Roland Sands
Encyclopedia
Roland Sands is the 1998 AMA
250GP National Champion road racer, an award-winning designer for Performance Machine, and owner and founder of Roland Sands Design.
. He began his life with the upbringing and diverse experience in the motorcycle
industry. His first motorcycle was a RM 50 dirt bike, given to him on his 5th birthday, to which, after just minutes of riding, he broke a bone, but fell in love with it anyway. He literally grew up in the Performance Machine shop, and started working there at age 14 sweeping floors. Quickly moving up to assembly, sanding polishing, wheel designing, eventually working his way as Director of R&D and Design at Performance Machine. In 2005, after the tremendous success Sands found on Discovery Channel
's Biker Build-Off
vs. Arlen Ness
, Sands founded Roland Sands Design. RSD designs concept motorcycle parts and accessories and builds custom motorcycles. RSD works with major motorcycle manufacturers to design concept and prototype motorcycles and promote benchmark product in the motorcycle industry and beyond. Sands’ designs are described as being a mixture of sport bike
and chopper
influences to create the ultimate custom bikes.
career, from 1994 to 2002, Sands gained 10 wins to his reputation. At the age of 19, Sands’ father sent him to Keith Code
’s California Superbike School, and from that day on, road racing became his passion. His first race bike was a Yamaha
TZ250, a purpose-built, two stroke racing machine. Winning his first novice 250GP race at Willow Springs Raceway in California
, Sands enjoyed a nine-year professional racing career at the top of the AMA 250GP ranks, including a national championship in 1998. In 2000, after winning a few races stateside, Sands did a stint in the British Super Cup series on a factory Honda
. Sands still currently holds four track records including Daytona
, Sears Point
, and Laguna Seca. Although enjoying his racing career, bodily injuries caused by racing accidents were taking the best of his competitive drive. Sands decided to broaden his career in custom motorcycle design and building, to which he had already mechanical and fabrication skills from building race bikes during his racing years.
In 2004, designer Chip Foose
awarded Sands with the Award of Design Excellence for his design on the motorcycle 'The Hard Way'. In 2005, he was honored by his peers, who voted him Rookie of the Year on the Discovery Channel
Biker Build-Off
award show. Since his first television appearance on Biker Build-Off, he’s been featured on ESPN2
’s Chopper Nation and Super Bikes, Speed Channel
's American Thunder
and Build or Bust, and recently crowned champion of Biker Build-Off in 2006 against Jesse Rooke.
American Motorcyclist Association
The American Motorcyclist Association is an American not-for-profit organization of more than 300,000 motorcyclists that organizes numerous motorcycling activities and campaigns for motorcyclists' legal rights...
250GP National Champion road racer, an award-winning designer for Performance Machine, and owner and founder of Roland Sands Design.
Background
Sands is from Long Beach, CaliforniaLong Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
. He began his life with the upbringing and diverse experience in the motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
industry. His first motorcycle was a RM 50 dirt bike, given to him on his 5th birthday, to which, after just minutes of riding, he broke a bone, but fell in love with it anyway. He literally grew up in the Performance Machine shop, and started working there at age 14 sweeping floors. Quickly moving up to assembly, sanding polishing, wheel designing, eventually working his way as Director of R&D and Design at Performance Machine. In 2005, after the tremendous success Sands found on Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel is an American satellite and cable specialty channel , founded by John Hendricks and distributed by Discovery Communications. It is a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav...
's Biker Build-Off
Biker Build-Off
Biker Build-Off is a reality television series for the Discovery Channel. Created and narrated by Thom Beers, the series was originally conceived as a single special called The Great Biker Build-Off...
vs. Arlen Ness
Arlen Ness
Arlen Ness is an American entrepreneur and motorcyclist, who is best known for his customized choppers and hot rods. Ness is internationally recognized as a master builder.- Career :...
