Will Harley-Davidson’s MotoGP ‘bagger’ support series draw in American fans?
For those who have actually ever experienced both MotoGP and Formula 1, you’ll know that MotoGP’s devices are louder. F1’s smothered turbo-hybrids simply can’t take on the naturally aspirated motorcycle motors, and they sound much better, too.
Well that same belief can now be applied to the assistance series as Harley-Davidson and Dorna have actually tattooed a deal that’ll see the American producer put on a series in the vein of the United States-based King of the Baggers series.
Europeans, are you prepared to watch 600-pound cruisers with outboard Öhlins reservoirs and uncorked V-twins roar down the Hamilton Straight at Silverstone, or bounce off the rev limiter in either Spanish Grand Prix?
Please see a physician if bagger racing causes spontaneous bouts of American patriotism and/or the need to scream, “Hell yeah, sibling!”
Harley-Davidson is doing this to up it’s concentrate on the European market where it has actually has delighted in success in the past however seen its stock fall to the German and Austrian, and even a little bit to the British motorbike manufacturers. It needs the European eyes, and this will definitely provide it that. It’s a smart relocation that’ll settle long-term.
The added trade off is that Dorna is hoping this assists the series crack the American audience, thanks to Harley’s cultural cache in the States.
Harley-Davidson interview Photo by: German Garcia Yet, even with all those screamin’ bald eagles contradicting motorcycle riders, it faces a hard ask in interesting an US audience. Though that will not be due to the fact that bagger racing is boring.
I have actually been witness to 2 King of the Baggers races for many years. Unfortunately, this version can not be classed a ‘King of the Baggers’, as Indian Motorcycle, the 2nd manufacturer in the United States series, isn’t getting involved. They were, nevertheless, a few of the most thrilling races I have actually ever seen.
Part of that is the acoustic spectacle of a V-twin with 200 horse power roaring so loud you can hear them from the opposite of the track. The other is since these lithe motorbike racers, every bit the tiny professional athletes that they are in MotoGP, are hucking around 600-plus-pound baggers as if they were motocross makers.
It’s gnarly, it’s loud, it’s thrilling, but previously when it supported the MotoGP main race where the stands were mainly jam-packed … nobody was seeing it.
That was at Circuit of the Americas, MotoGP’s home in the United States. In theory, it needs to be where the core motorbike racing fans gather for every single support race during a weekend. It was the circuit that whenever F1 showed up in America prior to its Netflix surge, it was drawing crowds of over 350,000 fans for all 3 days.
I remember the atmosphere of that first Circuit of the Americas F1 race – it was wild. But MotoGP’s been at COTA for a while now, and when I participated in last year, it wasn’t the very same. Fans existed, don’t get me wrong, however motorbike racing still has some way to go in the United States compared to how it is enjoyed by the masses in Europe.
Fabio Quartararo, Yamaha Factory Racing, Fabio Di Giannantonio, VR46 Racing Team Picture by: MotoGP And it is not due to the fact that we do not have bike races throughout the US on any offered Sunday. From Motocross to bagger racing, incredibly goon to superbike, and vintage to NHRA-sponsored drag racing, it’s taking place all the time. But the cravings that the European audience has for motorcycle racing, and especially seeing MotoGP, is just not there … yet.
There is, however, hope.
I wish to see more motorcycle racing. I want to see more motorbike racing fans. I wish to see more MotoGP races here in the States. And my hope that the American market concerns appreciate motorbike racing rests on Liberty Media’s takeover of MotoGP.
The improvement of F1 from a European-centric and passionate – if smaller sized U.S. fanbase – to seeing folks with Max Verstappen t-shirts while walking around rural little town in Utah is absolutely nothing short of fantastic. And it speaks with the marketing luster that Liberty Media’s been able to capitalise on after their purchase of the series.
That playbook, and the combination of the 2 biggest race series in the world, might likewise imply a surge for MotoGP’s popularity. An explosion far bigger than just adding Harley-Davidson’s bagger assistance series. As a motorcycle racing fan, and an American, I’m stired we’re when again bringing the noise to MotoGP – I just hope that it likewise bring the fans.
Pictures from French GP – Race
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