Today I bought a Harley Davidson Road King Classic for $20! Come see how!
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Tag: King
By popular demand, here’s what I think of the Road King! I might’ve not chosen it in the past vs the Electra Glide Standard & the …
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SRK Cycles Inventory Click here to see https://www.srkcycles.com/ -Want to rent a motorcycle? Check out Riders Share: …
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Take a Test Ride on the 2024 Harley-Davidson Road King Special: The Ultimate Riding Experience! Join Kyle as he hits the road …
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Many might have questioned why Loris Baz took a different path with an Indian motorcycle in this year’s King of the Baggers championship. This category within the MotoAmerica series definitely doesn’t align with the traditional image of motorcycle racing that many have from across the Atlantic…
First and foremost, the motorcycles used—either the Harley Davidson Road Glide or Indian Challenger—are massive machines that aren’t really designed for this kind of racing.
For instance, the Indian motorcycle, which the French rider represents alongside the Australian Troy Herfoss and Californian Tyler O’Hara, exemplifies this.
Starting with a 112 cu-in (1934cc) motorcycle producing 126 hp and 181.4 Nm of torque at 3800 rpm, it weighs in at 372 kg dry. However, mandatory modifications include the removal of rearview mirrors, the kLaxon, the supportdeplaque registration, the box àtools, and the bekeel lateral. Additionally, the security bars must be removed, while thecentral and lateral footpeg supports are required to be welded for safety reasons, with the minimum weight set at 281.23 kg (620 lbs.).
The frame must retain its original structure, which leads to some interesting handling on American tracks, although minor adjustments to increase ground clearance are permitted, and the swingarm can be modified freely. This aspect is often seen as a weak point of the design.
On the other hand, the liquid-cooled, double overhead cam engine, known as PowerPlus, has fewer restrictions, with only the fuel system required to stay stock. Practically every other component, including cylinder heads, camshafts, valves, pistons, connecting rods, and crankshafts, can be upgraded. This opens the door to substantial horsepower gains; we’re likely pushing close to 200 horsepower now, which, while modest relative to the engine size, is significant considering the engine’s design and its racing limits of 7700 rpm (7000 for Harley Davidson).
Safety is crucial, so the minimum weight requirement is set at 281.23 kg (620 lbs.), and top-quality suspension systems (like Öhlins) are allowed, with a budget cap of $8000 for both front and rear. Additionally, there are no price limits for high-end brakes (such as Brembo GP4). On the aerodynamic front, parts may be constructed from carbon fiber while retaining the saddlebags and fork crown, the latter of which can be slightly modified in shape.
Indian 2023
Of course, none of the bikes come with ABS, Traction Control, or a Ride Height Device, and the exhaust system is nearly unrestricted (measuring 115 dB/A at 3000 rpm). With Dunlop slick tires, these beasts are unleashed—more akin to tigers than house cats—at the Daytona circuit, where they can achieve notable improvements in top speed, especially when drafting behind three or four other bikes pushing the air ahead…
According to the highly specialized journalist Sean Bice, Tyler O’Hara ( S&S/Indian Motorcycle) managed to propel his Indian Challenger to an astounding speed of 310 km/h (193.0 mph) on the fourth lap of the eight he completed in the second race of the Mission King Of The Baggers championship at Daytona (officially noted as 304.16 km/h)! This speed surpasses that of the fastest rider in the Daytona 200, which accommodates Panigale V2s!
Did someone say “the world turned upside down”? Regardless, even if Loris Baz had to settle for a speed of 297.88 km/h, he certainly enjoyed the ride…
Thanks for the stunning opening image: @scottodell_motoart
Indian King of the Baggers
New Harley Davidson Road King (2025) Finally Launched: What’s New and Exciting! Discover the all-new 2025 Harley Davidson …
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The concluding day at Daytona commenced with a 15-minute warm-up for the King of the Baggers 2025
For the first time during this Florida event, the pristine weather was shifting, yet a dry track welcomed the 13 competitors. Among them, 3 opted to play it safe, including the pole sitter and winner of the Race-1 Challenge, Kyle Wyman (Harley-Davidson x Dynojet Factory Racing).
In the absence of the official Harley Davidson, it was initially Hayden Gillim (RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson) who set the pace on his Road Glide, followed by Bradley Smith (Harley-Davidson x Dynojet Factory Racing), who took the lead midway through the session and maintained it.
Ultimately, despite Kyle Wyman‘s strong performance, a trio of Milwaukee motorcycles topped the standings ahead of the trio of official Indians.
Loris Baz finished 5th despite suffering a severe elbow injury, having been thrown to the ground by James Rispoli at the opening of race-1 (watch the video here).
The second race of the King of the Baggers got underway half an hour late, due to prior setbacks with the Daytona 200.
The starting grid for these 8 laps mirrored that of race-1.
Here are the race highlights:
As the red lights extinguished, Loris Baz (S&S/Indian Motorcycle), hindered by a knee injury, lost a position at the first corner but managed to continue. In the second corner, the leader Kyle Wyman slowed down and was overtaken by defending champion Troy Herfoss (S&S/Indian Motorcycle). Was this a tactical move?