, Sands founded Roland Sands Design. RSD designs concept motorcycle parts and accessories and builds custom motorcycles. RSD works with major motorcycle manufacturers to design concept and prototype motorcycles and promote benchmark product in the motorcycle industry and beyond. Sands’ designs are described as being a mixture of sport bike
Sport bike
A sport bike, also written as sportbike, is a motorcycle optimized for speed, acceleration, braking, and cornering on paved roads, typically at the expense of comfort and fuel economy in comparison to less specialized motorcycles...
and chopper
Chopper
Chopper may refer to:* Helicopter* AK-47 as used in street slang/rap lyrics. Prolific in New Orleans rap, where the city is known as "Chopper City"* Attacking Chopper, the table tennis style* Thompson submachine gun...
influences to create the ultimate custom bikes.
Pro racing career
During Sands’ professional racingRacing
A sport race is a competition of speed, against an objective criterion, usually a clock or to a specific point. The competitors in a race try to complete a given task in the shortest amount of time...
career, from 1994 to 2002, Sands gained 10 wins to his reputation. At the age of 19, Sands’ father sent him to Keith Code
Keith Code
Keith Code is a former motorcycle racer,writer, and founder of the California Superbike School.He has been called "arguably the best known and most successful on-track motorcycle instructor in the world".-Rider training:...
’s California Superbike School, and from that day on, road racing became his passion. His first race bike was a Yamaha
Yamaha
Yamaha may refer to:* Yamaha Corporation, a Japanese company with a wide range of products and services** Yamaha Motor Company, a Japanese motorized vehicle-producing company...
TZ250, a purpose-built, two stroke racing machine. Winning his first novice 250GP race at Willow Springs Raceway in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, Sands enjoyed a nine-year professional racing career at the top of the AMA 250GP ranks, including a national championship in 1998. In 2000, after winning a few races stateside, Sands did a stint in the British Super Cup series on a factory Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
. Sands still currently holds four track records including Daytona
Daytona
Daytona may refer to:* Daytona Beach, Florida* Daytona Beach Shores, Florida* South Daytona, Florida-Motor racing:* Daytona Beach Road Course* Daytona International Speedway, a NASCAR speedway, which hosts:** the Daytona 500 NASCAR race...
, Sears Point
Infineon Raceway
Infineon Raceway, formerly Sears Point Raceway, is a road course and drag strip located on the landform known as Sears Point in the southern Sonoma Mountains near Sonoma, California, USA. The course is a complex series of twists and turns that go up and down the hills...
, and Laguna Seca. Although enjoying his racing career, bodily injuries caused by racing accidents were taking the best of his competitive drive. Sands decided to broaden his career in custom motorcycle design and building, to which he had already mechanical and fabrication skills from building race bikes during his racing years.
In 2004, designer Chip Foose
Chip Foose
Chip Foose is a hot rod shop owner, automotive designer and fabricator, and former star of the reality TV series Overhaulin on TLC.-Life and career:...
awarded Sands with the Award of Design Excellence for his design on the motorcycle 'The Hard Way'. In 2005, he was honored by his peers, who voted him Rookie of the Year on the Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel is an American satellite and cable specialty channel , founded by John Hendricks and distributed by Discovery Communications. It is a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav...
Biker Build-Off
Biker Build-Off
Biker Build-Off is a reality television series for the Discovery Channel. Created and narrated by Thom Beers, the series was originally conceived as a single special called The Great Biker Build-Off...
award show. Since his first television appearance on Biker Build-Off, he’s been featured on ESPN2
ESPN2
ESPN2 is an American sports cable television network owned by ESPN. The channel debuted on October 1, 1993.Originally nicknamed "the deuce," ESPN2 was initially branded as a network for a younger generation of sports fans featuring edgier graphics as well as extreme sports like motocross,...
’s Chopper Nation and Super Bikes, Speed Channel
SPEED Channel
Speed , is a cable and satellite television network broadcast to various parts of North America, but primarily the United States...
's American Thunder
American thunder
American Thunder is a weekly television show on the Speed focusing on American V-twin choppers, including the bikes, parts, lifestyle and culture. The long time host of American Thunder was Michele Smith. The show has recently been revised with new hosts....
and Build or Bust, and recently crowned champion of Biker Build-Off in 2006 against Jesse Rooke.
Awards and accomplishments
- AMA 250 GP Champion 1998
- V-Twin Wheel Design of the Year 2002
- V-Twin Control Design of the Year 2004
- V-Twin Wheel Design of the Year 2004
- Chip FooseChip FooseChip Foose is a hot rod shop owner, automotive designer and fabricator, and former star of the reality TV series Overhaulin on TLC.-Life and career:...
