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Harley's Heavy Metal: The MotoGP Announcement That Rocked Phillip Island (And The World!)

Harley's Heavy Metal: The MotoGP Announcement That Rocked Phillip Island (And The World!)

Factory Harley rider Kyle Wyman will ride his Screamin’ Eagle Road Glide in Spain next week during a MotoGP testing session.

Well, the dust has barely settled on a truly wild weekend at Phillip Island for the Australian MotoGP—where we saw some utterly spectacular racing, not to mention Raúl Fernández taking his maiden victory in a dramatic race! But if you thought the excitement was over, you'd be dead wrong. Because a bombshell announcement has dropped that is going to inject a whole lot of American V-Twin thunder into the pinnacle of two-wheeled racing.

Get ready, because in 2026, the global stage of MotoGP is getting a whole lot louder: The Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup is officially joining the party!

 

The Mystery of the Mighty V-Twin at The Island

Down at Phillip Island this year, Harley-Davidson Australia stood loud and proud right at the start line, with their epic little viewing balcony on the side of the stand. With Harley-Davidson making their second appearance in the last two years, people were curious as to why The Motor Company was there, seemingly flexing its muscle among the lightweight, high-revving prototypes.

Harley-Davidson Stand at Phillip Island MotoGP, taken by Harley-Australia

But with the new announcement of the 'King of the Bagger' series making its global debut in the MotoGP calendar, and with Harley-Davidson bringing out their monster CVO Road Glide RR, a lot of people have been noticing their high-horsepower, high-octane, and undeniable racing spirit. This isn't your grandad's cruiser anymore—this is pure, race-bred performance!

 

Baggers Go Global: A Whole New Spectacle

The partnership between Harley-Davidson and MotoGP rights holder Dorna Sports is a massive step. It means the thunderous, full-fairing, hard-bag-toting monsters from the American 'King of the Baggers' series are hitting the most hallowed tarmac in the world.

Officially launching in 2026, the Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup will be a six-round, 12-race championship (two races per round) running alongside select MotoGP weekends across North America and Europe. Imagine the sight: the precision of MotoGP qualifying followed by the spectacular, hard-charging, ground-scraping anarchy of these two-wheeled behemoths battling through Mugello’s Arrabbiata or Assen’s legendary chicanes!

 

The 2026 Schedule Highlights:

  • Kick-off: Austin, USA
  • European Icons: Mugello (Italy), Assen (Netherlands), Silverstone (Great Britain), Aragon (Spain)
  • The Finale: Red Bull Ring (Austria)

The race bikes themselves, based on Harley-Davidson's Grand American Touring platform (like the Road Glide), will be radically transformed for speed and spectacle—think extreme suspension, slick tires, and V-Twin engines tuned to pump out over 150 horsepower, all while keeping that unmistakable silhouette. Dorna's Chief Sporting Officer, Carlos Ezpeleta, is spot on: this is all about expanding MotoGP's reach and connecting with new audiences, promising a spectacle unlike anything else on the schedule!

Harley-Davidson original photo of Road Glide RR

Championship Spirit: The Bagger King

And let's be clear, Harley-Davidson isn't entering this game just to make up the numbers. They've already proven their racing pedigree in the US.

In the 2025 Mission King of the Baggers series, the Harley-Davidson x Dynojet Factory Race Team absolutely dominated, with Kyle Wyman clinching the championship at the penultimate round. Wyman secured his second title in the series with a phenomenal season, proving that there is a strong, winning race spirit in the air for Harley-Davidson and their racing team!

Kyle Wyman, the winningest racer in King Of The Baggers (KOTB) history (12 wins), returns to the Harley-Davidson (H-D) factory team. He is joined by new teammate James Rispoli, who placed second in the points standings last year. They revealed the new H-D livery ahead of the March 7-9 Daytona season opener.

 

From the roar of the crowd at Phillip Island to the sight of those American V-Twins leaning down to the tarmac, this new chapter promises pure, unadulterated excitement. Get ready, race fans—MotoGP weekends are about to get a whole lot heavier in 2026!

Harley-Davidson original photo at 2025 MotoGP at Phillip Island