Probably, as both riders then accelerated side by side, with James Rispoli (Harley-Davidson x Dynojet Factory Racing), Bradley Smith, and Loris Baz trailing closely behind.
The drafting phenomenon is quite remarkable on the two banking sections used, enabling Kyle Wyman to reclaim the lead before once again surrendering it to Troy Herfoss. As they returned to the Infield, 6 motorcycles battled closely, with Tyler O’Hara (S&S/Indian Motorcycle Indian Challenger) catching up to the detached top 5. This moment saw Bradley Smith, who had been 2nd on Friday, make a slight mistake, but it’s not easy to lift a 300-kilogram motorcycle!
Up until the halfway point, the dynamics were straightforward among the four leading riders: Troy Herfoss and Kyle Wyman exchanged positions multiple times on the banking, closely monitored by James Rispoli and just a bit further back, Loris Baz.
This was when James Rispoli fell again at turn #6. The stewards retrieved his machine, but it refused to restart. This advancement allowed Loris Baz to move up to 3rd place, trailing just behind the two top contenders. Cautiously, #76 avoided getting involved in their duel, focusing on securing his podium spot. While he may have considered attacking in the final entry on the banking, he was still a bit far away.
Ultimately, the situation did not change, and Kyle Wyman successfully withstood the last-minute challenge from Troy Herfoss, securing Harley Davidson its third victory of the weekend.
Daytona Loris Baz King Baggers 2025 Daytona Loris Baz King Baggers 2025
On Friday in Daytona, the opening round of the championship
King of the Baggers 2025 featured the second qualifier, the 2-lap ‘Grid and Go’ Challenge, and the inaugural 8-lap race.
Below are the participants and their machines, a category that may be new to many of our readers.
On Thursday, Kyle Wyman (Harley-Davidson x Dynojet Factory Racing) dominated the first qualifying session ahead of
Loris Baz (S&S/Indian Motorcycle), showcasing a fantastic start from the Frenchman and a balanced duel between Harley Davidson and Indian.
On Friday morning, unlike the previous day, the second qualification, originally set for only 15 minutes, extended to 30 minutes for reasons unknown to us, all under a pristine Florida sky.
For the first 6 minutes, names kept swapping at the top of the leaderboard, until Kyle Wyman became the first to go under the 1’50 mark, ultimately finishing his session at 1’49.383, ahead of Troy Herfoss (S&S/Indian Motorcycle), Loris Baz, and Bradley Smith (Harley-Davidson x Dynojet Factory Racing).
Seeing Kyle Wyman and Troy Herfoss at the top of the table shouldn’t surprise the bookmakers, whereas Loris Baz and Bradley Smith are much more intriguing…
On the track, the tires of these heavy motorcycles were put to the test, even on the front…
Next up was the Grid and Go Challenge, a 2-lap race for the top 6 finishers, purely for fun (and a $5000 prize). The term “Grid and GO” denotes the starting procedure for this race, where racers align on the grid and commence the race immediately without a formation lap.
Starting from 3rd place on the grid, Loris Baz had a terrible start, entering the first corner in last position while Kyle Wyman led in front of Troy Herfoss and James Rispoli (Harley-Davidson x Dynojet Factory Racing). The trio quickly pulled away as the Frenchman engaged in a significant push to seize 4th place.
At the beginning of the second and final lap, Troy Herfoss made a mistake and was overtaken by James Rispoli. Loris Baz found himself battling Tyler O’Hara (S&S/Indian Motorcycle Indian Challenger). The machines twisted in all directions as they approached the ring for the last time, allowing Troy Herfoss to regain 2nd place before the chicane, but James Rispoli reclaimed his spot in the final banking.
Loris Baz ultimately finished 4th, ahead of his Californian teammate Tyler O’Hara, with Bradley Smith, racing under Monaco’s colors, rounding out the field.
You can catch the action starting at 1:56:30 in this video.
Over 3 hours of racing, it was 8 laps that the 13 drivers tackled in the first “real” race of the King of the Baggers.
What if we let you view the highlights of the race, courtesy of the video broadcast by MotoAmerica?
For those pressed for time, keep in mind that only 8 drivers completed the race, and an unfortunate collision occurred between Loris Baz and James Rispoli right from the first corner, with the latter propelling the Frenchman to the ground. Both drivers are fine, but their race ended there.
Unsurprisingly, Kyle Wyman and Troy Herfoss quickly broke away, aided by the incident. The chase was led by Bradley Smith and Tyler O’Hara, but even before completing the first lap, defending champion’s Indian, Troy Herfoss, got stuck in the barriers: a difficult day for the Indians!
Thus, a clear path opened for Kyle Wyman as Bradley Smith capitalized on the position after fending off Cameron Petersen (SDI Racing) for most of the lap.
The sequence of events continued throughout the day’s two meetings, not to forget the Daytona 200 at 19:10 p.m. over 57 laps.
Saturday, March 8, 2025:
15:45 p.m. – 16:00 p.m.: King of the Baggers Warm-up
22:05 p.m.: King of the Baggers Race 2 (8 laps)
Daytona King Baggers 2025