CDR owner Dack insists outdoors should go ahead if possible
Section: Competition
Respected factory Yamaha team leader shares his opinion on 2020.
Image: Supplied.
Motorcycling Australia (MA) should keep pressing forward in its bid to host the Australian Motocross Championship in 2020, CDR Yamaha Monster Energy team owner Craig Dack has insisted as the sport moves to establish a new era at a national level.
Dack has operated the winningest team in Australian motocross history for over 25 years and, despite coronavirus presenting immense challenges globally, he is adamant that plans should be set in place to line-up later this year if the possibility is there.
“That’s what we are – professional racing teams,” Dack commented when queried by MotoOnline. “So, to hear Todd Waters think we should pull up for the year, that’s disappointing. I mean, the sport of motocross was left in a pretty bad position when the previous promoter, WEM, pulled out at the 11th hour, so that certainly didn’t help anything.
“I’ve been talking with MA, trying to help wherever I can, just as a passionate person that’s been in the industry for 30-odd years, to assist them in putting the pieces back together, really. Why wouldn’t we all try and make something happen if we had to? All my partners, we’re ready to go either way if we do or don’t race. We’re fine, we’ve brokered deals and all our partners are understanding of both ways.
“I just think that we owe it to the sport to give it its best go. Think of the position that Motorcycling Australia has been left in. You know, they’ve got off-road, motocross, supercross, road racing, all getting pushed back to those last three or four months of the year because of COVID obviously, so if they don’t keep trying to put a championship forward, they would be derelict in their position. That’s what they have to do and we should be supporting that.”
“Talk of the hub was all blown out of proportion,” added Dack. “There’s been four of us getting together – myself, Yarrive, Gavin Eales and Mark Luksich – and, when motocross was left high and dry at the 11th hour, we have been trying to help MA as four positive people, not four negative people.
“MA are doing a really, really good job at the moment with a really good vibe, because everybody I speak to, friends of mine like Marty Craggill, John Chiodo from Monza, all the pure motorcycle people in the sport really like [MA CEO] Peter Doyle. He’s a motorcyclist, like me, like you, and we all forget that. As long as we don’t forget who we are – motorcyclists who are good people – if we all pull together, we’re going to be strong.
“That’s what’s happening and what I’m feeling with MA. We’ve got people who are very keen to help MA because it’s being led by a good leader. It really is. How many people have been able to say that for a lot of years? It’s a fact that Peter Doyle’s doing a good job.
“The hub thing came up as an option, it was discussed, and I never thought that could ever happen because it’s a lot more complicated than it looks, but Yarrive was doing some investigation, doing his bit as another passionate person of the sport and that’s a good thing. We want more positive stuff, not the negatives. There’s a big chance [racing’s] not going to happen as well, I realise that, but let’s at least have a positive frame of mind – that approach that keeps you going.”
CDR Yamaha Monster Energy will once again field Kirk Gibbs if the Australian Motocross Championship goes ahead this year, alongside new team signing Hayden Mellross, who is contracted to complete the outdoor and Australian Supercross Championship riding the factory-backed YZ450F.
After having successfully completed the Pirelli Spanish Round at Jerez de la Frontera two weeks WorldSBK now heads to the wonderful circuit that is Portimao in what is one of my favourite countries in Europe, Portugal.
The third round of the Motul FIM Superbike World Championship will take place from 7th to 9th August and as per Jerez double races are scheduled over the weekend for the three Championship classes, as the riders will hit the track on Saturday for Race 1 and on Sunday for Race 2, in addition to the Tissot Superpole race for WorldSBK.
The Autódromo Internacional do Algarve was designed by architect Ricardo Pina and was inaugurated exactly ten years ago. This track is 4592 metres long, with 9 right-handers and six left-hand corners and a configuration with a maximum gradient of 57 metres, a long turn radii that goes from 23 metres to a maximum of 207 metres, and a finishing straight which has a total length of 835 metres. It is very demanding but a truly magnificent riders circuit and second only to Phillip Island in this scribes eyes.
The Portuguese circuit remains one of the circuits that best brings out the capacity of the tyre to operate in extremely different conditions because of its altitude changes and demanding blind entry curves. Specifically, the rear tyre must go from low to extremely high temperatures, the front must be able to come into the turns mentioned above quickly and precisely. Unlike the rear, which undergoes few but intense mechanical/thermal stresses, the front is always engaged in slow turns with a quick entry and small curvature radii (tight corner) which forces the rider to brake sharply, sometimes downhill.
