Smooth, easy to ride, and fast.
That was the verdict delivered by 250cc Grand Prix World Champion Marco Melandri, Randy Mamola, (a 13-time 500cc Grand Prix race winner), and Simon Crafar, (also a 500cc Grand Prix race winner), after lapping on Harley-Davidson Road Glide MotoAmerica-spec King of The Baggers machines at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
The demo laps were organized by the company as part of an announcement that Harley-Davidson and Dorna would be working together in the future. The collaboration is designed to increase the visibility of Harley and MotoGP around the world.
The trio were joined by MotoAmerica competitors Kyle Wyman and James Rispoli, as well as former MotoGP, World Superbike and British and AMA Superbike racer John Hopkins. After several laps, Melandri, Mamola and Crafar held a news conference to talk about their experience.
“From the outside, it looks like a game,” said Melandri. “But when you are on it, it’s a racebike. And the engine is powerful, like a Honda V5.” (Melandri raced a Honda RC211V in MotoGP, taking the V5 machine to five victories.)
Crafar said that in 1989, he had raced in a BEARS series – the name indicates that the eligible bikes are British, European or American in origin – on a racebike with a Harley-Davidson engine in a dedicated racing chassis. He remembers the bike fondly, but loved the power of the King of The Baggers machine, and the sound as well. “The engine is so good, I want one!” he said.
Mamola said his bike fit him perfectly, and that his expectations of a hard-to-manage beast proved unfounded. He was pleasantly surprised at the power, the braking and the shifting, as well as the lack of vibration. “Everything was in a perfect zone,” Mamola said.
The only real downside was getting going from a dead stop. The machines are so tall and heavy that even the tall, lanky Crafar had to shift his body off the machine to get one foot down, and that was critical because, as Mamola said, “If it starts falling, you’re not going to catch it!”
The other downside, Melandri said, was that they told him just before he started out exactly how much one of the Bagger racebikes cost, and that meant he was very nervous about crashing. When asked how much the bike cost, Melandri said only, “Too much!”
More, from a press release issued by Harley-Davidson:
HARLEY-DAVIDSON FACTORY RACING TESTS AT BARCELONA-CATALUNYA AFTER MOTOGP
Kyle Wyman, James Rispoli, and Special Guest Riders Demonstrate the Performance of Race-Prepared Road Glide Motorcycles
MILWAUKEE (November 20, 2024) – Harley-Davidson® Factory Racing put the thundering performance of its race-prepared 2024 Road Glide® motorcycle on display in a test conducted in conjunction with DORNA and MotoGP at Circuit of Barcelona-Catalunya in Montmeló, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Grand Prix motorcycle racing is the premier class of motorcycle road racing events held on road circuits sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM). MotoGP is one of the most exciting motorsport championships in the world. The race was moved to Barcelona after the disastrous flooding in the Valencia region. Harley-Davidson donated a Road Glide motorcycle to be auctioned off for MotoGP’s relief efforts.
The test was the first European track appearance of the Harley-Davidson Factory Racing Road Glide motorcycle that is raced in the U.S. Harley-Davidson Factory Racing riders Kyle Wyman and James Rispoli piloted their bikes on Monday following the MotoGP race on the 4.657 km (2.894 mi) 16-turn circuit. Additional guest riders included former MotoGP and World Superbike pilots, Simon Crafar, John Hopkins, Randy Mamola, and Marco Melandri.
“Racing is a core pillar of the Harley-Davidson brand, showcasing our commitment to performance and innovation,” said Jochen Zeitz, Chairman, President and CEO, of Harley-Davidson. “Partnering with DORNA/MotoGP, we aim to expand our racing footprint globally, fueling the passions of our customers and fans. This MotoGP Test is a pivotal step in realizing these ambitions and demonstrating our dedication to racing excellence.”
“We were riding alongside our heroes, and were able to share our body of work with people we respect so much,” said Wyman. “These are special moments, and memories I’ll not soon forget. I want to thank DORNA, Harley-Davidson and all of the staff who worked tirelessly to put on this event in the most challenging circumstances of recent events.”
Rispoli added, “What an amazing day for Harley-Davidson. To be on track at the same weekend as MotoGP was incredible. And to share this project with some legends of the sport was unreal. Their reactions after riding our bikes were priceless.”
While overcast and cool conditions prevented outright lap time attacks, Wyman and Rispoli reached measured top speeds of over 171 MPH (275 KPH) on the fastest sector of the track
.After Wyman and Rispoli warmed up the Harley-Davidson Factory Racing Road Glides, Crafar, Hopkins, Mamola, and Melandri each took sessions on the bikes and were impressed with the power and performance of the bagger racing motorcycles.
Simon Crafar: “I was just enjoying it, and trying to figure out how it works. It’s so different. It takes a lot to get your head around it. The engine is just amazing, and I really like the sound. The engine is so good. It’s unreal, and I want one as a street bike.”
John Hopkins: “Man, that was so fun. It was so good. Just getting the feeling of it. I was riding tight. But it handles so good. It’s so wild.”
Randy Mamola: “The torque is amazing, and the smoothness. This is why I’ve loved motorcycles since I was 12 years old. It’s a motorcycle. And it’s a freaking race bike. Everything is so sweet about the bike. Everything is in the right place. It stops really well. The transmission is insane, and it’s smooth. She’s just a big [bike].”
Marco Melandri: “My laps were better and better as we go. Once I tested the lean angle, I feel much better. It’s not so heavy, and not so big when you ride it. And the engine and the torque is amazing.”
The Harley-Davidson Factory Racing Road Glide competes in the U.S. in the Mission Foods King Of The Baggers series, which offers exciting road-course competition between American V-Twin touring motorcycles prepared for competition and equipped with a fairing/windscreen and saddlebags. For the 18-race season, Wyman won six races and finished on the podium fourteen times.
Harley-Davidson Factory Racing Road Glide racing motorcycles utilize a stock frame and engine cases. Weight is reduced to approximately 620 pounds (281 KG) through the use of carbon fiber bodywork and lightweight components. The motorcycles are powered by modified Screamin’ Eagle® Milwaukee-Eight® 131 Performance Crate Engines. The team bikes also feature upgraded suspension components, including Screamin’ Eagle/Öhlins Remote Reservoir Rear Shocks, plus competition intake and exhaust and Dunlop race tires.
Harley-Davidson® Factory Racing is partnered with Mission® Foods, Rockford Fosgate®, Brembo®, Öhlins®, Akrapovic®, Protolabs®, SYN3® lubricants, and Screamin’ Eagle® Performance Parts and Accessories.
