Harley-Davidson announced its 2026 King of the Baggers campaign, featuring defending Mission King of the Baggers champion Kyle Wyman, defending Mission Super Hooligan champion James Rispoli, and SuperTwins riders Briar Bauman, Brandon Robinson, and Kody Kopp. According to team officials, Wyman and Rispoli will defend their titles while Bauman, Robinson, and Kopp aim to continue Harley-Davidson’s dominance in the Mission AFT SuperTwins class.
Kyle Wyman enters the 2026 Mission King of the Baggers Championship as the rider to beat, carrying the coveted #1 plate after securing the 2025 title with a dominant performance at Circuit of the Americas. Records show Wyman won seven races and reached the podium in three additional events over 14 races last season, finishing with a 70-point lead over his closest competitor. According to Harley-Davidson officials, Wyman has re-signed a two-year contract with the Harley-Davidson x Dynojet Factory Race Team and will again pilot a factory-prepared Road Glide motorcycle powered by the Screamin’ Eagle Milwaukee-Eight 131 engine.
Kyle Wyman won seven races and reached the podium in three additional events over 14 races last season, finishing with a 70-point lead over his closest competitor.
James Rispoli, the defending Mission Super Hooligan champion, will also defend his title in 2026. Rispoli claimed his first Super Hooligan championship last year riding a KWR-prepped Harley-Davidson Pan America ST. Sources confirmed that for the upcoming season, Rispoli has joined the newly formed Big Diehl x Harley-Davidson Factory Racing team, which receives full factory support and resources. The team was officially introduced as part of Harley-Davidson’s 2026 campaign announcements and is focused on contending for the Mission King of the Baggers Championship. Rispoli carries the #1 plate into the new season and aims to build on his inaugural championship success.
In the Mission AFT SuperTwins class, Harley-Davidson fields a three-rider lineup featuring returning champions Briar Bauman and Brandon Robinson, along with rising star Kody Kopp. Team officials said the trio will seek to maintain Harley-Davidson’s dominance after the manufacturer secured two titles in the 2025 SuperTwins competition. The team’s objective is to continue owning the podium and defending the manufacturer crown throughout the 2026 season.
Harley-Davidson’s factory racing program has undergone extensive off-season development, with the Harley-Davidson x Dynojet Factory Race Team completing significant testing on their Road Glide race motorcycles. Alongside Wyman, Bradley Smith joins the factory team for 2026, also riding the new race-prepared Road Glide. According to team representatives, Smith expressed enthusiasm about competing in the upcoming season and contributing to the team’s championship defense efforts.
The 2026 Mission King of the Baggers Championship series will launch March 5-7 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. The full schedule comprises 14 races held at various road racing circuits across the season, according to the official race calendar. Harley-Davidson’s factory teams will participate from the series’ opening event, aiming to defend their respective titles and manufacturer standings.
Harley-Davidson Director of Racing Jason Kehl acknowledged the challenge of defending the King of the Baggers title, noting no rider or manufacturer has ever retained the #1 plate in consecutive seasons. Kehl said the task of holding onto the championship “will be an even greater challenge” than winning it initially, emphasizing that “everyone will be out to beat the bike with the #1 plate.” He expressed confidence in the team’s ability to “retain the championship where it belongs, at home in Milwaukee,” according to a team statement.
The 2026 campaign represents a concerted effort by Harley-Davidson to extend its recent success in multiple classes of motorcycle road racing. With defending champions Wyman and Rispoli returning and a strengthened SuperTwins lineup, the factory-backed teams enter the season with a comprehensive strategy to compete across the Mission King of the Baggers, Super Hooligan, and SuperTwins championships. The season’s progression and results will be closely followed by industry observers and racing fans alike.
Did you miss our previous article...
https://formulaone.news/motorcycle-racing/senna-agius-stuns-for-moto2-win-on-day-3-at-jerez-test-kelso-scores-moto3-points
