The recent rumor then announcement that the pinnacle of motorcycle racing in the world--the MotoGP world championship, in existence since 1949, will hold exhibition Bagger races in 2026 can mean a lot of things but the shocking news surely suggests:

One could interpret this as MotoGP are out of new ideas. To introduce these ridiculous machines as part of the MotoGP weekend suggests that the Liberty Media deal to acquire MotoGP may not be as solid as some suggest. Is this the reason for MotoGP to enter into an agreement with beleaguered Harley-Davidson's CEO

Jochen Zeitz, Chairman, President and CEO, Harley-Davidson (who has resigned/retired by the way) suggests a cynical Hail Mary play to boost ticket sales and attract a new demographic: the American cruiser crowd, long ignored by prototype roadracing. In Europe. That Dorna—or Liberty Media—thinks MotoGP fans want to see 800-pound chrome barges lumber around circuits like Mugello or Phillip Island is not only tone-deaf, it borders on desperation.

It’s hard not to read this as a cultural and financial hedge. With Harley-Davidson’s U.S. market share slipping and Zeitz stepping away, both brands are searching for relevance. What better way to distract from declining core audiences and shaky revenue projections than to cross-promote? It’s spectacle over substance, a carnival sideshow stitched onto what was once the most elite form of motorcycle racing in the world.

If nothing else, the decision perhaps paints a troubling picture of what Liberty Media thinks will save MotoGP: not better racing, not closer competition, not even more races in underserved markets—but instead, gimmicks.

There was a time when MotoGP sold itself on speed, bravery, and technological wonder. Remember the team who tried to build a prototype bike from production parts and found themselves pushed out of the "prototype only" paddock in MotoGP? Knowing that and seeing Baggers on the MotoGP weekend is so wonderfully ironic it should come with a side of fringe and a Harley Owners Group patch.

When Ducati was sold to TPG in the mid-1990s and the new money and new faces took over, someone at this web site summed it up by saying that the real Ducati era was over. "It's not ours anymore." That line echoes now as MotoGP drifts further from its roots—not toward the future, but toward something unrecognizable. This isn’t evolution. It’s branding. And for those who grew up worshipping 500cc two-strokes and prototype purity, it’s hard to shake the feeling that, once again, it’s not ours anymore.

Are MotoGP's best days are behind us? Time will tell.

Regardless, I were a manufacturer racing in World Superbike I would be looking for a retirement side gig. Because if Liberty Media thinks bank-safe Baggers are the answer on the MotoGP weekend God only knows what they will come up with the moment they realize that they've purchased WSBK too. Scooter races? Side by side contests of speed? Or, better yet, races pitting scooters vs side by sides?!