For most motorcyclists, a bike designed for high-speed racing would resemble something like the Kawasaki Ninja or a Honda CBR. But given that the motorcycling world is so big and diverse, it would only make sense that touring bikes would have a league of the own. Normally we associate baggers for being the kinds of bikes that one takes on the highway for a cross-country road trip to take in the sights, go on an adventure, and create long-lasting memories with friends. But given that bikers tend to be the rebellious bunch, bagger riders weren't going to let sport bike riders have all the fun to themselves!
The King of the Baggers is that very race where large touring bikes like the Harley-Davidson Road Glide and the Indian Challenger are redesigned and transformed from laid-back, long-distance cruisers to high-octane, torque-packing sport bikes ready and eager to conquer the racetrack for guts, glory, and bragging rights. Because much of the motorcycling world is partly rooted in racing, it only makes sense that the King of the Baggers showcases the true performance abilities of motorcycles thought to be too bulky and awkward to operate at such high speeds. If anything, it reveals that just like professional race car organizations like NASCAR and Formula 1, the King of the Baggers deserves its time in the sun too.
1 The Harley-Davidson vs Indian Rivalry
If there's one thing that makes a competitive spirit even stronger, it's a rivalry. Thankfully for spectators, two of the big contenders of the King of the Baggers race just happen to be Harley-Davidson and Indian Motorcycles. Both of these manufacturers have been at each other's throats for over one-hundred years, and some of their hardcore followers are just as hard-pressed to see their favorite brand succeed. So what better way for these companies to put their money where their mouths are and settle it the same way the old school riders did, on the track. Granted that nearly every King of the Baggers race has gone to Harley-Davidson. However, occasionally Indian manages to secure itself a win too, with 2020 being its most recent victory.
2 It Feeds The Competitive Spirit
A lot of us have a competitive nature built into our personalities. Some more than others. Even as kids we would race each other around the neighborhood from one house to another house. As we grow into adults, that sense of competition never changes. Whether you're taking part in the race, or you're just a spectator, the King of the Baggers is a rush for everyone involved. Plus, it provides an additional avenue for those of us that grew up racing bikes, and are up for the challenge on something besides a Kawasaki, Ducati, or Honda. There's a reason why racing organizations like NASCAR and Formula 1 have been able to become some of the biggest competitive leagues in the world. It is because the thrill and enthusiasm of watching a vehicle blast past you with the intent of coming in first place is just as exciting as being the person riding the motorcycle in the race.
3 It Pushes Baggers To Their Limits
These days many of the newer baggers come equipped with some of the largest engines on the market straight from the factory, like the Harley-Davidson Road Glide ST's Milwaukee-Eight 121 cubic-inch engine, and the Indian Challenger Dark Horse's PowerPlus liquid-cooled 108 cubic-inch engine. While these engines are certainly large enough for these motorcycles to dominate the highway and go out for a relaxing ride around town on a Saturday afternoon, there is still plenty of room for improvement when it comes to crank up the horsepower in the King of the Baggers race. By transforming these couch-like comfort machines into full-blown competitive sport bikes, many motorcycle techs will find themselves turning into mad scientists in order for their team's bike to be able to rip and tear it up and down the track in order to come in first place. It is almost like training a linebacker to come in first place in the 100-meter dash.
4 Racing Entertainment
Racing of any kind is by default fun and exciting to watch. Whether it's the nitro-filled muscle cars in The Fast and The Furious films, the rumble and thunder of hooves in the Kentucky Derby, or the mixture of heat, sound, and air that gets rushed by you at a NASCAR event, the very sport of racing has been around for thousands of years, and it never gets old. The King of the Baggers provides a new avenue of entertainment for those who wish to see a new kind of racing motorcycle that doesn't look like it was found at the bottom of a cereal box. Whether you're rooting for Harley-Davidson, Indian, or a specific racer in-mind, you are engaged and invested in this race until one person is crowned the winner. Best of all, if you can't make it to the live race, you can still watch via channels like MotoAmerica Live+, FS1, FS2, MAVTV, MTRSPT1, MotoAmerica TV, and YouTube.
