The Bagger Racing League presented by Drag Specialties is America’s Premier Race Series for Custom & Performance V-Twin Motorcycles. The Bagger Racing League was created to showcase the V-Twin Performance community on a road-race track.
It was a cool 54° that morning in 2019, at a meeting of about a dozen prominent motorcycle industry leaders at an Elks Club in Newport Beach, California. Leading that group in a discussion was Rob Buydos who noticed that there was a shift in the V-Twin Touring bike enthusiast away from chrome and entertainment systems to performance adders and carbon fiber kits.
Cycle News shared comments from Founder Buydos and COO John Oakes: “With the rise of performance baggers we’ve seen over the last five years, we wanted an event that could help promote those parts that make these bikes so sought after,” said Rob Buydos. “This is just the beginning, and I can’t wait to see where it leads.”
John Oakes continues; “Bagger Racing League will allow Harley-Davidson and V-twin parts manufacturers to showcase their performance parts in a competitive atmosphere. I am excited to be a part of the team and to take my passions—for events, motorcycles, sponsorship, marketing and racing—and combined them all into one loud, fast and fun weekend.”
Once the idea got the blessing from all involved COVID-19 came in and put it all to a stop. With a special permit for a capacity crowd at Laguna Seca in October of 2020, from Gov. Newsom, the mandates were too much and there was no crowd at all. No matter, the first practice session attracted 2.9 million views online and the craze started!
Soon after at a V-Twin Only Track Day at Chuckwalla Raceway in Desert Center, California, Buydos and COO Johan Oakes announced the formation of the series. Representatives from the best aftermarket parts companies and race teams in the world signed commitments to race with the Bagger Racing League.
The 2021 event at Utah Motorsports Complex in June was a huge hit with an Arlen and Cory Ness Custom Bike Show, camping, vendor village and of course the road race track all tied in for a 3-day event with more than 100 riders and nine separate Harley-Davidson dealerships with staff participating.
There are 11 different classes including:
- Bagger GP
- Pro-Stock Bagger
- Super-Street Bagger
- Air-Cooled Twins
- Liquid Twins
- American Twins Unlimited (ATU)
- Lightweight Superbike
- Middleweight Superbike
- Classic Superbike
- Next Generation Superbike
- Unlimited Superbike
- Metric V-Twin Bagger
- Open Metric Bagger
Join the fun on the track, get your road race license! You are encouraged to get started without overthinking it or over building your bike, simply visit a track for the first time with the required safety gear and bike safety set up to get started. Contact your local road racetrack or series for track days and New Rider School schedules!
For the 2025 schedule there are 6 races, 5 in the U.S. and one in Ontario Canada. Check their website for more information in racing rules and registration at BaggerRacingLeague.com.
