VOTE NOW! Round 1 – Motorcycle Tank Art Contest

As a successful and well-celebrated ambassador for moto culture, Roland Sands remains humbled by the continued recognition from his peers. Notably earning the coveted Chip Foose Award of Design Excellence and, most recently, Quail Motorcycle Gatherings’ Legend of the Sport Award, Sands remains driven to push the boundaries of moto culture, even if he no longer competitively races.

“It’s always an honor to be recognized, but I don’t consider myself a legend. The world of motorcycles has been a lifelong passion, and as a designer and fabricator, executing creativity is still empowering,” said Sands.

Sands initially earned accolades as a racer, but he was faced with the difficult choice of continuing to risk sustained injuries or redirecting his passions to other areas of moto culture.

“It was certainly a tough decision to retire from racing and transition to kustom motorcycle designs. Racing was my lifestyle and meant everything to me. I did feel a big withdrawal when I made the decision,” reflected Sands.

Kustom motorcycle design work was not a seamless transition for Sands, as he stated project deadlines can have just as much pressure as racing. Driven by his undeniable commitment to moto culture, Sands stressed that fighting idleness and keeping the creative spirit alive are daily motivators. Hailing from California, the birthplace of kustom kulture, Sands witnessed the continuing evolution of the subculture but was quick to state the racing world and kustom world were divided… (continued)