Vance & Hines Taps Rider Hayden Gillim For King Of The Baggers

Taking on the big boys at Harley and Indian.

By: Dustin Wheelen

Apr 26, 2021 at 3:47pm ET

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It’s Vance & Hines against the bagger world; or at least that how it seems after Harley-Davidson cut ties with its longtime racing partner in November, 2020. Last year, the aftermarket parts brand partnered with the Motor Company to take on the S&S Indian Challenger in the 2020 King of the Baggers Invitational. Piloted by Hayden Gillim, the Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson squad took runner-up in the inaugural race.

Now, Vance & Hines will go it alone for the 2021 King of the Baggers race series. Luckily, their rider is aboard for the long haul, with Gillim returning to take on Tyler O’Hara on the S&S Indian Challenger and Kyle Wyman on the Harley-Davidson Screamin’ Eagle Road Glide Special

Despite the very public break-up, Vance & Hines is sticking with the Harley-Davidson Electra Glide as the base of its race machine. Housing the same Milwaukee-Eight 131ci (2,147cc) crate engine found in the Harley factory team’s ride, the Vance & Hines team will set its racehorse apart with a custom-mapped Fuelpak FP3 ECU tuner. The all-black steed will also benefit from Vance & Hines’ VO2 Cage Fighter intake and Stainless Hi-Output 2-into-1 exhaust.

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"Vance & Hines was born at a race track, so it's natural that we'd be in the series demonstrating the talent we have at our RDC (Racing Development Center) and the great performance products we create,” said Vance & Hines President Mike Kennedy.

With experience in , , Red Bull Rookies Cup, and World Endurance Race Association (WERA) races, Gillim is poised to avenge is second-place finish in 2020. With three races in the 2021 King of the Baggers series, Gillim will have multiple opportunities to finish on top and show that Vance & Hines can take on the big boys of the bagger world.