"Motorcycles are strange, because people adopt these personas that are tied in with their particular style of motorcycle," Sands says. "Their association with that persona doesn't allow them to appreciate other styles of motorcycles. For me, I don't have a moto-persona tied to me. I don't adhere to the purist roadracing vibe anymore, and I'm not some leather-wearing chopper guy. I'm a motorcyclist. That's what it's all about. If I can make crossovers happen and open people's eyes, I'm gonna do it."
As brilliantly conceived as a bike like "No Regrets" is, Sands tells us that he's just getting started. "I don't think you've seen everything yet, not even close," he says. "People say [they've seen everything] whenever things get crazy, but there's always another direction to head off in. I'm just getting started. Now that I've got my own thing and I'm not working in the confines of PM so much anymore-oh, my God-you're going to see some sh*t." By "his own thing," Sands means his new business, Roland Sands Designs (RSD), which he is in the process of launching. RSD will do independent design work and consulting for the motorcycle industry, as well as design work outside of the industry as other opportunities arise. Sands will operate RSD on his own and out of a dedicated facility while concurrently maintaining his duties at Performance Machine.
One of RSD's first jobs is also one of the most exciting-building a one-off custom motorcycle around one of roadracing legend Kenny Roberts' Proton V5 MotoGP engines. Talk about the ultimate combination of chopper and sportbike style and technology! This wild hybrid was actually Kenny Roberts' idea-he had seen Sands' first Biker Build-Off episode and his "Glory Stomper" custom, which gave him the idea of commissioning Sands to build a custom bike around one of his 195-hp, four-stroke, V5 MotoGP engines. Roberts delivered to Sands one V5 motor to use for the custom, plus a complete Proton MotoGP racebike for Sands to blast around the LaPalma drainage causeways "just for inspiration."
"Like an MV Agusta but with one more cylinder and 5000 more revs" is how Sands describes riding the Proton race bike.
Sands hit the drawing board and came up with a wild concept for Roberts that was inspired by '20s board-track racers (the original sportbikes) and utilized inverted forks and other signature sportbike and MotoGP race bike cues to create a radical custom motorcycle utterly unlike any ever seen before. Although the bike was still in the fabrication stages when this issue went to press (as you can see from the photos), Sands did provide us with a top-secret concept drawing of what the bike would look like when it's done. "The Proton custom is such a cool opportunity to do something totally different-something that's never been done before," Sands says. "It's just going to tweak people, especially these MotoGP purists. Getting this bike done is going to be huge for me." Sands says that the 195-hp, 300-pound special will be a fully functioning bike, too, and he's even thinking about trying to set a land speed record on it. "Think I could hold onto it at 200 mph without a fairing?" he asks. For Sands, there is no such thing as a rhetorical question.
Many of Sands' plans for RSD are more realistic. "I'd like to do some crazy-ass bike kits," he tells us. "For instance, take the V-Rod, put a twist on it, and then sell it as a kit afterwards." He's also thinking about some sportbike-based kits, rolling-chassis kits that utilize a readily available inline four powerplant. "I'd build a frame for the Gixxer motor, or whatever the most-crashed sportbike is-maybe a frame that accepts a couple different motors with some different brackets... It would be a totally plug-and-play option, though-just put in the motor and go. Guys could have a 160-hp, totally badass little chopper for just a few hours of work."
Sands says that the motorcycle world is ready for more bikes like this, especially the younger riders who are coming into custom bikes from the traditional sportbike world. "Kids don't care what kind of bike it is; it doesn't have to be a Harley to be OK to them," Sands says. "They just want to go fast and look cool." As long as those kids keep coming up, Sands will be right there to push them along. "I see it as the natural progression of custom building," he says. "What I'm doing is trying to push it, take it out of the Harley realm and make custom bike building something people realize they can do with any kind of motorcycle. Just pushing it."