Indian Racers Set for Goodwood Festival of Speed
Jeremy McWilliams set to ride ‘King of the Baggers’ Indian Challenger RR up the famous Goodwood Festival of Speed hillclimb
Indian’s thundering ‘King of the Baggers’ racer, the Challenger RR is set to be one of the unlikely stars of next week’s Goodwood Festival of Speed when British race star and Indian factory rider Jeremy McWilliams blasts the big twin up famous hill.
And the big bagger won’t be the only Indian racer at the prestigious event as the American firm will also be displaying its FTR750 dirt tracker.
The Challenger RR is making its Goodwood debut and will provide a rare opportunity for fans outside America to witness a full-factory race Bagger in action.
Created to celebrate winning the 2022 King of the Baggers championship crown after first winning the bonkers race series in 2020, Indian collaborated with S&S Cycle to build just 29 Challenger RR customer bikes, each hand-crafted and with its big ‘PowerPlus’ V-twin race-tuned to the same spec and setup as Tyler O’Hara’s #29 title-winning machine.
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The RR will be ridden at Goodwood by veteran Ulster racer, former GP500 contender and Indian teammate to O’Hara, Jeremy McWilliams.
The FTR750 dirt tracker, meanwhile, returns to Goodwood after making its first appearance at the event in 2018. The clean sheet design remains the dominant force in American Flat Track racing, was developed in-house by Indian Motorcycle Racing engineering and design teams and features a high-performance 750cc V-twin engine, unique, ultra-light steel frame, large centrally located airbox and lightweight carbon fibre bodywork.
Since its race debut in 2017, which also marked revived Indian’s official return to flat track racing, the FTR750 has won seven consecutive American Flat Track SuperTwins Championship titles in the process carrying Jared Mees, to a record-equalling ninth championship.
Renowned as one of the globe’s largest celebrations of two and four-wheeled motorsport culture, the prestigious and star-studded Festival of Speed takes place at Goodwood House, near Chichester, West Sussex from July 11-14.
A vastly-experienced motorcycle journalist and bike tester, Phil West is also an ex-Executive Editor of MCN, former Editor of Bike and What Bike?, author of numerous motorcycle books and has ridden virtually every bike of the last 30 years.
