BAGGER WORLD CUP STARTS WITH FIRST TEST RUN ON THE CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS

AUSTIN, Texas, United States (26.03.2026) - On the penultimate weekend of March, the FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup held the first test run in the history of the championship from Friday to Sunday at the Circuit of The Americas. The test took place just a few days before the first race weekend as part of the MotoGP Grand Prix of The Americas which will take place on this route.

The test series kicked off with the Bike Lottery Ceremony, where each rider received the racing machine that will accompany them throughout the season. During the two intense and action-packed days that followed, all nine riders experienced the unmistakable Sound and character of the Road Glide racing machines with Milwaukee-Eight V-Twin. With a best time of 2:13.413 minutes, Eric Granado (Joe Rascal Racing) set the fastest lap of the test, half a second ahead of his team-mate Archie McDonald. Third place went to Oscar Gutierrez (Niti Racing).

The program for Sunday also included a shortened race simulation, during which teams and drivers were able to rehearse the starting procedure that will characterize the race weekends. In order to involve the spectators directly in the racing action, the pits are located within the fan zone.

Jeffrey Schuessler, Director of Global Racing Programs at Harley-Davidson, explains: „This first test was an important milestone for the championship and for everyone involved in the series. Over the weekend, the drivers completed 578 measured laps, which gave us an extremely positive result. Feedback in terms of reliability and overall performance. It was also exciting to see the riders experiencing the sound, torque and high power of these racing machines for the first time.“

„These test runs were fantastic,“ says a delighted Eric Granado from Joe Rascal Racing. „We completed a lot of laps and spent a lot of time working on the machines to understand them better. Everything was new to me: the bike, the team and the way of working. And that motorcycle is very different from what I was used to. The riding position is unique and you need some time to get used to it, but after a few laps you feel comfortable and gain confidence. The bike handles great and you can really push it to the limit, which I really liked. You can clearly feel that it has been built as a real racing machine.

The sound of the engine is incredible - honestly one of the best I've ever heard. It's very special for a rider to feel that character. I also had a very good feeling at the front end, which is helpful for carrying a lot of speed into the corner. And the torque is very impressive. Every time you twist the throttle, no matter what gear you're in, you can feel the power carrying you out of the corners. You have to adapt your riding style a little, but once you understand how to use it, you can really step on the gas and enjoy it.“

Attention is now turning to the championship opener, which takes place on the last weekend of March at the Circuit of The Americas with practice and qualifying on Friday, March 27, followed by Race 1 on Saturday and Race 2 on Sunday.

COTA-TEST 21 - 22 MARCH - Best time/combined score (in minutes)

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