Author: Mike Deny

Harley-Davidson baggers mingling with grand prix prototypes in the MotoGP paddock? Outrageous! Unthinkable! It’s akin to letting a bunch of old, shaggy draft horses roam the Kentucky Derby, where elegant, thoroughbred racehorses strut their stuff for the crowds.

However, perhaps there’s something to be said about this clash of aesthetics – baggers seem such an odd match for MotoGP that maybe they could surprisingly fit in quite well.

Consider this: Dorna oversees two major international motorcycle racing championships – MotoGP and WSBK – both of which exhibit a similar look and feel, especially to the casual observer. Baggers, on the other hand, appear to hail from an entirely different universe – Planet America! – so perhaps their unconventionality could play to their advantage.

Ultimately, whether you fully embrace the notion or vehemently oppose it, the recent Dorna/Harley announcement of a collaboration involving MotoGP and baggers revealed… absolutely nothing concrete. While the MotoGP rights holder and the long-standing motorcycle maker have struck a deal, there are currently no intentions for baggers to compete at MotoGP events. At least not in 2025. And for 2026? They’re uncertain.

Baggers have made their presence known at a MotoGP event before, specifically at last April’s Americas Grand Prix at COTA, and one would think this would become a recurring spectacle at the US MotoGP round, given the popularity of bagger racing in America. However, that’s not the case. Baggers do not feature in the 2025 Americas GP lineup, as their spot will be filled by the MotoAmerica Talent Cup, a new competition aimed at helping young American riders progress towards MotoGP.

So, what’s really happening here, aside from Harley’s significant investment to hop aboard the MotoGP train?

“We are exploring all possibilities, and we believe there’s potential brewing here that could be quite impactful, but we want to approach it step by step and not rush into things,” explained Harley CEO Jochen Zeitz during our conversation on Monday. “It’s a timely opportunity for us, especially with Liberty Media potentially entering the fray. There’s a shared interest in exposing fans to the brand and creating something innovative. We’re eager to collaborate [with Dorna].”

Previously, Zeitz led Puma as CEO before joining Harley a few years back.

“During my time at Puma, I made the decision to enter Formula 1, and many laughed, questioning why a sports company would venture into F1,” he recounted. “We collaborated with Lotus and later with Ferrari, and it became the brand’s most significant business venture.

“I’ve always held racing in high regard as a remarkable opportunity. F1 took time to gain traction in the US, and perhaps we can now introduce something from America that could resonate internationally. The combination of MotoGP, Harley, and Liberty Media presents an exciting proposition, and even without Liberty, we believe there’s substantial interest, so why not embark on something refreshing and thrilling?”

The factory Harley baggers – known as Screamin’ Eagle Road Glides – may be hulking, clunky machines, but there’s no denying their impressive presence.

“People questioned, ‘What’s he doing winning on a BMW?’ Then I further annoyed them by adding saddlebags!”

Let’s discuss their specifications: the minimum weight is 288kg, which is 26kg lighter than the combined minimum weight of TWO MotoGP bikes. The modified 2146cc v-twin produces around 150 horsepower at the rear wheel, enabling these behemoths to approach speeds of 180mph on the Daytona banking.

While bagger frames must adhere to standard specifications, the Screamin’ Eagle Road Glide is equipped with superbike-quality Öhlins forks, finned Brembo race calipers, and Öhlins twin shocks featuring remote reservoirs positioned next to the panniers. The swingarms, however, can be custom, and the Glide’s swingarm is notably sophisticated: it is CNC-engineered from a 180kg aluminum billet, resulting in an 8kg swingarm.

These machines certainly aren’t slow. The current superbike record at COTA stands at 2 min 8.6 secs, while these v-twin giants complete the lap in 2 min 14.6 secs. It’s hard to fathom how that’s even achievable.

Although official bagger racing has only been around for four years, the concept isn’t exactly new. Many might not realize this, but it traces back to the 1970s, long before US 250cc champion and custom bike legend Roland Sands established the King of the Baggers series in 2020.

In the early days, the iconic German-American tuner Udo Gietl was achieving remarkable speeds with BMW R90S boxer-twin sport-touring motorcycles, and his top rider Reg Pridmore was triumphing in open races against full-on race machines.

“Once I began to win open races on them, people were saying, ‘How is he winning on a BMW?’,” Pridmore reflects. “Because back then, nobody rode BMWs! Then I compounded their frustration by adding saddlebags to the mix!”

Interestingly, both Gietl and Pridmore have unique histories: Gietl was injured during an Allied bombing raid in WWII, while British-born American Pridmore was hurt in a Luftwaffe attack in East London, requiring him and his mother to be rescued from the ruins of their home. Gietl was truly a talent: prior to working on BMWs, he contributed to projects for the Apollo rocket and Polaris nuclear submarine.