What new Harley-Davidson association could mean for MotoGP

Iconic American manufacturer Harley-Davidson and Dorna Sports have begun a new strategic partnership aimed at growing MotoGP in America and the Harley brand globally.

On Monday following the final round of the 2024 MotoGP season, Harley-Davidson staged a press conference with Dorna management to announce the partnership, while the brand’s bikes have taken to the Barcelona circuit for the first time.

The Harley-Davidson Road Glide race bikes that are used in the King of the Baggers series in MotoAmerica have been thundering around the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Monday.

The King of the Baggers first appeared on the MotoAmerica bill in 2020 and has become arguably the most popular series in the US-based championship.

The class also appeared at this year’s US Grand Prix for the first time.

While whispers in the MotoGP paddock at Barcelona across the Solidarity GP weekend suggested a new Baggers-style race series was being touted to join the grand prix bill, that has yet to be confirmed.

However, Harley CEO Jochen Zeitz suggested to Crash.net that this was certainly the aim.

For 2025, at present, it appears that only demo runs similar to the track test at Barcelona are on the cards. But Zeitz wants to “move as fast we can” in Harley establishing permanent presence in MotoGP.

“I mean, let’s see what comes out of it,” he said.

“We want to move as fast as we can, but these things take a bit of time and we want to first see how much excitement there is for this.

“To bring the bikes here [to Barcelona] this is a big step for us and just test the waters.

“But so far the reaction has been extraordinary, a lot of positive feedback and shoulder-clapping of our racers, or our mechanics, and I think it’s a good sign so far from what we’ve seen that there’s definitely a lot of interest to create a new space outside of what MotoGP has been doing so successfully already.”

The Milwaukee-based company has a rich history in motorcycle racing, particularly in off-road disciplines.

Harley have also won grand prix titles. In 1975 Walter Villa won the 250cc crown riding for the marque, doing so again in 1976 while also adding the 350cc title that year.

The King of the Baggers series’ popularity is something Harley believes it can replicate in Europe.

“Well, Harley has many fans around the world, many riders around the world, touring our most iconic motorcycles and taking them to the race track is something that has proven to be super successful since 2021 when we started with that idea and made it happen back then until now with MotoAmerica in the US,” Zeitz adds.

“But we think there’s more opportunity globally to do that and MotoGP can be a great partners, which is why this could be a win-win for us and we want to explore that.”

MotoGP events typically have a busy bill with the premier class, Moto2 and Moto3, as well as MotoE at select rounds as well as various Talent Cups making an appearance. But these are all Dorna-affiliated championships with not that much distinguishing them to the casual fan.

Having a Baggers championship on the MotoGP bill would be the perfect way for Dorna to snare a new audience, particularly in the United States. With US-owned Liberty Media set to take over majority ownership of Dorna from 2025, Harley spies an opportunity for something big.

“Well, we have an iconic brand and we have a long racing history,” Zeitz notes. “And bringing that to an audience outside of America is a great opportunity. And that’s why we’re partnering with Dorna to explore that, and at the same time Dorna/MotoGP has an interest to be in the American market.

“And obviously with Liberty Media coming into play, that’s even a desire we all have, a shared interest.

“So, that’s why we’ve said let’s see what we can do together. We have an iconic product, we have an iconic brand. We want to be in racing, Dorna wants to expand and we all want to innovate. And we think King of the Baggers is the platform to do that with.”

The Liberty angle is something MotoGP itself sees its association with Harley as being a means to expand its profile in the US - a key pillar of the new ownership’s strategic plan. Crash understands there was some reticence to King of the Baggers appearing on the US GP bill this year from MotoGP’s side, but track action on Monday at Barcelona proves this stance has softened completely.

“Yes, let’s say it would be one of many initiatives,” Carlos Ezpeleta, Dorna’s chief sporting officer, said when asked by Crash if the Harley partnership was a gateway for MotoGP expanding its US profile.

“We presented our new brand [logos] last night, one which we’re hugely proud of and one of those targets is to show up more places where people don’t expect us to be.

“And Harley can definitely help us do that, specifically in the US but also globally they have a huge community of Harley riders everywhere. That’s something that we want to tap into.

“The States, as we continue to say, is incredibly strategic for us. We hope that the new ownership is confirmed before the end of the year and we are excited to do this and many other things in the States.”