A new Bagger World Cup will arrive on the MotoGP calendar from 2026
The Bagger World Cup has been officially launched, as Harley-Davidson and Dorna announce the news at the Austrian Grand Prix.
You’ve heard the rumble at Laguna Seca, and we’ve all seen the videos of big touring bikes scraping hard parts and embarrassing sportbike riders. Now Harley-Davidson is strapping the panniers back on, turning the wick up, and taking bagger racing to the world stage. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup, launching in 2026 and running alongside selected MotoGP rounds.
And the best news is, it’s going to be at the British Grand Prix!
Unveiled today at the Red Bull Ring in Austria, this will be the world’s first global racing series dedicated solely to high-performance Harley-Davidson baggers. Think of it as MotoGP’s louder, heavier, and far more tattooed cousin. The championship is being co-developed between Harley-Davidson and MotoGP, which means you can expect the usual level of big-league racing slickness—plus a shedload of Milwaukee muscle.
From Sturgis to Silverstone
The Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup will run six rounds across North America and Europe, kicking off in the United States, the home of both Harley and the original King of the Baggers series, before hopping over the pond to hit some of the world’s most famous tracks in Europe.
Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup calendar
Austin, USA – March 27–29
Mugello, Italy – May 29–31
Assen, Netherlands – June 26–28
Silverstone, Great Britain – August 7–9
Aragon, Spain – August 28–30
Red Bull Ring, Austria – September 18–20 (Championship finale)
If the thought of a race-prepped Street Glide hustling through Mugello’s Arrabbiata, or running through the gravel at the Geert Timmer chicane, doesn’t put a smile on your face, we can’t help you.
What’s a Bagger World Cup race bike, then?
These aren’t your average Sunday cruisers. Based on Harley’s Grand American Touring platform, the race bikes will be stripped, stiffened, lightened, and generally made to do things they were never supposed to. Expect full race suspension, sticky slicks, and engines tuned for maximum thunder. The spectacle? Off the charts. If the existing KOTB series is anything to go by, the sight of these bikes going toe-to-toe should be nothing short of mesmerising.
Kolja Rebstock, Senior VP of International Markets at Harley-Davidson, calls it “a bold new era for Harley-Davidson and for the sport of motorcycle racing… pushing limits, of our machines, our riders, and our brand, on a global stage.”
Carlos Ezpeleta, Chief Sporting Officer at Dorna Sports, says it’s all about expanding MotoGP without losing its DNA: “The Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup fulfills the brief. It’s a fantastic addition to race weekends and connects our sport to one of the most iconic lifestyle brands in the world.”
The whole idea was teased earlier this year at Le Mans during the French Grand Prix, and the fan reaction was predictably enthusiastic, part disbelief, part pure joy. Now, with the dates locked in and the marketing machine at full throttle, Harley and MotoGP are calling on teams, riders, and sponsors to get involved.
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Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!
