Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1542393
HapP cnings in MotoFcgctin F$PLU Build or Bust Two o{ the top up-and-coming talents in the custom-bike world, Roland Sands and Jesse Rooke, faced ofl in the latest editioo of Discovery Channel's Biker Build-Off, with Sands cominS out victorious after a three-race showdown at Willow Springs. The show faces two of the world's top custom-bike builders against each other, 8ivin8 each only l0 days to build their creation from the ground up while beinS followed eveD/ step of the way by a Discovery Channel film crew. Whereas the show is usually iudged on look alone, Discovery Channel put a new twist on thinSs this go around. Because both Sands and Rooke have extensive racing backgrounds - Sands on a motorcycle and Rooke in go-karts - they decided to have each builder race their bikes against each other in three differ- ent disciplines to determine the overallwinner- Race one was around Willows SPrings lnternational Race- way's road course; race two \Mas a flat-tmck_style event on a dirt ovali and race three was at the draS strip, with the com- bined results giving the overall chamPion. Sands showed up with a more traditional KendallJohnson- massaged Harley Twin Cam motor and transmission frtted with full ohlins suspension front and rear, and connected to a chas- sis of his own design. Sands creation was painted by Airtrix and featured dual-disk brakes with performance machine calipers, and lO-spoke sportbike-style wheels wrapPed with Dunlop tires. Rooke, on the other hand, went a sliShtly different direction, mating a liquid-cooled KTM 950 LC8 V-Twin engine into his own chassis, which was a hardtail design and featured an odd cantileyer front-end. Rooke's cre- ation was sprayed by Troy Lee DesiSns and featured a handmade FMF exhaust, motocross-style handlebars, a single-disk front brake, and spoke-q/Pe wheels shod with Dunlop rubber Former AMA 250 GP champion Sands used his previous road-race exfrerience to his advantage to take the road course win with ease. Rooke fought back on the dirt oval, coming out on top after Sands suffered a mechanical. This set the stage for a final round showdown at the drag striP. And it was the Harley-powered creation of Sands' that once aSain carne out on top, leaving Rooke in the dust and Siving Sands the overall Biker Build-Off win. The win held true to Sands motto of being able to build a custom bike that performs as well as it looks. "With all of my bikes, especially my latest creation, I am intent on Provin8 to a skeptical market that a custom bike can perform as well as it look," said Sands. The Sands vs. Rooke episode will kick off Discovery Chan- nel's Biker Build Off with the series Premiere in early August. Check your local listings for more info. Sleve A as g[KE11 t \, \ \ Rolond 5qnds (obove) took home Discovery Chonnel's Biker Build-Off rrown with hir lotest creotion. which he colls "No Regrels." (RiEhtl sond5 ond his crew pose with the winning md.hine. I Sse lO2 MAY 17,2006 . CYCLE NEWS u lr \ b o+t I \ \ / I ) i d*r cl E ) .I } ?'l }1 t'l I 1