When Harley-Davidson Factory Racing rolls onto a racetrack, the world listens—and at the Circuit of Barcelona-Catalunya, it wasn’t just the iconic rumble of their 2024 Road Glide motorcycles turning heads. In a bold display of American V-twin muscle, Harley teamed up with MotoGP and DORNA for a high-octane test session, proving their mettle on one of Europe’s most celebrated circuits.

This wasn’t your average track day. Fresh off a relocated MotoGP event due to catastrophic flooding in Valencia, Harley-Davidson showed up not just to flex their racing prowess but to lend a hand, donating a Road Glide for auction to support flood relief efforts.

But the real story unfolded on the asphalt. Factory riders Kyle Wyman and James Rispoli piloted their bagger beasts around the 16-turn, 4.657 km circuit, pushing these monsters to speeds topping 171 MPH. Joining them were MotoGP and World Superbike legends Simon Crafar, John Hopkins, Randy Mamola, and Marco Melandri, each throwing a leg over the Road Glides for a test ride they won’t soon forget.

Racing titans hopped aboard the sleek, carbon-fiber-clad machines, their reactions a mix of awe and adrenaline:

• Simon Crafar: “That engine? Unreal. The sound, the torque—it’s a total rush. I need one of these as a street bike.”
• John Hopkins: “It was a wild ride. Handles better than you’d expect, and man, it’s just plain fun.”
• Randy Mamola: “The torque, the smoothness—this thing is a race bike through and through. Everything just clicks.”
• Marco Melandri: “It felt lighter and more agile than I ever expected. And that engine torque? Incredible.”

Even Wyman was starstruck: “Riding alongside my heroes and showing off the work we’ve done was surreal,” he said. Rispoli added, “This day was Harley history. Sharing the track with legends and seeing their reactions was unreal.”

The Harley-Davidson Factory Racing Road Glide is far from stock. Competing in the Mission Foods King of the Baggers series, these machines embody the brand’s racing pedigree:

• Frame & Weight: Stock frame but stripped to 620 pounds with carbon fiber everything.
• Engine: Modified Screamin’ Eagle Milwaukee-Eight 131 Performance Crate Engine.
• Suspension: Top-tier Öhlins upgrades for razor-sharp handling.
• Extras: Competition-grade intake, exhaust, and Dunlop race tires.

This bagger isn’t just a cruiser—it’s a purpose-built missile designed to crush the competition.

“Racing is in our blood,” said Harley-Davidson CEO Jochen Zeitz. “Our MotoGP collaboration shows how serious we are about performance and innovation on a global stage.”

With a season packed with podiums—six wins and 14 top-three finishes—Kyle Wyman and his Road Glide have been the team to beat in the King of the Baggers series. And now, Harley-Davidson has its sights on expanding its racing dominance beyond U.S. borders.

Barcelona was more than a test—it was a statement. Harley-Davidson isn’t just playing the game; they’re changing it.