Will Harley-Davidson’s MotoGP ‘bagger’ support series attract American fans?

For those who’ve ever witnessed both MotoGP and Formula 1, you’ll know that MotoGP’s machines are louder. F1’s muffled turbo-hybrids just can’t compete with the naturally aspirated motorcycle motors, and they sound better, too.

Well that same sentiment can now be applied to the support series as Harley-Davidson and Dorna have inked a deal that’ll see the American manufacturer put on a series in the vein of the United States-based King of the Baggers series.

Europeans, are you ready to watch 600-pound cruisers with outboard Öhlins reservoirs and uncorked V-twins roar down the Hamilton Straight at Silverstone, or bounce off the rev limiter in either Spanish Grand Prix?

Please see a doctor if bagger racing causes spontaneous bouts of American patriotism and/or the need to yell, “Hell yeah, brother!”

Harley-Davidson is doing this to up it’s focus on the European market where it has has enjoyed success in the past but seen its stock fall to the German and Austrian, and even a little bit to the British motorcycle manufacturers. It needs the European eyes, and this will absolutely give it that. It’s a savvy move that’ll pay off long-term.

The added trade off is that Dorna is hoping this helps the series crack the American audience, thanks to Harley’s cultural cache in the States.

Harley-Davidson press conference

Photo by: German Garcia

Yet, even with all those screamin’ bald eagles flying in the faces of motorcycle riders, it faces a tough ask in appealing to a US audience. Though that won’t be because bagger racing is boring.

I’ve been witness to two King of the Baggers races over the years. Sadly, this incarnation cannot be classed a ‘King of the Baggers’, as Indian Motorcycle, the second manufacturer in the US series, isn’t participating. They were, however, some of the most thrilling races I’ve ever seen.

Part of that is the aural spectacle of a V-twin with 200 horsepower roaring so loud you can hear them from the other side of the track. The other is because these lithe motorcycle racers, every bit the minuscule athletes that they are in MotoGP, are hucking around 600-plus-pound baggers as if they were motocross machines.

It’s gnarly, it’s loud, it’s thrilling, but previously when it supported the MotoGP main race where the stands were mostly packed…no one was watching it.

That was at Circuit of the Americas, MotoGP’s home in the United States. Theoretically, it should be where the core motorcycle racing fans congregate for every single support race during a weekend. It was the circuit that whenever F1 showed up in America prior to its Netflix explosion, it was drawing crowds of over 350,000 fans for all three days.

I recall the atmosphere of that first Circuit of the Americas F1 race – it was wild. But MotoGP’s been at COTA for a while now, and when I attended last year, it wasn’t the same. Fans were there, don’t get me wrong, but motorcycle racing still has some way to go in the US compared to how it is watched by the masses in Europe.

Fabio Quartararo, Yamaha Factory Racing, Fabio Di Giannantonio, VR46 Racing Team

Photo by: MotoGP

And it is not because we don’t have motorcycle races across the US on any given Sunday. From Motocross to bagger racing, super hooligan to superbike, and vintage to NHRA-sponsored drag racing, it’s happening all the time. But the appetite that the European audience has for motorcycle racing, and especially watching MotoGP, is just not there…yet.

There is, however, hope.

I want to see more motorcycle racing. I want to see more motorcycle racing fans. I want to see more MotoGP races here in the States. And my hope that the American market comes to care about motorcycle racing rests on Liberty Media’s takeover of MotoGP.

The transformation of F1 from a European-centric and passionate – if smaller U.S. fanbase – to seeing folks with Max Verstappen shirts while walking around rural little town in Utah is nothing short of amazing. And it speaks to the marketing brilliance that Liberty Media’s been able to capitalise on after their purchase of the series.

That playbook, and the combination of the two biggest race series on the planet, could also mean an explosion for MotoGP’s popularity. An explosion far bigger than just adding Harley-Davidson’s bagger support series. As a motorcycle racing fan, and an American, I’m stoked we’re once again bringing the noise to MotoGP – I just hope that it also bring the fans.