2023 is going pretty well for Harley-Davidson so far. And it has just gotten better, courtesy of its dominance in the fourth round of the 2023 MotoAmerica King Of The Baggers championship. The race-ready Road Glide, with Kyle Wyman on the saddle, did the double at Road Atlanta and has taken over the points table. The 2021 KOTB world champion also set three new lap records.
Harley-Davidson Won Both Races At Road Atlanta
Harley-Davidson’s dominance began on Friday itself when Wyman set a new lap record on the 2.55-mile circuit. This, coupled with a solid launch off the line, gave the rider a commanding 2.67-second lead over his nearest rival - Tyler O Hara aboard the Indian Challenger RR - in just the fifth lap. Race 1 concluded with first place (over three seconds ahead of Indian’s racer) and another lap record for Kyle.
The second race (on Sunday) was a bit trickier, as O’Hara got the hole shot to take the lead. But Wyman kept him at arm’s length and pressured him into making a mistake. Once ahead, the factory Harley-Davidson rider eked out a 2.5-second lead to do the double ahead of O’Hara. In addition, Wyman also broke his own previous record by a sizable three-tenths and leads the championship by eight points. This was also his third consecutive MotoAmerica win after Harley’s supreme podium lockout at Daytona. In case you missed the races, head to MotoAmerica’s YouTube channel to watch them.
What Makes The Harley-Davidson Road Glide So Fast?
The Road Glide, in its stock iteration, is a highway muncher loaded with top-shelf features. But Harley’s race-prepped Road Glide is a whole different beast. It employs the Screamin’ Eagle 131ci performance crate engine (paired with a competition exhaust) and sheds over 200 pounds to tip the scale at around 640 pounds. Credit for the latter goes to the bespoke carbon fiber bodywork (even including carbon saddles) and the lack of road-legal bits. We estimate around 150 horsepower for the thumper, which, paired with the low weight, allows the bagger to breach 160mph. Pretty rampant, isn’t it?
Meanwhile, cornering prowess is courtesy of the track-spec underpinnings. Ohlins upside-down forks and Screamin’ Eagle/Ohlins remote reservoir shock absorbers are partnered with 17-inch forged wheels and a bespoke race swingarm for utmost cornering prowess, while the spruced-up ride height enables elbow-down-worthy lean angles. Oh, and if you want your Road Glide to feel this way too, many of these parts are available à la carte via Harley’s accessory catalog.