Harley-Davidson chose Milan's EICMA to unveil new details about the Bagger World Cup: the series that, starting in 2026, will join the MotoGP in six rounds of the World Championship calendar. The series first appeared in MotoAmerica, invented by former champion Wayne Rainey under the name King of the Baggers.
It originally began as a one-time race event organized by MotoAmerica in cooperation with Harley-Davidson and Indian Motorcycle.
The inaugural event was held on October 24th, 2020 at the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca (California) during the last weekend of the MotoAmerica season.
That first edition, designed almost as a spectacular experiment, was a huge success with both the public and the media: 13 baggers (heavy touring motorcycles modified to race on tracks) competed, with Tyler O'Hara (Indian Challenger) winning ahead of Hayden Gillim's Harley-Davidson.
After interest boomed, the King of the Baggers became an official MotoAmerica series starting in 2021, with more rounds on the calendar and teams supported directly by the manufacturers.
2021: First official season with three rounds.
2022: The series grows in popularity, with more official teams and great media coverage.
2023: Indian and Harley-Davidson become major players, with riders like Kyle Wyman and Tyler O'Hara fighting for the title.
2024: King of the Baggers becomes one of MotoAmerica's most-watched categories, with eight rounds and the goal of wanting to expand internationally: a goal that now became the Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup 2026.
After the official announcement in August, and just weeks after confirming its farewell to the MotoE, the new category of "bagger bikes", which was born in the United States and arrived in Europe in 2025, is ready for the big global leap.
New logo and first prototype
On stage at EICMA, Harley-Davidson unveiled the new Bagger World Cup logo: a modern reinterpretation of the legendary Bar & Shield, a sign that blends tradition and innovation, a symbol of the Milwaukee brand's desire to enter the future of racing without forgetting its roots.
The logo was accompanied by the first prototype of the motorcycle, the absolute star of the booth and the first taste of what we'll see on the track in 2026.
Three teams already confirmed, also an Italian
During the press conference, Harley-Davidson confirmed the first three official teams: Cecchini Racing (Italy), led by Francesco Cecchini (a flat-track rider who's won many championships), along with his father Fabrizio (a technician with a great deal of experience in the MotoGP with the Gresini team), Saddlemen Racing (United States), and Joe Rascal Racing (Australia).
The presence of Cecchini Racing confirms the Italian participation in the project and adds a touch of tricolor passion and expertise to a series with an international scope.
Six rounds will be on the MotoGP 2026 calendar.
The Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup will be held in the context of the MotoGP weekends, with two races per round, for a total of twelve rounds on the world's most iconic circuits.
Temporary calendar 2026:
GP of the Americas - Circuit of the Americas (USA), March 27th-29th
Italian GP - Mugello (Italy), May 29th-31st
Dutch GP - TT Circuit Assen (Netherlands), June 26th-28th
British GP - Silverstone (UK), August 7th-9th
GP of Aragon - MotorLand Aragón (Spain), August 28th-30th
GP of Austria - Red Bull Ring (Austria), September 18th-20th
Harley-Davidson makes a comeback in the MotoGP.
For Harley-Davidson, the Bagger World Cup represents a new challenge in sports and image. After years of absence from the world stage, the American brand returns to the MotoGP tracks, bringing with it its racing heritage and its authentically "Made in USA" philosophy.
The new series aims to combine entertainment, power, and style, reinterpreting the purest spirit of Harley-Davidson in a modern way. The future of bagger racing has just begun, and it promises to be loud, spectacular and, above all, international.
Why is it successful?
The King of the Baggers has managed to mix entertainment, American identity, and real competition. The bikes weigh over 270 kg but are transformed using racing suspensions, brakes and tires, offering a unique contrast to traditional superbikes.
In a short time period of time, it has become one of the most iconic and viral racing formulas in the motorcycle scene in recent years.