MotoGP announces Harley-Davidson Baggers series for 2026

MotoGP has announced it will stage a six-round bagger racing series with Harley-Davidson from 2026.

Bagger racing has exploded in popularity in recent years after it became a main fixture of the MotoAmerica bill under the King of the Baggers banner.

Last November, Dorna Sports announced a partnership with Harley, though it didn’t really yield anything at the time.

However, Harley CEO Jochen Zeitz told crash.net last year that racing its bagger machinery at MotoGP events was the aim having put bikes on track in Barcelona.

“We want to move as fast as we can, but these things take a bit of time and we want to first see how much excitement there is for this,” he said.

“To bring the bikes here [to Barcelona] this is a big step for us and just test the waters.

“But so far the reaction has been extraordinary, a lot of positive feedback and shoulder-clapping of our racers, or our mechanics, and I think it’s a good sign so far from what we’ve seen that there’s definitely a lot of interest to create a new space outside of what MotoGP has been doing so successfully already.”

On Saturday at the French Grand Prix, MotoGP confirmed that it will stage bagger racing at six rounds next year.

The series will consist of 12 races, two per round, “across Europe and North America” - all but confirming that one event will take place at COTA.

The grid is set to feature six to eight teams, each fielding two riders supported by Harley-Davidson Factory Racing.

“This is a bold new step for Harley-Davidson’s global racing ambitions,” Zeitz said.

“Harley-Davidson has been pioneering performance on and off the road since our beginnings over 120 years ago.

“Most recently, we’ve showcased performance through our racing at the MotoAmerica Mission King of the Baggers series and through performance differentiated product such as our new CVO RR motorcycle and our CVO Road Glide ST.

“We’ve seen how performance has resonated with riders and fans, and we know that they’re keen for more.

“With this new series, we’re excited to bring a new form of racing to the world stage.

“Not only is this a bold and new chapter for our brand, celebrating our heritage while pushing into the future, but it will add an amazing spectacle to the greatest motorcycle show in the world.”