The most challenging part for the tyres is the last turn which is 350 metres long and takes 6.5 seconds to navigate, and due to the wide turning radius (about 150 metres), the bike is in constant acceleration and goes from 150 to 250 kph at a lean angle of about 50-degrees. So there is a remarkable increase in temperature on the side of the tyre affected by the lean, particularly for the rear tyre which must withstand the high temperature while simultaneously ensuring strong lateral force and allowing the bike to accelerate, it is a ballsy corner… Corners 5, 8, 11, 13, and 14 have on the contrary a very tight radius (about 30 metres), which forces the rider to brake to an extremely low speed. Halfway through the turn the bike needs the rear tyre, which is very cold, to provide strong longitudinal acceleration up to 1G at a lean angle of 50°. The tyres are particularly cold, especially coming into the left handers (numbers 5 and 13).
Marco Zambenedetti – Ducati Corse Superbike Technical Coordinator
“It’s a track with a very particular layout, with many ups and downs and for this reason, it will be important to interpret it well. One critical point is the presence of several bumps, while I think a strong point for us could be the exit from the last corner where we can exploit not only the engine but above all the aerodynamics, an aspect where Ducati has always been at the forefront even in bikes derived from production model“.
So far this year in WorldSBK we have had four different winners in the opening six races and new riders have been making their mark. Championship leader by 24 points after the first two rounds, rookie Scott Redding (Ducati) heads to round three confident. The Brit took his first wins of his WorldSBK career at Jerez and with the Ducati Panigale V4 R winning Race 2 with Alvaro Bautista in 2019, he could add to that tally.
Scott Redding
“Portimao is an almost new circuit for me. I only raced here once in my career, then I came back for the tests in January. I must admit, though, I had good feelings. It is a track that I really like, that I find fun and the feeling in the tests was positive. We’ve come from an exciting and satisfying weekend and I can’t wait to get on my Ducati Panigale V4 R on Friday morning“.
Team-mate Chaz Davies enjoyed a return to podium form at Jerez and finished second in Race 2 to Redding, securing Ducati’s first WorldSBK 1-2 since Assen in 2012. Davies was second in Race 1 at Portimao in 2019 and looks good in 2020; don’t discount him.
Chaz Davies
“I hope I can confirm the positive trend we had in Jerez de la Frontera. Last year we achieved a good result on this track as I finished second in Race-1. I think we have improved a lot compared to that race and I am sure we have all the credentials to do well. The weather conditions will be different here. We are ready and determined to face this weekend“.
A contrasting weekend at Jerez for Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK); leader in Race 1 and Tissot Superpole Race winner, yet off the pace in Race 2 and outside the top five in a race for the first time since Laguna Seca in 2014. But if one track can host a Rea revival then Portimao is it, as he has the most wins (nine), most podiums (17) and shares the record for pole with Tom Sykes, (three).
Jonathan Rea
“Portimao is a circuit that has been kind to us in the past and it suits the nature of our bike. There are a lot of areas where we can exploit the strengths of our Ninja ZX-10RR. I enjoy the challenge of the circuit as it is very undulating and it is the closest thing you get to a motocross track. The changes of elevation and blind corners; it really takes a lot of rider input and set-up to make a perfect lap. I am looking forward to starting on Friday with the team again and the emphasis will be on understanding how our base set-up works there, especially in the heat. We will possibly face hot temperatures like we have just had this past weekend. We will confirm everything because it was working pretty OK in Jerez. Our goal is to improve the feeling, work toward the races and at the end the target is to win.”
KRT team-mate Alex Lowes was the Championship leader coming into Jerez, but he’s third going to Portimao; he’ll be in the mix again after his first podium at the venue last year.
Alex Lowes
“I am looking forward to Portimao after not the easiest weekend in Jerez but I learned a lot about the bike. I had not had too much experience of the Kawasaki in the heat so the past weekend was about understanding it and learning the best way to ride the bike and adapt my style to the bike rather than chasing a setting. We made some good steps and hopefully that will put us in a good position at Portimao. It is not the easiest track but it is one I really enjoy. I think that the Kawasaki is going to work well there. I am looking forward to trying it for the first time on the ZX-10RR. I am happy we have had only had a few days until we get back out, because we were building momentum over the weekend in Jerez. We can just focus on starting on Friday morning and building from there. It is going to be good fun.”
Toprak Razgatlioglu (PATA YAMAHA WorldSBK Official Team) lies fourth and has four podiums so far this year, but two technical DNFs have left the Turk behind. He was a podium runner at Portimao in 2019 and set impressive times at the rollercoaster in testing on his Yamaha. If he can have a round without issues, it could transcend into something special. On the other side of the garage, Michael van der Mark also suffered a mechanical issue at Jerez but took a first rostrum of 2020 in the same meeting. He has a best result of second at Portimao; can he go one better in 2020?
