2008 Iron & Lace
Below: Calendar Photographer and Show Producer Jim Gianatsis hard at work at the 2006 LA Calendar Motorcycle Show amid the Pro Builder Class bikes on Sunday afternoon with beautiful Calendar Kittens (left to right) Cora Skinner, Athena Lundburg and Tamara Witmer.
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Roland Sands and Jesse Rooke's Biker Build Off Two of the stars in this year's 2008 Iron & Lace Calendar are the sportbike themed customs which our famed Calendar bike builders Roland sands and Jesse Rooke built for Build or Bust TV, and premiered at the 2006 LA Calendar Motorcycle Show 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 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 Jesse Rook built bike featured a 950cc KTM DOHC water cooled sportbike engine in a beautiful retro board tracker design painted by Troy Lee Designs. For creativity, design and fabrication, the Rooke bike was the hands down winner. But with it's rigid rear suspension, unique Jesse Rooke Customs girder front forks, and minimal brakes, the Rooke retro bike was at a severe disadvantages when it got to the race track. Roland Sands' bike "No Regrets" came away the show's winner with its quickest times on the drag strip and around the roadrace track. And it certainly was the most practical bike for the street. You'll find detailed pictorials of the Jesse Rooke and Roland Sands Biker Build off machines in the Iron & Lace Garage. |
