Harley Announces 2024 King of Baggers Team

In its press release on February 16, 2024, the Harley Davidson Factory race team announced its participation in the 2024 race mission with electrifying footage highlighting H-D team racers James Rispoli and Kyle Wyman riding new race-ready version of the 2024 Harley Davidson Road Glide motorcycles built on the brand-new touring layout approved for the MotoAmerica Mission King of the Baggers road racing series. The footage, along with the rare insider-peeks of the H-D race squad - intensified the excitement and the unhindered nature of the King of the Baggers event, making its first appearance of the year on February 16th on the Harley Davidson’s official YouTube channel and other social media handles.

A thrilling special segment has been freshly incorporated into this year’s Mission King of the Baggers Championship, which will take place on the 12th and 13th of April during the third segment of the FIM FIM MotoGP World Championship, expected to be held at Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas. This newly introduced segment involves two races to be held amid the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas weekend. Moreover, these additional races will signify the first-ever appearance of the roaring King of the Baggers motorcycles before the international spectators of the road racing tournament.

Besides this pair of point-scoring races, which are expected to take place on April 13, a three-lap Mission Challenge is also added to the race schedule and is expected to be held in the afternoon of April 12. In this enthralling race segment, six top contestants will be competing for a $5,000 prize award that the winner will have all to himself. Due to this first-of-its-kind race segment introduced exclusively in 2024, the Mission King of the Baggers race program has been increased to a total of 18 races.

Kyle Wyman and James Rispoli will participate in this prestigious racing event using their customized race-worthy baggers, the 2024 Harley Davidson Road Glide propelled by a modified Screamin’ Eagle Milwaukee-Eight 131 Performance Crate power plant. These race models share most of their specifications and features with Harley Davidson’s 2024 production Road Glide motorcycle. The shared features include the svelte shark-nose fairing found only in the latest generation models.

Moreover, the carbon fiber body panels are also the same as the ones installed on the 2024 Road Glide ST CVO production model. In addition to the Screamin' Eagle engine, the race models boast advanced suspension systems, Brembo brakes, Screamin’ Eagle/ Ohlins Remote Reservoir rear suspension, Protolabs race parts, tournament-worthy Screamin’ Eagle exhaust, and Marchesin wheels. A brand-new livery based on the timeless Legendary Racing Orange hues that harken back to all previous factory race teams of the American bagger manufacturer sums up the aesthetic profile of the new race models.

Kyle Wyman will make his fourth appearance this year with Harley Davidson’s Factory Race Team. For 2023, he managed to achieve seven King of the Baggers and secured third place in the tournament. Kyle Wyman has bagged the most victories in the history of this racing event. He participated in 24 races since the emergence of the King of the Baggers and has won 21 races in total to date. He also bagged the championship title in the event’s debut year.

This year, Rispoli will be making his first appearance with the Harley Davidson Factory Race Team. He secured second place in the 2023 season while representing Vance and Hines H-D team. Last year, James Rispoli triumphed in two races, managed to come second in five races, and secured third place in three races. As a teenager, Rispoli attracted the nickname “Hogspoli” after riding a racing Latus Motors Harley Davidson XG750R to victory in the 2020 season of the American Flat Track Production Twins Championship.

For the 2024 King of the Baggers event, the following companies are sponsoring the Harley Davidson factory race team:

• Rockford Fosgate
• Screamin’ Eagle Performance Parts and Accessories
• Brembo
• Mission Foods
• Protolabs
• SYN3 Lubricants
• Ohlins

Credit: Harley Davidson

Over the years, King of the Baggers has seen some changes in its format, and for the 2024 event, the program has transformed into an 18-race series that will be held over nine weekends. Moreover, these 18 races will be organized simultaneously with another MotoAmerica racing event, the Superbike Series. As mentioned in the calendar above, the event will kickstart on March 07 in Daytona Beach. To be a part of this event, grab the exclusive ticket packages offered by Harley Davidson.