NOW IN OUR
35th! YEAR
SIGNATURE SERIES
NOW IN OUR
35th! YEAR
™
AWARD WINNING VOICE OF THE GLOBAL V- TWIN CUSTOM PARTS, PERFORMANCE AND ACCESSORY INDUSTRY
Harley-Davidson FIM Bagger World Cup- Archie McDonald Celebrated as the First Champion
Archie McDonald( Joe Rascal Racing, Melbourne, Australia) has made history as the first-ever FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup Champion, bringing the inaugural season to a close after a dramatic final race at the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring, Spielberg on September 20, 2026. The title fight went down to the final race after Oscar Gutiérrez( Niti Racing, Indonesia) claimed an authoritative Race 1 victory on the Saturday, ahead of McDonald and James Rispoli( Joe Rascal Racing). With championship rivals Eric Granado( Joe Rascal Racing) and Andrea Iannone( Niti Racing) both retiring, McDonald rode a smart and controlled race to finish second and take a 21- point advantage over Gutiérrez into the Sunday finale. In Race 2 on Sunday 20th, Granado made a strong start, took the lead and never looked back, controlling the race from the front to claim his second victory of the season. Gutiérrez finished second, with Kyle Wyman( Wegner Automotive x KWR) completing the podium in third. McDonald crossed the line in eighth place, scoring the points he needed to secure the inaugural championship.
The result crowned McDonald as the inaugural Champion with 202 points, just nine ahead of Gutiérrez with 193 points, while Granado completed the championship podium only one point further back with 192 points. Young, ambitious and spectacular to watch, McDonald combined outright speed with remarkable consistency throughout a demanding inaugural season. The Australian claimed two race victories and one pole position, while establishing himself as a regular presence at the front. His campaign was not without setbacks, including a significant crash at Assen, but he repeatedly responded with the resilience and determination of a title contender. As the season progressed, his approach became increasingly mature, balancing his natural aggression with intelligent championship management- an approach he demonstrated perfectly in Austria, managing his race to finish second in Race 1 before bringing the motorcycle home safely in eighth place in Race 2. McDonald said of his win " this has been such an emotional season. After winning the opening race and, weeks later, seeing my brother pass away, it ' s nothing I ever thought I ' d experience.
Continues on page 8 >>>
OCT 2026
ISSUE # 327
FREE WITH ISSUE
Center Special
SIGNATURE SERIES
MV AGUSTA
Pages 18-26
FREEDOM FOR TWO BROTHERS