Indian remains unbeaten in King of the Baggers
Double victory at an iconic circuit
Road America in Wisconsin is one of America’s most iconic racing circuits and is located just a short distance from Harley-Davidson’s hometown of Milwaukee. Despite that, it was Indian rider Hayden Gillim who dominated the race weekend by winning both races and extending his lead in the championship.
The victory means Indian remains unbeaten after the opening six races of the season, with the marque continuing to set the benchmark in one of MotoAmerica’s most closely followed racing series.
According to Indian, the factory team competes on the Vance & Hines-developed Indian Challenger, powered by the company’s PowerPlus 112 engine. Despite rule adjustments introduced ahead of the season to help level the playing field between manufacturers, Indian has continued to dominate the championship.
What exactly is a bagger?
King of the Baggers differs from traditional road racing in that the motorcycles are based on so-called baggers: large American touring motorcycles with integrated hard panniers, substantial fairings and powerful V-twin engines. Watching these machines, weighing close to 300 kilograms, being thrown into corners at racing speeds is a big part of the series’ appeal.
Over the past few years, King of the Baggers has evolved from an eye-catching experiment into a prestigious factory rivalry, primarily between Indian Motorcycle and Harley-Davidson.
Manufacturers now invest heavily in both riders and technology, and the series has become a showcase for their flagship performance models.
For the 2026 season, Indian has partnered with Vance & Hines, while its rider line-up consists of Hayden Gillim, Troy Herfoss and Rocco Landers.
King of the Baggers is about far more than entertaining racing. The series has evolved into an important platform where manufacturers demonstrate what their largest touring motorcycles are truly capable of when pushed to the limit.
For Indian, the unbeaten start to the season is clear evidence that its investment continues to pay off.
At the same time, the rivalry with Harley-Davidson is only likely to intensify as the season progresses, and the question now is whether anyone can end Indian’s winning streak before the championship is decided.
Anna Haglund