Occupying seventh in the Championship is Loris Baz (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha), who is promising in 2020. In contention in Spain, Portugal and Portimao await the fastest Independent rider of 2020 so far. Just ten points behind van der Mark in sixth, a special duel awaits in the Algarve. Baz has his own threat for Independent honours; Michael Ruben Rinaldi’s (Team GOELEVEN) stunning Jerez results sent shockwaves through the paddock. A fourth place in Race 2 – after passing Lowes and Rea – gave a fairytale result for the Italian. Can both riders battle at the front again?
Lying between Baz and ninth-placed Rinaldi in the standings is Alvaro Bautista (Team HRC); the 2019 runner-up won Race 2 for Ducati last year. Two races in the points at Jerez and with potential there, Portimao’s intricacies will test Honda, but it should be a track that suits both rider and bike. Leon Haslam (Team HRC) has four podiums at Portimao, including one for Honda in 2008’s Race 2. Tenth overall and yet to finish outside the points, a strong weekend calls the ‘Pocket Rocket’.
Alvaro Bautista
“In Jerez we collected a great deal of information to work with in Portimão. It will be very important to be able to combine this data with what we got from winter testing in order to try and be more competitive than we were in Jerez. We have some ideas and we’ll see if they work once we get there. Portimão is a challenging track as it’s bumpy and has a lot of undulation. It might not be easy, but we really need to take a step forward with respect to Jerez.”
Leon Haslam
“I think Portimão can be a good track for us as the Honda is very fast and the circuit’s main straight is one of the best places to pass. It also requires a lot of hard braking and one of the things we’ve been working on is our straight-line braking, so I can say I’m looking forward to it. It’s a real rollercoaster of a track, where we see some big wheelies, so there are various things to manage but I hope we can use our third event to better understand where we need to continue working.”
It was a dismal Jerez for BMW; Tom Sykes’ (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) third place start was the only real highlight after a Race 1 technical problem. Sixth in the Tissot Superpole Race was followed up by 11th in Race 2, so Sykes comes to Portimao in search of a much-needed result. Two wins at Portimao will lift his confidence and BMW’s best result in 2019 at Portimao was seventh. For teammate Eugene Laverty, Portimao’s almost been like a home event for him and like Sykes, has won there twice. 17th in the standings, the Irishman needs a turnaround in luck and form.
After today showcasing Roland Sands’ new BMW R 18 based drag custom on MCNews.com.au (Link), we thought it might be a good time to revisit this chat we had with Roland a couple of years ago in his surprisingly quite compact L.A. workshop that also pulls double duty as the Roland Sands Design sales office.
Roland Sands and his latest creation, a drag custom based on BMW’s new R 18
Despite being clearly pushed for time, the 43-year-old (now 45), was very forthcoming with his views on various subjects. He also allowed us unfettered access to his office and workshop to shoot photos which helped us to illustrate this insight into Roland Sands, and the firm he heads that bears his name.
Roland Sands in his California office – September, 2017
What do you think of the current Harley-Davidson range and the dropping of the Dyna platform?
“For anything like that, especially a bike, it’s a departure, people have to get a feel for it, have to get their hands on it and have to ride the bike. In time they’ll find it’s a better bike.
Roland Sands road raced for nearly a decade and won the 1998 AMA 250 Grand Prix Championship
“And when it comes to the custom market, as the custom market always does, it deconstructs that thing, and builds it back up. It makes something new to the market, to inspire Harley to potentially bring models to the market, maybe more in the vein of what people were hoping they would bring.
Roland Sands – Lots of 70s custom cues here
“But man what a strong offer, it was crazy to see that many motorcycles, I was blown away. That one thing was so polarising, that it almost took attention away from what I thought was one of the cooler bikes, the Road Glide, one of the most beautiful bikes Harley has ever introduced.
2018 Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide
“I’ve ridden the Fat Boy and the Fat Bob, the front end was something else. The width of the whole thing to me is a little out of proportion, but the bike works really good. I enjoyed riding it. It’s quick. We’re going to work on a Fat Boy shortly.”
2018 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy
Where do you find your main business is from?
“I’ve been selling motorcycle parts since I was 16, but we started Roland Sands Designs in 2005, and have just been grinding away at it. It comes from events, motorcycle builds, parts, a little bit of everything. It’s been finding projects which would help grow the brand, and help to bring people to motorcycling.