Design of Excellence Award, SturgisSturgisSturgis is a surname of Norman origin, shortened form of FitzTurgis "son of" "Turgis" from the Old Norse Þórgísl It may refer to:-People:...
, 2004 - Modified Harley Class at the World Championship of Custom Bike Building 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place in 2005
- V-Twin Award Trendsetter of the Year, DaytonaDaytonaDaytona may refer to:* Daytona Beach, Florida* Daytona Beach Shores, Florida* South Daytona, Florida-Motor racing:* Daytona Beach Road Course* Daytona International Speedway, a NASCAR speedway, which hosts:** the Daytona 500 NASCAR race...
, 2005 - Discovery ChannelDiscovery ChannelDiscovery Channel is an American satellite and cable specialty channel , founded by John Hendricks and distributed by Discovery Communications. It is a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav...
’s Ultimate Chop Biker Build-OffBiker Build-OffBiker Build-Off is a reality television series for the Discovery Channel. Created and narrated by Thom Beers, the series was originally conceived as a single special called The Great Biker Build-Off...
Season Finale and Awards Ceremony Rookie of the Year 2005 - V-Twin Award Trendsetter of the year, Daytona, 2005
- Discovery ChannelDiscovery ChannelDiscovery Channel is an American satellite and cable specialty channel , founded by John Hendricks and distributed by Discovery Communications. It is a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav...
’s Biker Build-OffBiker Build-OffBiker Build-Off is a reality television series for the Discovery Channel. Created and narrated by Thom Beers, the series was originally conceived as a single special called The Great Biker Build-Off...
Champion for Sands vs. Rooke episode 1, 2006
Covers
- Xtreme Bikes (SpainSpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
), Issue No. 20 - Freeway Magazine (FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
), May 2005 - Sport Bike (U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
), 2006 Issue - Wild Motorcycles (FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
), June 2006 - Barnett’s (U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
), September 2006 - Bike Works (U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
), September 2006 - Xtreme Bike (SpainSpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
), Issue No. 22 - Superstreet Bikes (U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
), October 2006 - Performance Bikes (UK[), October 2006
- American Iron (U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
), September 2011
Articles
- Hot Rod Bikes (U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) Feb. 2003: The Racer’s Edge: Roland Sand’s Builds his First American Custom - Freeway Magazine (FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
) Feb. 2003 Rolling with the Homies: V-Rod Motorcycle Performance Machine’s Roland Sands Designs Whiskey Tang No. 10 Team PM Family Affair: Perry and Roland - V-Twin Motorcycles (U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) Sept. 2003 Performance Machine Master Builder Triple Threat Talents - Wild Motorcycles (FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
) April 2004 The Hard Way 70 : PM raises the bar with Roland’s new V-ROD Like Father, Like Son: Perry and Roland Sands Interview - Hot Bike 2005 Calendar January: The Hard Way 70
- Freeway Magazine (FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
) May 2005: Daytona Hard Rock El Grande Moco from Sands - Orange County Register – Sept. 2005: Architect in Motion
- Barnett’s (U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) Aug./Sept 2005 Laughlin River Run: El Grande Moco - Harley Davidson’s Dream Machine (GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
) Sept. 2005: Performance Machine’s Roland Sands #35 V-Rod and Street Rod Specials - Robb Report Motorcycling (U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) Nov./Dec. 2005 Green Machine: Roland Sands builds for both style and Substance the Grande Moco - Xtreme Bikes (SpainSpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
) No. 20 Roland Sands’ The Glory Stomper - Playboy Magazine (U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) March 2006 On the Scene: Custom official Roland Sands is fueling next generation of custom motorcycles - Biker Journalen (NorwayNorwayNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
) No. 3 2006 Roland Sands Biker Build-Off: The Glory Stomper - McNytt (DenmarkDenmarkDenmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
) May 2006 Back to Nature: RSD’s the Grunt - Cycle News (U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) Issue #19 May 17, 2006 Build or Bust: Roland Sands’ No Regrets - Wild Motorcycles (FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
