PARIS: Motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson and MotoGP announced a new global racing series on Saturday which will launch in 2026, with teams riding bagger motorcycles at Grands Prix in Europe and North America.

Riders will be given race-prepared Harley-Davidson Road Glide bagger motorcycles, which are touring-style bikes designed for long-distance riding.

The 12-race series will run at six Grands Prix on the MotoGP calendar and the grid is expected to have six to eight teams with two riders each.

鈥淭his is a bold new step for Harley-Davidson鈥檚 global racing ambitions,鈥� Harley-Davidson CEO Jochen Zeitz said in a statement.

鈥淲ith this new series, we鈥檙e excited to bring a new form of racing to the world stage.鈥�

The teams will be supported by Harley-Davidson Factory Racing.