Roland Sands Apparel
“That’s what I’ve been focusing on this year, how do we get more people on motorcycles, how do we introduce new people to motorcycles, how do we take the racing to people, instead of getting people to the races.
Roland Sands – An Indian made purposeful
“October 14th we’re going to throw a race in Bolsa Chica on the beach. There’s a really cool beach culture, there’s a parking lot and a concert venue right there, we build a flat track in the parking lot, a race course and a drag strip.
Roland Sands – Sporty Harley
“It’ll be a small event, with only 7,000 people and it’s a first year event, but we’ve got some great sponsors, it should be fun. It’s going to be more grass roots, it needs to be bright and fun, riding motorcycles, with people just coming out to ride bikes and race all weekend.”
Roland Sands – Lots of interesting pieces adorn both the workshops and offices of RSD
What about your two-stroke GP background, the class you were most successful in, winning the AMA 250 Grand Prix Championship in 1998. Do you get out on track on a machine like that these days?
“I haven’t ridden a bike like that since 2002, my last National, I’ve still got the bike, just as how it came off the track in 2002.
Roland Sands – The racey and the retro
“Flat track is a totally different deal, I went from two-stroke GP bikes, to Harley-Davidson customs. I mean I’d still love to go back, and I still have a few flat trackers. I ride motocross and a bit of everything now. I like to do it all, with motorcycling you don’t have to do one thing, you can do a lot of different things.”
Roland Sands road raced for nearly a decade and won the 1998 AMA 250 Grand Prix Championship
With designing do you prefer sketching and scribbling or do you put some metal together and check what it looks like? Or is it mostly computer based.
Roland Sands – BMW Concept Ninety
“It’s a little of everything, if I’m selling a bike or have an idea, I’ll have it all rendered out so we know where we’re going. Most of the time I’m down there working with my guys working out how to put everything together.
Roland Sands – Digital Designer Screen
“We’ll mock stuff up, we’ll put pieces together and work to get the silhouette right. Trying different parts like a front fork, or a tail section or a fender eliminator, or wheel sizes. Custom bikes are all about getting the bones of the bike correct, and then putting everything on, all the pretty stuff, after that.
Roland Sands – An array of different custom tanks
“If the bones aren’t correct then you won’t have a good bike.”
Roland Sands – TZ Yamaha frame is beautiful in its purposeful simplicity
What about electric bikes, do those serve your passion?
“Yeah for sure, I had a blast when I rode the Harley LiveWire, and I had a chance to ride the Alta, that thing is mad. They built a flat tracker out of that thing, and a super moto out of it. I rode it on the street and it’s hard to keep the front wheel on the ground.
Roland Sands Workshop
“Anything that gets the blood going, and the throttle hand twitchy. The fastest bike at Pikes Peak was an electric bike, that says something.
Roland Sands Office
“I think aesthetically you have a whole new set of parameters to work with on an electronic bike. It may not at its core be as beautiful as a fuel motor, but you’ll be able to come up with something completely new.”
Harley-Davidson’s LiveWire
Are there any new metal finishing techniques or any processes, 3D printing, or anything you find yourself using more these days?
“We’re using a lot of different techniques to get our products to where they need to be quicker. 3D printing is a huge part of that. There’s also new stuff and finishes we’re working on, but I don’t want to talk about until we’ve got it on the market. But we’re always exploring new ideas. Customers are always evolving, in what they like, and the style that they like.
Roland Sands Workshop
“We came out with our Black Ops finish (Link), so whether we have different colours like that, it’s a matter of giving people unique things. Then when they build a motorcycle they can do something unique no one else has done. You just don’t want your bike to be the same as the guy next to you. You don’t want to be on the exact same bike and looking at each other.
Roland Sands Ducati XDiavel – Sturgis 2016
“So it’s cool to be in the position where we can give people those options.”
Roland Sands – Digital Design
Where’s the inspiration come from, for the new designs?
“Sometimes it’s just as simple as sitting down with the new bike, like the new Harley, and we’ll sit down and we’ll look at that motorcycle, and see what we want to do to it, and what we can modify.
Roland Sands – An interesting mix of old and new in this custom chopper
“We’ll pull parts off it, we’ll start deconstructing it, and then we’ll say, what can we do to make it a better motorcycle, more fun, aesthetically better. Harley have always done a great job of providing a platform for customisation.
Roland Sands Workshop
“I think this one will provide a better platform than most, it has this really simple architecture, once people get over the swingarm, it’s a single shock swingarm bike, it’s going to work. Once people get over that and figure out how to construct some things to go on one… that’s what we do.
