Welcome to the debut installment of The Road to Barber, a weekly profile series spotlighting the builders preparing to showcase their work at the Builders Best presented by BMW MOA at BMW Motorrad Days. This highly anticipated exhibition will take center stage during BMW Motorrad Days at the Barber Vintage Festival October 9-11, 2026. Over the next few weeks, we will introduce you to some of the minds behind the metal, starting with a craftsman whose knack for stance and restraint has already made waves within the BMW community.
We first crossed paths with Parker Zamarelli at the inaugural edition of the Builders Best Motorcycle Show in Lebanon, Tennessee, in 2025. Operating out of Nashville, Tennessee, Zamarelli brought a custom BMW R100 that, when rolled onto the showroom floor, stole the spotlight, ultimately taking home the top honors for both Best BMW and the People’s Choice award. The custom bobber was a stunning blend of refined craftsmanship and rugged edge, turning heads with its understated elegance and undeniable attitude. The bike’s beautiful black-to-blue fade paint job, accented by subtle pinstriping, captured the eye without ever shouting for attention, serving as a true reflection of Zamarelli’s precision and design restraint.
Every detail on the R100 was thoughtfully executed to balance form and function flawlessly. Slim LED strips were discreetly mounted directly onto the fork tubes to act as turn signals, keeping the build entirely road-legal while preserving its clean lines. Out back, a custom-fabricated fender evoked a classic bobber silhouette while accommodating a pair of burly, aggressive Heidenau K60 knobby tires.
At the mechanical heart of the machine sat a Dutch-made stainless-steel MAD exhaust system, delivering a distinctive, throaty boxer tone that added immense personality without overwhelming the senses. The final result was a machine that not only looked ready to cruise through the city, but also hinted at a willingness to escape down dusty country roads, an elegant brute, built to ride.
However, anyone familiar with the inner workings of Zamarelli Moto knows that Parker is not a builder content to rest on past victories. While his award-winning R100 set a benchmark in 2025, rumor has it that he has been quietly cooking up something entirely fresh for the 2026 showcase. Readers and enthusiasts will simply have to visit the show in person to witness exactly what kind of two-wheeled wizardry he rolls off the truck this year.
About the Show
The Builders Best, presented by the BMW MOA at BMW Motorrad Days, will be held within BMW Motorrad Days at the Barber Vintage Festival from October 9 to 11, 2026. Located in Birmingham, Alabama, the 880-acre Barber Motorsports Park is a dream destination for any motorsports enthusiast. The park’s crown jewel, the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum, is officially recognized by Guinness World Records as the home of the world’s largest motorcycle collection. With over 1,800 motorcycles spanning more than a century of production, the facility represents 200 different manufacturers from 22 countries. For the high-speed racing enthusiast, the park features a world-class, 16-turn, 2.38-mile racetrack that frequently hosts myriad of races as well as major automakers for commercial filming and global vehicle debuts.
The Barber Vintage Festival draws over 85,000 passionate fans each fall, where riders of all backgrounds celebrate mechanical art. A short walk from the museum’s front doors leads to one of the largest vintage motorcycle swap meets in the United States, where nearly 400 vendors trade rare machinery, hard-to-find components, and priceless historical memorabilia.
BMW Motorcycle Owners of America extends a warm invitation to everyone making the pilgrimage to Birmingham to come check out the collection of custom motorcycles. So mark your calendars, secure your tickets, and join us on the road to Barber to witness the absolute pinnacle of custom motorcycle culture.
For more information or to purchase tickets: Barber Museum
