10/01/2026
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
⸻
Saddlemen Announces Full Focus on the FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup; Thanks, MotoAmerica for Six Seasons of Partnership
After competing in MotoAmerica’s King of the Baggers since the series’ very first race in 2020, Saddlemen Race Development will direct its undivided attention to the new global FIM-sanctioned Bagger World Cup
Long Beach, CA — October 1st, 2026 — Saddlemen Corporation, the leader in motorcycle seating comfort and creator of the Gel-Core™ technology platform, today announced that Saddlemen Race Development will focus its undivided attention on the FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup, the new global championship for V-Twin bagger road racing co-developed by Harley-Davidson, MotoGP™ (Dorna Sports), and the FIM.
The decision follows six full seasons of competition in MotoAmerica’s Mission King of the Baggers series, where Saddlemen Race Development has been a fixture since the very first King of the Baggers race held at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in 2020. Saddlemen’s 2026 domestic program fielded riders Cory West, Jake Lewis, and James Rispoli aboard Saddlemen Drag Specialties Harley-Davidson Road Glide Limited motorcycles in King of the Baggers, alongside a championship-caliber Super Hooligan effort on the Harley-Davidson Pan America ST.
“Racing has always been our proving ground — it’s how we test, refine, and validate the products our customers ride every day,” said David Echert, CEO of Saddlemen Corporation. “The Bagger World Cup puts bagger racing on the world stage, alongside MotoGP and in front of a global audience. That is where Saddlemen belongs, and it is where we will focus all of our racing energy going forward.”
Gratitude to MotoAmerica
Saddlemen extends its sincere thanks to MotoAmerica and everyone involved with the Mission King of the Baggers series for six seasons of exceptional support, professionalism, and partnership.
“MotoAmerica believed in bagger racing when it was an idea, and they built it into one of the most exciting championships in American motorsport,” Echert continued. “We were on the grid for the first race at Laguna Seca in 2020, and everything we’ve learned competing in King of the Baggers — as a team and as a product company — we carry with us to the world stage. We are grateful for every round, every competitor, and every fan who made the series what it is.”
The Road Ahead: Global Bagger Racing
The FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup expands bagger road racing from a domestic championship to a international, double-header global series run in conjunction with select MotoGP Grand Prix weekends, with international television and streaming coverage through MotoGP’s broadcast partners. The series uses the same stock-frame, approved-parts technical foundation as King of the Baggers, allowing teams to carry over their hard-won development knowledge.
Saddlemen Race Development’s program for the Bagger World Cup — including rider lineup, machine details, and team partners — will be announced separately.
Racing remains central to Saddlemen’s product development strategy. Competition at the highest level provides the real-world feedback that has produced innovations like the Gel-Core™ comfort platform and the Performance Carbon Fiber product line, developed side by side with the team’s racing carbon fiber program.
About Saddlemen Corporation
Saddlemen is a leading American manufacturer of motorcycle seats, luggage, and styling products, best known as the “Gel Seat Experts.” From its proprietary Gel-Core™ and Ultra-Foam™ comfort technologies to its U.S.-based manufacturing, Saddlemen designs products for riders who demand all-day comfort and distinctive style. Saddlemen Race Development, the company’s racing arm, has competed in professional road racing, flat track, and land-speed competitions, using racing as a real-world laboratory for product development.
Media Contact:
Ryan Cost
Media & Sponsor Relations
Saddlemen Corporation
[email protected] | 310-638-1222