5 Growing Appreciation Of Baggers
As we previously mentioned, baggers aren't normally the first thing that comes to mind when you think of a racing motorcycle. Normally, brands like Kawasaki, Honda, and Suzuki tend to rule that part of the sport. But if the King of the Baggers has proven anything, it is that despite their size, touring bikes are just as capable of ruling the racetrack as any other motorcycle. If anything, the very concept is proof enough that a Harley-Davidson Road Glide or Indian Challenger have what it takes to keep up (and possibly outrun) the rest of the competition. Next thing you know, you've inspired the next generation riders to trade in their CBRs and Ninjas in favor of a bagger. Because much to their surprise, a touring bike is just as capable of being a torque-heavy performance machine as any other regular sport bike on the market.
6 Representation Of Harley-Davidson And Indian As Racing Brands
These days, whenever someone buys a motorcycle, they are essentially buying a grown-up toy. They are fun to ride, cruise around town, embark on a road trip, and just have a good time on with friends. But for many of us that got bit by the racing bug when we were kids, that opened the door for us to racing dirt bikes at the local track against friends, and in some cases, enemies. As we get older, tastes change. Those of us that chose to ride Harleys and Indians generally were never drawn into competitive motorcycle racing because most of the time we would see brands like Honda, Suzuki, Ducati, BMW, and Kawasaki dominate the racetrack. Sure, it's exciting to watch, but wouldn't it be cool if they let Harleys and Indians race? Thanks to King of the Baggers, now there's a major race that does.
7 Touring Bikes Have Their Own Racing Class
At first glance, the average person wouldn't expect a big touring bike to be a race-worthy machine that can push it to the red line. But what started as a mere novelty idea quickly turned into one of MotoAmerica's fastest-growing classes ever. Sure, brands like Kawasaki, Yamaha, and Suzuki have their own classes too, but we've seen those before. Watching the big touring models from Harley-Davidson and Indian compete against each other is almost like something out of American Gladiators, except it is all about watching the gladiators compete against each other. After working in-seam with aftermarket companies, these teams transform these big casual cruisers into some of the fasting machines on two wheels on the road. Best of all, the fairings and saddlebags stay on the entire time. Wouldn't be much of a bagger if the bags weren't included too!
8 Inspiration For Project Bikes
If you are at home tinkering away at your Dyna, and you've got it in your mind that you're going to transform this medium-sized bike into a high-performance bike with loads of power, know that if a Harley-Davidson Road Glide was modded enough to compete and win in the King of the Baggers race, you can certainly crank up the torque in your ride too. It's like how Ricky Bobby says in Talladega Nights, "I wanna go fast!" Because even if you own a bagger, and you have no interest in participating in the King of the Baggers, that doesn't mean that you can't transform your ride into a throttle-hungry beast on two wheels. Lots of riders seek to squeeze every cubic inch of power out of their bikes, which is probably why a lot of Harley-Davidson fans are excited about the new Milwaukee-Eight 135 cubic-inch Stage 4 upgrade.
9 Adrenaline And Excitement
Let's face it, riding a motorcycle can really get the heart pumping and the adrenaline flowing. The amount of risk involved makes the element of danger feel like an aphrodisiac. So take all of that, add in a lot more horsepower, torque, aggression, a cheering crowd, and ten other bikes just like yours, and you've got a recipe for one of the most exciting sporting events you'll ever watch and/or take part in. Not to mention the amount of skill required to operate a bagger at the level of some of these riders. If you own a touring bike, take a look at the image above and ask yourself if you would ever feel comfortable going into a turn with a lean that deep? Knowing how much we care about our personal baggers, chances are we would never take that kind of risk. But the thought knowing that it is possible while traveling at a high speed is mind-blowing.
10 Recognition To The Riders
If you grew up racing dirt bikes as a kid, you can very much see a part of yourself in the competitors vying for the crown in King of the Baggers. Because at one point, they were once competing in the same leagues. Lead competitor and rider for team Harley-Davidson formed his professional racing team when he was only 21-years-old. Now 33, Wyman is one of the top racers in MotoAmerica Superbike, and he has previously competed in the 600 Supersport and Superstock 1000. Wyman recently said after his June 2023 win, “It was great to get the win yesterday in front of all the Harley fans here so close to headquarters in Milwaukee, and especially fun to have Willie G. Davidson here to see it." Meanwhile, Indian Motorcycles racer Tyler O’Hara, the Chick Hicks to Wyman's Lightning McQueen has been able to hang on his every move only to share the stage with him in second place.