Roland Sands

Roland Sands
Name	Roland Sands
Caption	Roland Sands at a motorcycle event
Birth date	1974
Birth place	Los Angeles, California, United States
Nationality	American
Occupation	Motorcycle designer, fabricator, racer, entrepreneur
Years active	1990s–present
Known for	Founder of Roland Sands Design

Roland Sands Roland Sands is an American motorcycle designer, customizer, former professional racer, and entrepreneur known for founding Roland Sands Design (RSD). He has worked across motorcycle racing, commercial design, manufacturing, and media, collaborating with major brands and appearing in international events and publications.

Early life and education

Born in Los Angeles, California, Sands grew up in Southern California amid the Southern California motorcycle subculture associated with Long Beach, California, Los Alamitos, and the wider Los Angeles County, California region. He developed early ties to motorcycle communities around Mojave Desert, Santa Monica, and the San Fernando Valley. Sands pursued formal education in design and fabrication, participating in programs and workshops linked to ArtCenter College of Design, Otis College of Art and Design, and vocational training centers connected to California State University, Long Beach and regional trade schools. He trained under mentors from established shops and teams that had affiliations with entities such as Yamaha Motor Company, Harley-Davidson Motor Company, and Suzuki Motor Corporation.

Motorcycle racing career

Sands began racing in regional circuits that included events tied to American Motorcyclist Association, AMA Pro Racing, and club-level series in California. He competed on tracks and events connected to Willow Springs International Raceway, Laguna Seca Raceway, and Buttonwillow Raceway Park, developing experience in road racing, flat track, and endurance formats. He rode for teams with technical partnerships involving Yamaha, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, and aftermarket firms like Öhlins, Brembo, and Dunlop Tire Corporation. His racing career intersected with riders and crews affiliated with Rizla Suzuki, Monster Energy, and regional privateer teams, leading to a transition from professional competition to focus on design and fabrication.

Roland Sands Design (RSD) and business ventures

Sands founded Roland Sands Design (RSD), headquartered in Long Beach, California, building a brand that straddles custom motorcycles, product lines, and licensed collaborations. RSD has executed projects and partnerships with corporations such as Harley-Davidson, Triumph Motorcycles, BMW Motorrad, Zero Motorcycles, and lifestyle brands like Pirelli, HJC Helmets, and Alpinestars. The company operates a custom shop, manufacturing facility, and design studio that has worked with suppliers including Magnum Semiconductor, Akrapovič, and Motion Pro. RSD expanded into apparel, accessories, and limited-edition components marketed through networks linked to Ebay Motors, specialty dealerships, and events organized by Daytona International Speedway and Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. The business model combined bespoke motorcycle builds with aftermarket product lines distributed via retailers such as Cycle Gear and collaborations with influencers and firms within the AIMExpo ecosystem.

Motorcycle design and customs

Sands' design philosophy integrates influences from café racer heritage, bobber tradition, and drag racing ergonomics, producing customs that reference machines from Indian Motorcycle, Triumph Bonneville, and vintage Honda CB series. His builds have showcased components and engineering solutions that utilize technology from suppliers like Brembo, Sachs, WP Suspension, and K&N Engineering. He has applied techniques informed by industrial design practices associated with IDEO, Frog Design, and materials science from firms like 3M Company and DuPont for finishes and composites. Notable RSD builds have been displayed alongside historic machines from museums such as Petersen Automotive Museum and events curated by organizations like The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering and Bonneville Salt Flats gatherings.

Media, publications, and public appearances

Sands has been featured in motorcycle and design media outlets including Cycle World, Motorcyclist (magazine), RIDEApart, Top Gear, and Esquire for design and lifestyle coverage. He produced and appeared in television and web series associated with Discovery Channel, Velocity (TV network), MotorTrend, and online platforms such as YouTube channels run by major automotive publishers. Sands has delivered talks and participated in panels at conferences and festivals connected to SXSW, Vancouver Motorcycle Show, and design symposiums hosted by Cooper Hewitt affiliates. He authored and contributed to articles and photography spreads alongside writers and photographers from Road & Track, Autoweek, and Juxtapoz.

Personal life and legacy

Sands resides in Southern California and has been active in mentoring young fabricators and designers through programs affiliated with Goodwood Festival of Speed workshops, regional vocational initiatives, and charity rides supporting organizations like Veterans of Foreign Wars and Ronald McDonald House Charities. His legacy includes influencing custom motorcycle culture, advancing a crossover between racing-derived performance and bespoke aesthetics, and fostering collaborations spanning Harley-Davidson Museum exhibits, manufacturer concept projects, and mainstream lifestyle platforms. Sands' work continues to be cited by builders, manufacturers, and media outlets across the motorcycle and design communities.

Category:American motorcycle designers Category:People from Los Angeles County, California