2018 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy
“I’ll strip the bike, look at the architecture of the frame, look at how the motor sits in the frame, look how the swingarm lines up with the top of the frame, the shock placement, the geometry of the frame.”
2018 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy
Talking about the engine and styling for an electric bike, how do you approach that?
“I thought the LiveWire was a pretty cool execution of it, but I like how they did use some cues to motorise it, I mean if I was going to design one from scratch I would try and make the electric motor part of the design rather than just covering it all up. But it’s all getting started.
Roland Sands Office – Family photos amongst the motorcycling bits and pieces – Roland’s dad is a well known manufacturer of custom wheels since the 1970s
“People just want to ride motorcycles and do big miles. You get on a motorcycle and the last thing you want to worry about is if you’re going to get stuck out somewhere because you don’t have a battery charger. Until they can figure that out, it’s going to be difficult for anybody to make an electric bike.
Roland Sands Office
“I don’t really want to sit around for two hours and wait for my motorcycle to charge, and on a motorcycle it’s a bigger deal as you have a smaller battery. You don’t want to be saying I don’t want to ride hard or how will I get back.
Roland Sands Office
“So I mean it’s still a bit of a toy, for city bikes it’s perfect, get to work plug it in, get home plug it in, but if you guys did it, it wouldn’t make sense . At least until they have a huge breakthrough with batteries, which they haven’t had in a long time. I really hope they do…”
Did you have any formal design training.?
“No, I just grew up in a bike shop and around motorcycles, I worked in a machine shop for a very long time, so I understood how to make things. I watched my Dad build drag bikes, and sand drag bikes, and you guys know who Bob Correll is? He built a jet bike, and then a kite bike, and he could jump the bike with the kite, in the coliseum back in the day.
Roland Sands Office
“But I watched some really crazy stuff when I was younger, so I always had this bigger view of what was possible.”
Roland Sands Workshop
Which of your custom bikes, which you don’t have any more would you most like to have back in your possession?
“Probably my first bike, a sportster flat tracker, I have no idea who has it, but it was clean frame, it actually had clip-ons on it, like a little road racer, 17 inch wheels, road race forks, carbon body work, I built it when I was 18. I’ll find it someday, it’s sitting in someone’s garage.”
Roland Sands – Flat Tracker
Working on any projects for any companies?
“We’ve got a few projects going on with BMW at the moment, definitely Indian projects going on, and there’s a lot of customer builds.”
Roland Sands – An array of interesting custom machines
Any famous people? I see Brad Pitt’s bike downstairs.
“Yeah, but I can’t possibly talk about them, some of my customers just don’t want that.”
Brad Pitt has been riding this Roland Sands machine for the last couple of years, but the bike is in for a freshen up with less chrome and more blacked out treatments
Do you still have the pressure time wise as far as builds go?
“Every fucking day! Yeah we’re throwing this event and its turning into kind of a beast, so I’m dividing the days I have for meetings.
Roland Sands – Modern Yamaha MT with some custom treatment and a Kenny Roberts theme
“I have customer deadlines and you need to finish bikes to make money, and you have to put the nail into the coffin. If you have a bunch of half finished products, you have no money.”
Roland Sands Office
How many staff do you have on the tools?
“We have two designers, and everyone works on everything. I have a project designer who races as well. Two in the shop, one chief fabricator and a mechanic. It’s not a massive stack to be building the bikes. My design staff are constantly working on Indian or truck projects, and a bit of off road stuff too.”
Roland Sands Workshop
Are you a designer or a mechanic at heart?
“My heart is a motorcyclist, I’d rather ride a motorcycle than work on it any day, but I get a lot of satisfaction from bikes. I’m on the phone, on the emails, doing everything I can to keep everything coming in. I wouldn’t trade it for anything else, I’m a pretty lucky guy. I have a lot of fun and meet a lot of cool people.”
Roland Sands Ducati XDiavel – Sturgis 2016
Your thoughts on a design point of view for the MotoGP bikes. When you saw the new Ducati fairings, what were your first thoughts?
“You know it’s hard, because to see something in photos and not in person, I don’t like to comment. But seeing them on the race track and watching them win, they must work… I think it’s pretty wild, and I don’t mind building out of the box.
Ducati debuted a radical new front fairing design recently
“Before they had these wings hanging off them, I wouldn’t want to get impaled on one of those, so the fact that they kinda connected it now, makes it safer.
The wings seen on MotoGP machines in 2016
“Things are polarised now, and new things polarise people. BMW came out with this hood, and the hood and back of the car had this weird shape to it. People freaked out. Because people want to keep shit the same.
