On August 30th at Willow Springs Raceway, former AMA MotoGP champ and custom motorcycle innovator Roland Sands, defeated fellow master builder Jesse Rooke, in the 2006 season premiere of Discovery Channel’s popular Biker Build Off series, scheduled for broadcast this coming August.
For the 2006 season, Biker Build Off’s producers decided to provide a twist to the program’s format, incorporating a competitive racing component that, for the first time, truly measured both the form and function of these one-of-a-kind two-wheel works of art. Sands and Rooke were pitted against each other in a two-out-of-three challenge featuring three separate events to determine an overall champion: a road race challenge, a dirt-track challenge and a classic quarter-mile drag race. When it was all said and done, the former AMA champ Sands proved victorious.
“I haven’t raced competitively since 2002, so I was excited at the opportunity to merge my passion and knowledge for racing with my passion for custom motorcycle design.” said Sands. “Jesse (Rooke) and I have been friends for quite a while, and it’s always sweeter when you can win bragging rights from a friend on national television.”
In the past, Biker Build Off’s format provided builders with only 10 days to create a one-off show-stopping custom motorcycle. Once completed, each builder’s competitive fate was placed in the hands of fans who voted to determine the winning builder at specific custom motorcycle events held around the country. The new, purely competitive format was a welcome change for Sands – a builder who’s always placed the highest priority on the performance qualities of a motorcycle. Sands was delighted at the notion of putting these custom creations to the ultimate test – racing them head-to-head and leaving no speculation about winners and losers.
“My RSD (Roland Sands Design) creations are always about making artistic form and high-performance functionality collide, so this episode provided the ultimate opportunity for me to showcase this approach to custom motorcycles,” said Sands. “My bikes are made to ride hard and push the limits of common sense. To me, that’s what motorcycles are all about, and it’s why every RSD motorcycle carries within it the heart of a race bike.”
This innovative approach to motorcycle design was underscored by industry accolades such as Sands’ winning the “Rookie of the Year” award on Discovery Channel’s “Ultimate Chop” Biker Build off season finale and awards ceremony in 2005. In addition, Sands was recently awarded the Trendsetter of the Year award by V-Twin Magazine at the 2006 Daytona Bike Week festivities.
Sands 2006 Biker Build Off entry, “No Regrets” was built in honor of long-time friend and fellow master builder Johnny Chop (chop tragically passed away last month) and represents Sands unmistakable trademark style – the collision of classic chopper and hi-tech sport bike design. The bike features a Kendall Johnson-modified Harley twin cam motor and transmission, and its trademark “chopper-turned race bike” look was achieved by a variety of components from Sands’ newly introduced RSD line of custom motorcycle kits, component parts and accessories now available through Performance Machine. The new RSD line showcases Sands’ innovative vision and is designed for motorcycle enthusiasts looking to upgrade their existing motorcycles, injecting them with the innovative design concepts born from Sands’ years and expertise as a champion professional racer.
Sands’ 2006 Biker Build-Off effort received valuable support from a strong list of industry heavyweights including Harley Davidson, Performance Machine, Alpinestar, Arai Helmets, Ohlins Suspension, Dunlop Tires, Lincoln Welders, Kendall Johnson Customs and Do All Saw.
