Harley-Davidson stands out as the most recognizable motorcycle brand in North America and one of the most famous worldwide. Over its 120-year history, the company has built some of the best cruisers, choppers, and touring bikes. Additionally, Harley-Davidson was one of the first American motorcycle brands to bring its expertise to the race track.
The Milwaukee-based manufacturer achieved unparalleled success on flat tracks, particularly with its record-breaking XR750, one of the most celebrated and collectible bikes in its lineup. Today, Harley-Davidson's Factory Race Team competes in MotoAmerica, sending race-modified versions of its legendary Road Glide to the tracks. These bikes compete in the touring class, known as the Mission King of the Baggers, which has quickly gained popularity among race fans who enjoy watching souped-up Harley-Davidson and Indian bikes — complete with saddlebags — racing at high speeds.
Harley-Davidson is currently enjoying a successful run in the King of the Baggers circuit. MotoAmerica, North America's premier racing circuit, serves as a proving ground for riders aspiring to join the prestigious MotoGP arena. The popularity of baggers has surged in recent years, highlighted by a Mission King of the Baggers race at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, where Harley-Davidson's Kyle Wyman not only won one of the races but also set a new class track record.
Harley-Davidson's success in that race was not surprising, as its bikes and riders have consistently finished in the top two positions in the championship for the past three years, with Kyle Wyman winning the most races in the circuit's history during that period. As of this writing, Wyman and his modified Road Glide V-Twin lead the King of the Baggers points standings for 2024, potentially securing another title for the Harley-Davidson Factory Race Team.
These race-modified baggers are extensively upgraded. The souped-up Harley-Davidson Road Glides regularly exceed 180 mph on the track, boasting around 185 horsepower. This is a significant enhancement from the stock Road Glide available at your local Harley dealer. Here's how the company's factory race team prepares the bikes for competition.
The first noticeable difference from the stock Road Glide is the fairing, featuring a sleek new shark nose design that may soon appear on factory builds. Like production models, the race-prepared Road Glides' body panels are made from forged carbon fiber, ensuring they remain lightweight yet tough on the track. The impressive top speeds are achieved through modified Screamin' Eagle Milwaukee-Eight 131 Performance Crate Engines powering each bike.
According to Harley-Davidson, its race-modified Road Glides also feature upgraded suspension components with Screamin' Eagle/Öhlins Remote Reservoir rear shocks, competition Screamin' Eagle exhausts, upgraded Brembo Racing braking systems, and Marchesini wheels, along with other premium Harley-Davidson racing components produced by Protolabs.
Before the success of Harley-Davidson's modified Road Glides in the King of the Baggers, the company's bikes were regular contenders in the Grand Prix circuit during the 1960s and 1970s. These winning bikes often bore the name of the famed Italian motorcycle manufacturer Aermacchi, which Harley-Davidson had partially acquired in 1960 and fully by 1972. The partnership aimed to develop small displacement builds and focused on the European racing scene, with Aermacchi building race-ready bikes backed financially by Harley-Davidson.
Bikes with the Aermacchi Harley-Davidson badge were regular fixtures in 250cc and 350cc Grand Prix races of that era. Renzo Pasolini put the team on the map with a third-place finish in the 350cc standings in 1966. The racing team excelled in the 1970s, with Walter Villa winning 250cc championships in 1974, '75, and '76, and the 350cc title in '76. Unfortunately, financial struggles plagued Harley-Davidson in the late '70s and '80s, forcing the company to withdraw from the Grand Prix racing scene altogether.