Roland Sands
“A few years on, everyone’s looking at it and saying how much they liked it when it came out… Because by then people are used to it.
Roland Sands
“I try and reserve a real partial judgement and let things marinate first, and let them become part of the culture or the scene. That Ducati is different, it’s wild, it may not be something you at first think is beautiful, but then you see it in action… I don’t hate it.”
Ducati debuted a radical new front fairing design recently
Your work always seems to have a heritage, a constant reference to the past, is that how you see your own work?
BMW Motorrad R 5 Hommage
“Yeah, I think the past is really important and I’m not one to duplicate the past, I try and take what I know from history and put it into our work.
A customer BMW project underway in the workshop
“I always want to take it into account, what’s been done before, and a lot of people will say they are the first to do this or that, but everyone’s done everything.
Roland Sands – The famous Honda Mini Trail
“Some people do it better, some are creative and combine the right things. You take a café racer and a factory racer and smash them together and what do you get? What do they look like in your head? We make those thoughts a reality.”
Roland Sands – Everywhere you look there is something to see
The BMW R nineT that you did, the R5, were you hoping that they might take that into production, or is it something you’d like them to, as that’s a big hole for them.
BMW Motorrad R 5 Hommage
“It’s a huge hole for them, I’ve discussed that with them, but they’ve taken some different routes with their projects, with their bikes, but that bike as a cruiser, as a bobber, I think that’s a missing hole for them.”
A customer BMW project underway in the workshop
What was it like working with Ola? He’s a custom bike person going way back… but BMW is so corporatised… Does it hurt the bike has been so corporatised for the mass market?
Roland Sands – BMW Concept Ninety
“It was awesome, but if you work with the OEMs that’s just what you have to deal with. We work with more of them than anybody. We do our best to bring a flavor to each of the projects.
BMW Motorrad R 5 Hommage
“A lot of people say how do you work with so many of the OEMs, at the same time. I try and separate the projects, compartmentalised, for different consumers and different customers.
BMW Motorrad “Concept 101” – The Spirit of the Open Road.
“I don’t know, it’s really fun, as we get to work with designers. I speak that language, and it’s one of the most interesting things you do, to come together and see a vision. It’s hard for them to do internally, to do what we do for them.
BMW Motorrad R 5 Hommage
“For the speed – we can build a complete concept bike in two months, if we get models and assistance.
Roland Sands – BMW Concept Ninety
“But they can’t do that internally, and they know that internally they wouldn’t be able to build the bike we come up with.
Roland Sands – BMW Concept Ninety
“Lots of the concept bikes never ran, but the concept R nineT was the first concept bike that actually ran . I said that’s the only way we’ll do the project, if the bike runs.
Roland Sands – BMW Concept Ninety
“We’ve only built one project that didn’t run, and that was for Ducati. That was the original Diavel, a full concept for them. We didn’t even get close to the satisfaction we got prior to that. I guess it rolls, but it doesn’t work…”
Roland Sands Ducati XDiavel – Sturgis 2016
Have you been approached by Harley to do anything for them?
“We have been approached in the past, but recently, nothing. Crickets over there.”
Roland Sands – Every nook and cranny hides something interesting
What do you listen to?
“Recently a lot of Pandora… *laughs* I’d like to say I’m here DJing all day and drinking whiskey on the floor but I’m not…”
The frame has been modified completely removing the rear suspension for drag racing.Front and rear fenders have been slightly modified utilising the stock sheet metal parts in order to keep the classic R 18 silhouette.Headlight taken from the original R 18 and highlighted with the headlight bezel from the design collection of milled aluminium parts.The standard exhaust has been replaced with a hand fabricated Stainless Steel twin megaphone system utilising the exhaust tips from the milled aluminium parts.The hydraulic front brake and clutch master cylinders are from Roland Sands Design.The tank has been taken from the original R 18.The paint finish is a two tone metallic blue with classic white BMW pin-stripes by Roland’s long time painter Chris Wood.The forks have been taken from the BMW R nineT.The front braking system has been taken from the BMW S 1000 RR superbike.The seat has been built from scratch and is a RSD custom seat by Saddlemen.
Roland Sands’ personal story served as a source of inspiration for his work on this bike. “With an engine that’s so visibly the center piece, I immediately thought of muscle cars. My family has always been into going fast and my dad was a drag racer, so I thought it made sense to strip the bike down to the essentials and shape it to go fast on a straight track,” the designer explains.
