Harley-Davidson has had a crisp start to their 120th year so far. They made headlines with the new-for-2023 Breakout in January and recently launched the much-awaited X 350 roadster to take on the entry-level segment. Now, there’s even more good news for HD fans, as Harley-Davidson has dominated the iconic Daytona Speedway in the latest MotoAmerica King Of The Baggers race.

Harley-Davidson Wins MotoAmerica King Of The Baggers Race At Daytona Speedway

The weekend highlight was Kyle Wyman’s win in the second race where he led from the get-go and finished with an assertive 8.03-second lead over his rivals. What made his victory even sweeter was the freight train of Harley-Davidson Road Glides behind him that locked out the four places behind him. Not just that, Wyman also showed the race-prepped Road Glide's mettle by setting a new lap record - 1m 50.56s - at the Speedway (in this class).

In addition, Harley-Davidson locked down the first three positions in the King Of The Baggers championship standings, albeit with non-factory riders James Rispoli, Hayden Gillim, and Cory West. The closest non-Harley rider is two-time championship winner Tyler O’Hara in fifth. We hope this is good enough for Harley-Davidson to take home this year’s KOTB championship–after all, Indian Motorcycles has won the title twice, and it’s time a new player hops in to stir some drama.

Race-Prepped Road Glide Limited Is Ripe With Top-Shelf Bells And Whistles

With so many Harley riders performing well, much of the credit must go to the race-prepped Harley-Davidson bagger (almost like the dominance of the Ducati GP22 in MotoGP). Built around the Road Glide Limited, the race bike bids adieu to its hefty bodywork and switches to a carbon fiber construction. It plays a huge role in the motorcycle’s 640-pound curb weight–an over 200-pound deficit from the stock Road Glide’s 850+ pound heft.

Credit here also goes to the trick underpinnings. The KOTB racer rolls on 17-inch forged wheels paired with a bespoke race-only swingarm, instead of the stock 18-inch alloys. Likewise, the covered telescopic forks and shocks have made way for top-of-the-line Öhlins upside-down units and piggyback shocks (both fully adjustable). The suspension also aids in increasing the ride height (and ground clearance) to improve the cornering abilities of the highway muncher.

Finally, at heart, the race-ready Road Glide is powered by Harley-Davidson’s 131ci (2,146cc) crate engine. Of course, the power output remains unknown, but Harley hints at upwards of 150 ponies and 150 pound-feet, which we’re happy to believe. The free-flow exhaust, special carbon fiber intake, and performance air filter also contribute to the jump in performance. For reference, the stock Harley-Davidson Road Glide employs a Milwaukee Eight 114ci engine with 87 horsepower.