Archie McDonald has become the first FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup champion after a title battle that remained unresolved until the final race at Austria’s Red Bull Ring. The Joe Rascal Racing rider ended the season with 202 points, nine ahead of Oscar Gutierrez. Teammate Eric Granado completed the championship podium on 192 points.

The championship was still wide open before the finale. McDonald held only a seven-point advantage over Granado, while Niti Racing riders Gutierrez and Andrea Iannone were also close enough to matter. Gutierrez won Race 1 for his fourth victory of the season, with McDonald taking second just over eight tenths behind. Wildcard James Rispoli finished third.

The decisive incident happened behind the leading pair. Iannone made an aggressive move on Granado, and both riders were sent through the gravel and out of contention. That left McDonald with a 21-point margin over Gutierrez going into Race 2. A points finish was enough to clinch the crown, and McDonald managed exactly that by bringing his Harley-Davidson Road Glide home in eighth place.

A season built on consistency

Granado salvaged the weekend with victory in Race 2, ahead of Gutierrez and Kyle Wyman. McDonald’s campaign included two wins, at COTA and Silverstone, nine podiums and one pole position. He also returned from a heavy crash at Assen. Gutierrez led the series in race wins with four, while Granado claimed four poles and matched McDonald’s total of two victories.

The title also had a deeply personal meaning for McDonald. He dedicated it to his brother Toby, whom he lost a few weeks after winning the season opener. The inaugural season featured five different race winners, and every team reached the podium at least once, giving the new championship a notably broad spread of success.

Jeffrey Schuessler, Harley-Davidson’s Director of Global Racing Programs, told Motorcycle.com that the series is still at an early stage. Schuessler said Harley-Davidson wants to expand the FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup with more teams, riders and races, while taking it into new markets. The stated aim is also to give dealers, H.O.G. members and racing fans more ways to take part.

The final top five

  • 1. Archie McDonald — Joe Rascal Racing — 202 points
  • 2. Oscar Gutierrez — Niti Racing — 193 points
  • 3. Eric Granado — Joe Rascal Racing — 192 points
  • 4. Andrea Iannone — Niti Racing — 157 points
  • 5. Jake Lewis — Saddlemen Racing — 117 points