Roland Sands always starts by sketching his ideas on paper. This allows him to figure out the basics of the shape and what the stance and the geometry of the bike could look like. “In the end, the real magic happens when we bring the sketch to life”, Roland explains.
The new production R 18 features an easily removable rear frame and a simple-to-dismantle painted parts set to give the owner a high degree of freedom for easily converting the rear end of the new R 18 to suit personal preferences.
“The electronics were definitely the most difficult task we had to deal with as we put in nitrous oxide, stripped out the stock exhaust and changed the intake drastically. It was a bit of an experiment, but we dialed it in! The final product is impressive and characterised by a high level of craftsmanship, as can be expected from BMW Motorrad. Right from the beginning, I couldn’t wait to get customising!” Roland points out.
The build process
For the the R 18 Dragster, the team around Roland Sands retained the stock neck geometry of the R 18, removed the bike’s rear end and turned it into a drag racer. Moreover, they chose to modify the front and rear fender to fit the modified frame. The whole customizing process took about three and a half months. The bike then headed to the workshop for final assembly and a day at a drag strip.
RSD BMW R 18 Dragster
“Every bike needs different sources depending on the build, special materials or parts. Every new bike concept is a bit of a learning process even after having built over 200 bikes. We always want to understand the genre of the bike we are building in, it’s the key to keeping it authentic and functional,” explains Roland Sands.
Roland at work on the BMW R 18 Dragster
Aside from the R 18 Dragster custom bike, Roland Sands also created two different design collections of milled aluminium parts for the launch of the R 18 Cruiser: “Machined” and “2-Tone-Black”. The “Machined” and “2-Tone-Black” ranges include front and rear wheels available in different dimensions than the standard sizes. In addition, the range of these exclusive milled parts includes speedometer housings, handlebar clamps, risers, handlebar grips, hand levers and mirrors as well as engine housing trim elements, filler caps, intake silencer covers and much more.
The build was an exhausting processRoland Sands has motorcycling is in his blood. His dad was a drag racer who built custom bikes and parts. As a result, Roland was brought up surrounded by cool bikes. It wasn’t long before he, too, was riding and had a racing career of his own that spanned ten years.
Roland is a handy peddler himself and raced in the AMA for many years, from memory his most notable performances were on 250 GP bikes. Unfortunately though in this instance no time-sheets were provided in the information we were given by BMW. Be interesting to see how quick they went….
BMW Motorrad returns to the cruiser category with the R 18, but will they soon add a Dragster version like this produced by renowned LA designer Roland Sands?
His custom job was made easier by the fact that the R 18 has an easily removable rear frame and a simple-to-dismantle painted parts set.
Roland Sands and his R 18 Dragster
Dragster parts
I think BMW will build a model like this because this is a fully BMW-sanctioned custom build by the same person who helped them design the R nineT.
And have a loom at that “R 18 Dragster” engine stamp. That looks like a production model to me!
If BMW doesn’t build a Dragster model, you may be able to customise your own.
Roland has also created two design collections of milled aluminium parts for the launch of the R 18 Cruiser: “Machined” and “2-Tone-Black”.
They include front and rear wheels in different dimensions from standard, plus speedometer housings, handlebar clamps, risers, handlebar grips, hand levers and mirrors as well as engine housing trim elements, filler caps, intake silencer covers and much more.
Roland also created custom parts for the R nineT.
These are expected to be available when the bike launches next month.
The R 18 First Edition, which features classic double pin striping paint and chrome will be available in limited numbers for $30,190.
R 18 reverse assist
The initial batch of R 18 First Editions allocated to Australia arriving this year will be fitted with “reverse assist”, bringing the price to $31,690.
At 345kg dry weight, it needs reverse assist!
We also reckon the riding position looks a little uncomfortable with the inability for forward controls because of the massive boxer heads.
It will come with a range of accessories including ape hanger bars, tractor saddle, racks and more.
Yes, thankfully it also includes pipes to replace that dreadfully massive standard exhaust!
The R 18 is styled after the 1936 R 5, including double white pinstriping.
Our essential Marc Marquez replacement is Ducati Team’s Andrea Dovizioso at 3.7M. Yes, Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) has started the season in brilliant fantasy form thanks to two pole positions, two race wins and, therefore, a huge 75 points. But Dovizioso will be a tough man to beat in Brno, and then in Austria too. Dovi took pole position before then taking victory in 2018, the equivalent of 35 points, and last year came through from fourth on the grid to finish second, a tasty 31 points. He’s a risk-free option that is bound to add to his 55 points he’s already secured in 2020, making him the first man in motogp.com’s essential selection.
