The idea in itself was just crazy: taking Ducati Desmosedici RR’s frightening 197 hp engine and build a dirt track bike around it. Come on, just tearing it off from where it is supposed to stay sounds like blasphemy to most people. Mr.Roland Sands, owner and founder of RSD (Roland Sands Design), knew that only too well, and yet, undeterred, he decided it could be done. Following some well-documented month of development and testing, the outstanding outcome of that crazy idea has finally arrived, and boy it is indeed a stunner: meet the Desmo Tracker by RSD.

As Mr. Sands himself admits, the making of the Desmo Tracker was no piece of cake, and we have to give him some serious credit for coming up with the jaw dropping one-off you can admire on our photo gallery and see in action in the above video. Beside the astonishing 989cc V4 engine (which has an output of 197 hp with 116 Nm of peak torque, redlines at 16,000 rpm and weighs only), the RSD team managed to maintain Desmosedici’s original frame as well, but basically everything else has been built from scratch.

Let’s not forget that the Ducati Demosedici RR completely blew away the motorcycle industry when it debuted in 2008 in as the only true street legal Moto GP race bike available to the general public. We wonder what they think of the Desmo tracker in Borgo Panigale. To find out more about the whole Desmo Tracker project, check out RSD’s official website.

View the full RSD Desmo Tracker photo gallery

via | Roland Sands Design and CycleWorld

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If you want to capture the attention at international motorcycle show like the EICMA, you have to try to stand out and that’s what Yamaha Europe decided to do by giving three well know custom builders the iconic Yamaha V-Max to modify.

Ludovic Lazereth of France, Marcus Walz of Germany and Roland Sands from the US, worked their creativity and special magic to come up with these stunning results. Check it out.

Continue reading: Lazareth, Walz and Sands hyper modify the Yamaha V-Max

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California and the suburbs of its various smaller cities, have become the haven of custom bike builders. Here we see a video of what a ‘typical’ day at Roland Sands involves: hot biker babes, cool chromed bikes and their collection (made up of both motorcycles and beautiful cars). Even the sunset cooperates in this photo shoot.

After the news that there will be a new custom motorcycle space at the 2011 EICMA show, we’re more than happy to welcome the best in US custom-built bikes on European shores - including Roland Sands and the biker girls.

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The other month we showed you the video of a Yamaha WR 450 that would be going to MotoGP rider Ben Spies, getting customized by Roland Sands Design group and now the bike that will be used for “quick runs to the grocery store” is finally finished and the above is the end result.

This special WR450F that features Yamaha GYTR accessories and other high performance accessories was also displayed at the Progressive International Motorcycle Show in Long Beach, Calif. this weekend where Spies was made a fan appearance and was presented the bike.

“Ben is a tremendous talent and this is proven by his MotoGP Rookie of the Year award,” said Roland Sands, “and we feel this design best fits his determined riding style and drive.”

“Ben joined the Yamaha family just two years ago and immediately won the First World Superbike Championship for our company,” said Bob Starr, General Manager of National Communications, “this special WR450F we are presenting to him today is a small token of our appreciation for what he has accomplished in such a short time.”

Source | rolandsandsdesign.com and superbikeplanet.com

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When Ben Spies wants a ‘fun’ and original motorcycle he turns to Roland Sands Design.

The Yamaha Tech3 rider who will be on Yamaha factory M1 next week, has ordered a street legal Yamaha WR 450 that Sands’ will be smarting it up with Ohlins suspensions, one off graphics, forged PM racing wheels, GYTR components and some of his own products.

Check out the video for a sneak preview of the bits and pieces that will be on the Texas Terror’s bike.

Source | stayontheblack.com

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We all know that Hollywood superstar Brad Pitt is a super aficionado of custom bikes and was caught cruising the streets of L.A. by the paps with this one off bike designed by custom guru Roland Sands.

Pitt’s garage may not have all the bikes that Jay Leno has, but it looks like he’s working on it. We do know that he does have at least three Ducati’s ranging from a Monster 696 to the Desmosedici RR, a couple of Confederates and a series of hot custom bikes including a Shinya Kimura café racer.

Updated: Dutch, editor of Iron Horse Magazine sent us a message saying that Brad’s bike is actually a Jesse Rooke design and made by Swift Motorcycles and it’s called “Scrambler.”

Thanks Dutch.

Source | rolandsandsdesign via motoblog

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Roland Sands, besides being a one of the great custom bike builders also likes to ride his own creations and here he is, with members of his crew having fun jumping, wheeling and doing stoppies along the LA drainage system basin, with some custom made bikes that weren’t exactly made for stunting.

We just love the narrator, a certain Pepper, who is aka the Mayor of Skid Row and the wheelie along the slanted wall is simply awesome.

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