drew Ruiz/)
Honda has fully embraced the minimoto scene since the early years of modified Ruckus scooters and been a big Small Bore supporter going back to the Smoky Mountain Crawl days. Thanks to its massive investment in the category and diverse lineup, it’s become the standout brand at events like Small Bore, with the vast majority of people rolling in on Groms, Trail125s, and Monkeys. That doesn’t include the countless vintage machines that people cruise in on either. (Drew Ruiz/)
Speaking of keeping things fun, Honda was somehow able to strike a deal with Bucc-ee’s and have this Bucc-ee’s–themed Navi on display during the 2024 Barber Small Bore event. No, this won’t be available as an official graphic. Yes, we’re bummed too. (Drew Ruiz/)
Sportbike Track Time hosted minimoto racing all weekend long on the Barber Proving Grounds track, and casual riders could sign up for open sessions. We snuck on early as part of a <i>three-hour</i> (!) endurance race Honda arranged aboard track-prepped 2025 Groms. The only thing more fun than hustling a minimoto around a small track: rubbing elbows with friends. Of the group we raced with, about three-quarters walked away already wanting to build their own track-prepped Grom. These things are addicting! (Drew Ruiz/)
It’s not as serious as it looks. But also, it kind of is as serious as it looks. (Drew Ruiz/)
The team at MNNTHBX have a knack for coming up with ideas that fall somewhere between brilliant and terrifying. Their hill climb event is one of those. Add an hours-long downpour into the mix and you have the recipe for an outrageous time. (Drew Ruiz/)
The hill climb is a good time—if you’re watching, that is. The riding part looks a little more like torture. Luckily, enough people signed up for said torture to keep the crowd in awe for no less than an hour. Some people had more luck than others, but only a few were lucky enough to make it to the top thanks to an absolutely diabolical “track” design that consisted of a rock garden, massive logs, and a bundle of car tires just before the crest of the hill. (Drew Ruiz/)
Add this to the list of wild ideas that the MNNTHBX team has come up with: a mariachi band for “trackside entertainment.” (Drew Ruiz/)
Another reminder that the minimoto world celebrates almost anything with small engines and/or smallish wheels. In this photo alone you’ll find everything from an old Z50 to a new XR150L, scooters, Monkey, Grom, and Honda XRs of all sizes. (Drew Ruiz/)
The Barber Motorsports Museum is worth a visit regardless of what brings you to Birmingham, Alabama. In 2014, the facility was recognized by Guinness World Records as being the world’s largest motorcycle collection, and it truly is a sight to see. (Drew Ruiz/)
Another example of the picture-perfect displays that greet you at Barber Motorsports Museum. More than 1,000 bikes can be seen on any given day, and 200 different manufacturers from 22 countries are represented in the collection. Give yourself plenty of time to see it all! (Drew Ruiz/)
A highlight from our trip to the Barber Motorsports Museum was spending 30 minutes talking with legendary motorcycle designer Pierre Terblanche (center), who now works out of the Barber Advanced Design Center (BADC). Behind Terblanche is the Ducati Supermono he famously brought to life. On the lift just in front of him is the “motorcycle of the future” concept he’s designed, which is modeled entirely (save for its wheel rims) by 3D printing. (Drew Ruiz/)
The Bucc-ee’s theme continues. This time in the open stunting area. One of the cool things about an event like Barber Small Bore is that it highlights the many different directions people go with their minimoto builds. Some go the stunt bike route, others build show bikes, mini roadracers, or turn their Grom into a stretched-out drag bike. Simply, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a bone-stock bike when walking around a minimoto event. (Drew Ruiz/)
Build it and they will come! Regardless of the event (or conditions) you’re guaranteed to have people lining up trackside to watch a bunch of adults slide their minimotos around. (Drew Ruiz/)
Another example of “we’re still going to have some fun.” The beauty of minimotos and a big reason for their success is that the repair bill probably won’t drain your wallet if things go sideways. Pants are definitely recommended though. (Drew Ruiz/)
One of the big rewards of attending Barber Small Bore was the chance to participate in the parade laps around the absolutely beautiful, 2.38-mile main track. (Drew Ruiz/)
While most of the Barber Small Bore activities took place inside the park, sneaking out for a casual street ride on the Grom was a good reminder of how much fun minimotos can be in the real world. (Drew Ruiz/)