It’s been a perfect start to 2020 for the 21-year-old sophomore. Two pole positions, two wins. Will anyone stop El Diablo’s onslaught, or will the reigning Rookie of the Year do something that Valentino Rossi, Jorge Lorenzo, Maverick Viñales and more haven’t been able to do onboard Yamahas since 1980?
“It’s just the same as when I was in the Rookies 10 years ago,” enthused Brad Binder, at the track for a promotion. “The only thing that has changed is that they now ride the 4-strokes. Otherwise, it is just the same: practicing the start procedures, learning the bikes and the track, it brings it all back,” smiled the former Moto3™ World Champion and current Red Bull KTM Factory Racing star.
Multiple rounds dropped in overhauled ASBK calendar
Section: Competition
Morgan Park and standalone Phillip Island events now absent from series.
Image: Foremost Media.
The 2020 Mi-Bike Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) calendar has been reduced to four rounds in total after multiple events have been dropped from an overhauled remaining schedule.
With government restrictions and border closures escalating due to the second wave of coronavirus, Morgan Park and a standalone Phillip Island are now absent.
Instead, Wakefield Park in New South Wales will feature as round two between 16-18 October, followed by a delayed Winton event in Victoria on 6-8 November and the previously-postponed South Australian round at The Bend on 20-22 November.
“The ASBK Management Team has worked tirelessly in the last 72 hours to review the calendar as new state government restrictions have been announced, communicating closely with circuits to ensure that a revised 2020 [championship] can proceed for the ASBK teams, sponsors and fans when restrictions are lifted,” ” as statement confirmed.
“We are pleased to have hosted an exciting first round of 2020 at Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit and we look forward to returning in 2021. Further thanks to the Motorcycle Sportsmen of Qld for their understanding and support in these unprecedented times.”
According to Motorcycling Australia (MA), ‘the ability to welcome spectators at future ASBK rounds will be reviewed closer to each round and assessed on a state-by-state basis’.
This year’s ASBK calendar was initially scheduled to span seven rounds prior to the disruption of COVID-19, with the ASBK Management Team continually adjusting the series in an effort to crown champions during the 2020 season.
2020 ASBK championship calendar (revised): Rd1 – 27 February-1 March – Phillip Island, VIC Rd2 – 16-18 October – Wakefield Park, NSW Rd3 – 6-8 November – Winton, VIC Rd4 – 20-22 November – The Bend, SA
ROUND 1 – WSBK – Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, VIC: 27 Feb – 1 March
ROUND 2 – Wakefield Park Raceway, Goulburn NSW: 16 – 18 October
ROUND 3 – Winton Motor Raceway, Benalla VIC: 6-8 November
ROUND 4 – International MotoFest The Bend, SA: 20 – 22 November
2020 mi-bike Insurance ASBK
M.A. Statement
The ASBK Management Team can advise the 2020 Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) calendar has been revised following latest developments of the COVID-19 State Government restrictions announced in Queensland, NSW and Victoria, with the ASBK Championship now being reduced to three remaining rounds in 2020.
It has been a very difficult decision for the ASBK Management Team, but we must respond to these COVID-19 circumstances which are beyond our control. These are challenging times for all national sporting championships, and each decision is influenced by many factors in addition to COVID-19 restrictions, including championship locations, budgets and agreements to be considered.
As a result, we advise that the ASBK round planned at Winton Motor Raceway in September will now be postponed until 6 – 8 November, and will replace the Morgan Park Raceway, QLD round.
While the Phillip Island round, scheduled for 2 – 4 October has also been cancelled for 2020.
The Wakefield Park round will remain on the ASBK calendar on 16 – 18 October, as will the final round of the 2020 ASBK Championship at The Bend Motorsport Park, South Australia on 20-22 November.
The ASBK Management Team has worked tirelessly in the last 72 hours to review the 2020 calendar as new State Government restrictions have been announced, communicating closely with circuits to ensure that a revised 2020 mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship, presented by Motul, can proceed for the ASBK teams, sponsors and fans, when restrictions are lifted.
We are pleased to have hosted an exciting first round of 2020 at Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, and we look forward to returning in 2021. Further thanks to the Motorcycle Sportsmen of Qld for their understanding and support in these unprecedent times.
The ability to welcome spectators at future ASBK rounds will be reviewed closer to each round and assessed on a state by state basis.
We understand that the ASBK paddock will be frustrated by further changes and delays to the 2020 championship during this challenging environment. The ASBK Management Team also shares this sentiment, however we ask the ASBK paddock for their understanding as MA & ASBK remain committed to conducting the best possible ASBK Championship this year.
