FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup
COTA Test
Young Australian Archie McDonald has made an immediate impression ahead of the inaugural FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup, finishing second overall in the championship’s first official test at Circuit of the Americas.
McDonald, riding for Australian Harley-Davidson dealership chain Joe Rascal Racing, posted a best lap of 2m14.010s across the two-day test in Austin, ending the weekend just 0.597s shy of teammate Eric Granado, who topped the combined classification with a 2m13.413s. Spain’s Oscar Gutierrez completed the top three for Niti Racing with a 2m14.235s.
The test marked the first on-track outing for the new category, which will make its race debut at COTA this weekend alongside the MotoGP Grand Prix of the Americas.
All nine confirmed riders took part, and the series also held its bike lottery ceremony before the track action began, assigning each rider the Road Glide race machine they will campaign throughout the season.
For McDonald, the result is an encouraging early statement against some seriously well-credentialled competitors with plenty of Bagger racing experience under their belts. To finish second in the very first test of the new championship, and to do so in a Joe Rascal Racing one-two, puts the Australian firmly in the frame heading into round one.
Across the weekend, riders completed 578 timed laps as they worked through the demands of the Milwaukee-Eight V-Twin-powered baggers around the 5.5 km Texas circuit. Sunday’s schedule also included a shortened race simulation, giving teams and riders a chance to rehearse the championship’s distinctive start procedures before the opening races.
Harley-Davidson’s Director of Global Racing Programs, Jeffrey Schuessler, said the opening test provided a useful benchmark for teams and riders as they adapted to the new machinery’s unique characteristics.
Jeffrey Schuessler – Harley-Davidson’s Director of Global Racing Programs
“This first test represented an important milestone for the championship and for everyone involved in the series. Across the weekend, the riders completed 578 timed laps, which gave us very positive feedback in terms of reliability and overall performance. We noticed interesting differences in riding styles, with some riders adopting a smooth, technical approach, while others favoured a more aggressive, point-and-shoot style. It was a valuable moment of comparison and learning, allowing teams and riders to deepen their understanding of the racing bikes, the track and each other ahead of the first races.”
Granado was the only rider to dip into the 2m13s across the weekend, but McDonald’s pace kept the Australian well ahead of the rest of the field, with a 0.225s margin back to Gutierrez and more than 1.6 seconds in hand over fourth-placed Dimas Ekky Pratama.
Curiously, some of the very experienced American Bagger racers were not leading the way, could they be sandbagging their early Bagger World Cup form…?
Attention now turns to race week at COTA, with qualifying scheduled for 0825 Saturday morning AEDT, followed by race one at 0810 Sunday morning our time, and the second contest at 0145 Monday morning AEST.
FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup COTA Test Times
| Pos | Rider | Best |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eric Granado | 2:13.413 |
| 2 | Archie McDonald | 2:14.010 |
| 3 | Oscar Gutierrez | 2:14.235 |
| 4 | Dimas Ekky Pratama | 2:15.626 |
| 5 | Travis Wyman | 2:16.126 |
| 6 | Cory West | 2:16.439 |
| 7 | Jake Lewis | 2:16.707 |
| 8 | Cody Wyman | 2:17.263 |
| 9 | Filippo Rovelli | 2:17.308 |
About the Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup
The Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup will be the world’s first global racing series dedicated exclusively to high-performance Harley-Davidson bagger motorcycles, competing as a premier support championship on select MotoGP weekends across North America and Europe.
Bagger World Cup race bikes are built on Harley-Davidson’s Grand American Touring platform, transformed by Harley-Davidson Factory Racing into purpose-built competition machines.
Each race-prepared Harley-Davidson Road Glide features:
- A Milwaukee-Eight V-Twin 131R race-modified motor
- Purpose-built chassis, suspension, braking, and electronics packages
- Extensive weight reduction and aerodynamic development
- Performance levels exceeding 200 horsepower, with top speeds up to 300 km/h (186 mph)
Bagger World Cup Technical Regulations Here
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
