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Indian Motorcycle Vice President of Racing Talks About King of the Baggers Victory

About a month ago, we had the pleasure of talking to Tyler O'Hara, right before the last King of the Baggers race for 2022. At the time, he was second in the championship rankings, just three points behind Travis Wyman and his Harley-Davidson. Tyler had previously won the first exhibition event in 2020 but didn't manage to get on top of the competition in 2021. Going into the last event, he was determined to win.
Tyler O'Hara Is the 2022 King of the Baggers, Indian Challenger Reigns Supreme 21 photos
Photo: Indian Motorcycles
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The King of the Baggers championship has become an Internet phenomenon lately, with more and more people following the development of the series. Seeing those big bikes being thrown around corners at high speeds is quite spectacular, and you can't help but have massive respect for the riders involved.

When an underdog wins, they win for everybody

Going into Round 7, Tyler O'Hara had won one race for Indian and scored an additional three more podiums. The last time we spoke to him, he mentioned that the trickiest part about riding a bagger was getting comfortable with being uncomfortable.

The last event of the year was set to take place at New Jersey Motorsports Park, and you can watch the race in replay on MotoAmerica's official Youtube channel. The team over at Indian Motorcycles has also released a short after-movie, showcasing some of the highlights from this event.

With quite a bit of pressure on his shoulders, Tyler would have two more things to worry about in New Jersey. First, this kind of technical track is going to be challenging for any rider, and even more so for one that has had little time to practice on it and get accustomed to the layout.

Tyler O'Hara Is the 2022 King of the Baggers, Indian Challenger Reigns Supreme
Photo: Indian Motorcycles
Secondly, riding in the wet isn't exactly the easiest thing to do as you have to be even more careful with your riding inputs. But as we've seen in the previous story, Tyler is quite used to losing traction on a motorcycle.

You cannot swim for new horizons until you have courage to lose sight of the shore

And that skill will come in handy on a rainy day. Looking at the layout in New Jersey, the track is 2.25 miles (3.62 km) long. Going into the race, riders would have to complete a total of 7 laps, with 12 corners to go through on each one.

We recently had a chat with Mr. Gary Gray, the Vice President of Racing, Service, and Technology for Indian Motorcycle. Speaking of the King of the Baggers challenge, we realized how much work and development the company has gone through to reach this level of performance.

"Since the early 1900s, racing has been a cornerstone for the Indian Motorcycle brand. But that history isn’t just racing…it’s winning. To that point, it’s incredibly gratifying to continue that championship legacy in the modern era with our dominant flat track teams and now here in the King of the Baggers series."

Tyler O'Hara Is the 2022 King of the Baggers, Indian Challenger Reigns Supreme
Photo: Indian Motorcycles
"But it’s really important to consider how incredibly different this year was, compared to our first KOTB Championship in 2021. The series and the level of race craft put into these bikes have evolved immensely since 2021."

Every skill you acquire doubles your odds of success

"There are a lot more bikes on the grid, and our competitors are investing significant amounts of money and resources at a level that we realistically can’t come close to matching. We are also limited by rule to 112 cubic inch (1.83 liters) engines and our competitor is allowed to run 131 cubic inches (2.14 liters). So, when you consider all that we’re up against and our underdog role, it makes this Championship all the more significant and gratifying for us."

Even with such vast experience in developing motorcycles, this would still be a classic case of David versus Goliath. With Kyle and Travis Wyman starting the race from P1 and P2, Tyler was slightly further back in P4. As the track was soaking-wet, riders weren't going to be as fast as they would normally be.

But looking at how they all charged towards turn one after the start of the race, you wouldn't think that they were slow at all. Tyler managed to move up into P2, right behind Kyle Wyman. Meanwhile, his teammate, Jeremy McWilliams was fending off Travis Wyman who was now down in P4.

Tyler O'Hara Is the 2022 King of the Baggers, Indian Challenger Reigns Supreme
Photo: Indian Motorcycles
On lap 2, Tyler managed to get ahead of his opponent for a short moment. But the Harley-Davidson rider got back in the lead while braking for turn one. Meanwhile, there was more pressure being applied from the back, as Travis Wyman had overtaken Jeremy McWilliams.

If we fail to adapt, we fail to move forward

That situation was still favorable for Tyler, as he'd still be crowned champion if the race ended that way. Going into a left-hand turn, Travis lost control of his bike and immediately went off track.

Even so, Tyler kept pushing hard and even had several attempts at taking the lead. But, by the end of the race, he could only finish second overall with Kyle Wyman in first. At that point, he had managed to take down Goliath once again.

Two years of hard work had paid off, and Tyler O'Hara won the King of the Baggers title for Indian Motorcycles. With Travis and Kyle Wyman in P2 and P3, Jeremy McWilliams would finish the 2022 season in P4 overall.

Tyler O'Hara Is the 2022 King of the Baggers, Indian Challenger Reigns Supreme
Photo: Indian Motorcycles
This success was possible thanks to a joint effort of several parties, as Mr. Gray himself described: "This season, we proved that consistency wins championships, which is an incredible testament to the overall performance, consistency, and reliability of the Indian Challenger and the incredible resolve, commitment, and expertise of our riders and the entire crew at S&S Cycle."

The best way to predict the future is to invent it

"No one does it better than S&S Cycle. They built on the strengths of the stock Indian Challenger to deliver a true road racing machine, all the while navigating a variety of unforeseen twists and turns with the parameters and restrictions of the series rules, and in the end, we came out on top. On top of that, we benefit from the incredible skill, technical expertise, and competitive fire of both of our riders."

"Tyler O’Hara might be the most competitive person I’ve ever met, and when the flag drops, he can rise to a completely different level, and he proves that time and time again. And Jeremy McWilliams’ role in our success cannot be overlooked."

"Not only is he an incredible rider, but his technical knowledge and insights from his vast experience are invaluable. And of course, none of this is possible without the support from our sponsors, Mission Foods, S&S, Medallia, Drag Specialties, and Parts Unlimited."

Tyler O'Hara Is the 2022 King of the Baggers, Indian Challenger Reigns Supreme
Photo: Indian Motorcycles
"As we look ahead to the 2023 season, we’re excited to see the growth and evolution of bagger racing. The sport is continuing to build momentum and excitement amongst a wide array of motorcyclists and motorsports enthusiasts."

We will be sitting down with Tyler O'Hara for another interview soon, and more stories from the King of the Baggers will follow next. Until then, we've suddenly got the urge to try out an Indian Challenger and see what it can do for ourselves. We'll report back when that happens.

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About the author: Dragos Chitulescu
Dragos Chitulescu profile photo

The things Dragos enjoys the most in life are, in no particular order: cars, motorcycles, diecast cars, and drifting. He's seen (and driven) many vehicles since he started his writing career back in 2009, but his garage currently houses a 1991 Mazda RX-7 FC3S Turbo II and a 1999 Suzuki SV650-S.
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