Indian's 2026 King of the Baggers program just got louder, and the V-twin rivalry is going to be worth watching.
What happened
Indian Motorcycle is putting real weight behind its 2026 King of the Baggers push, teaming with Vance & Hines Motorsports for a multi-year factory racing program. The effort centers on Vance & Hines-built Indian Challenger race bikes powered by Indian's PowerPlus platform, with Troy Herfoss, Hayden Gillim, and Rocco Landers listed as the new Wrecking Crew lineup.
Why riders should care
This is more than a race-team shuffle. Indian is pairing a factory bagger platform with one of the best-known names in American V-twin performance, which should keep the Indian-versus-Harley rivalry loud, technical, and worth watching all season. For riders, that matters because bagger racing keeps pulling real attention toward suspension, braking, engine development, and touring-bike performance parts.
What to watch next
The big question is how fast the new team chemistry comes together. Herfoss and Gillim bring championship credibility, Landers brings serious upside, and Daytona gives the whole program an early pressure test. If Indian starts strong, King of the Baggers could become one of the best storylines of the year for American motorcycle fans.
Primary source: Indian Motorcycle Racing
Source: MotoAmerica