Indian Motorcycles partners with Vance & Hines Motorsport for 2026 King of the Baggers

Indian Motorcycle announced a multi-year agreement with Vance & Hines Motorsport to field bikes in MotoAmerica's King of the Bagger series. They will field bikes for Troy Herfoss (2024 series champion), Hayden Gillim (2023 champion), and Rocco Landers.

The factory team will have support from J&P Cycles, MOTUL, Progressive Insurance, Drag Specialties, and Performance Finance.

America's oldest motorcycle company's partnership with Vance & Hines will produce race ready Indian Challengers powered by its PowerPlus engine as the three-rider team sets out on its goal of winning the 2026 Baggers championship. The season begins March 5-7, 2026 at Daytona International Speedway as part of Bike Week.

“Indian Motorcycle is entering a new era in its historic journey in 2026, and the first place we plan to prove it is on the racetrack," said Mike Kennedy, Indian Motorcycle CEO. "This partnership is a reminder of what American performance looks like when you refuse to back down. As the leading aftermarket supplier for V-Twin performance, with nearly 50 years of innovation and racing success, Vance & Hines is the ideal partner to drive the next era of Indian Motorcycle racing, and we couldn’t be more excited to get started."

The partnership represents nearly 150 years of combined racing history and success. Indian Motorcycle was founded in 1901 and immediately established itself through racing. That legacy has been carried forward by the brand for more than a century.

Since 1979, Vance & Hines has carved a racing legacy of its own, managing successful race programs and capturing championships in road racing, flat track, and drag racing for Ducati, Suzuki, Yamaha, and Harley-Davidson.

"Indian Motorcycle is legendary; a brand built through racing, and over the past decade it’s been a fierce competitor that has pushed us to innovate both on and off the track,” said Terry Vance, Co-Founder & Owner of Vance & Hines Motorsports. "Right out of the box, the Indian Challenger, and its liquid-cooled PowerPlus engine bring a high-performance, reliable machine that’s capable of winning every time it lines up on the grid. Having witnessed its capabilities since the inception of the class, we’re thrilled to continue the development of this dynamic platform in partnership with Indian Motorcycle, as we push for another MotoAmerica King of the Baggers championship in 2026."

The Indian Challenger has won half of the King of the Baggers championships since the series launched in 2020.

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