) June 2006 Wild Wheels: RSD’s Grunt - Easyriders (U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) 35th Anniversary Special June 2006 Something Different from Roland Sands: The Art of Function, the Glory Stomper - Motociclismo (SpainSpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
) Aug. 2006 El Grande Moco - Cycle News (U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) August 9, 2006: Sands Gets His Hands on MotoGP Engine…Watch Out! - Freeway (FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
) Aug. 2006: The Roland Sands Story: Street Warrior Grunt, the RSD Grunt Roland Sands Performance Superboy The Glory Stomper El Burracho - Sport Bike (U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) 2006 Issue: Roland Sands’ New Blood HayabU.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
‘BU.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
’s baby! Speed Dating: A ‘BU.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Bunny Tale - MotorRad (GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
) August 18, 2006: Intro News: RSD KRV5 Tracker - Wild Magazine (FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
) Sept. 2006: RSD’s KRV5 Tracker RSD’s No Regrets - V-Twin News (U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) Sept. 2006: RSD Vintage Cover Line - Performance Bike (JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
) Performance Machine PM’s Roland Sands - Bike Works (U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) Sept. 2006: Biker Build Off Race: Roland Sands vs. Jesse Rooke Roland Sands vs. Jesse Rooke at Willow Springs Raceway - Barnett’s (U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) Sept. 2006 Roland Sands Interview - Super Street Bike (U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) Oct. 2006: Biker Build-Off Winner: Roland Sands New World Order - Performance Bikes (UK) Oct. 2006: Roland Sands’ Radical 2-litre Harley Racer U.S. Bike-building Genius Injects some West Coast attitude into Goodwood: No Regrets
- Hot Bike (U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) Vol. 38 No. 12 Oct. 24, 2006 Custom Looks, Reliability, and Good Manners: Roland Sands comes up another winner ‘The Vintage Kit’
Television appearances
- Discovery ChannelDiscovery ChannelDiscovery Channel is an American satellite and cable specialty channel , founded by John Hendricks and distributed by Discovery Communications. It is a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav...
’s Biker Build-OffBiker Build-OffBiker Build-Off is a reality television series for the Discovery Channel. Created and narrated by Thom Beers, the series was originally conceived as a single special called The Great Biker Build-Off...
: Chop Off finale September 4, 2006 - Discovery ChannelDiscovery ChannelDiscovery Channel is an American satellite and cable specialty channel , founded by John Hendricks and distributed by Discovery Communications. It is a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav...
’s Biker Build-OffBiker Build-OffBiker Build-Off is a reality television series for the Discovery Channel. Created and narrated by Thom Beers, the series was originally conceived as a single special called The Great Biker Build-Off...
: two episodes, 2005 - ESPN2ESPN2ESPN2 is an American sports cable television network owned by ESPN. The channel debuted on October 1, 1993.Originally nicknamed "the deuce," ESPN2 was initially branded as a network for a younger generation of sports fans featuring edgier graphics as well as extreme sports like motocross,...
’s SuperBikes : one episode, 2006 - ESPN2ESPN2ESPN2 is an American sports cable television network owned by ESPN. The channel debuted on October 1, 1993.Originally nicknamed "the deuce," ESPN2 was initially branded as a network for a younger generation of sports fans featuring edgier graphics as well as extreme sports like motocross,...
’s Chopper Nation : two episodes, 2005 - Speed ChannelSPEED ChannelSpeed , is a cable and satellite television network broadcast to various parts of North America, but primarily the United States...
’s American ThunderAmerican thunderAmerican Thunder is a weekly television show on the Speed focusing on American V-twin choppers, including the bikes, parts, lifestyle and culture. The long time host of American Thunder was Michele Smith. The show has recently been revised with new hosts....
: ten episodes, 2004, 2005, 2006 - Speed ChannelSPEED ChannelSpeed , is a cable and satellite television network broadcast to various parts of North America, but primarily the United States...
’s Build or Bust : three episodes, 2005 - MTVMTVMTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
's Nitro CircusNitro CircusNitro Circus is an American television series that featured Travis Pastrana and his friends traveling around the world riding dirtbikes, base jumping, and performing reckless stunts. It was originally run as a miniseries in 2006 on Fuel TV. In January 2009, it began running as an episodic reality...
: One Episode, 2009