Daily Slideshow: RSD Sportster 48 is Masterfully Designed

RSD Sporty Tracker

What's better than a vintage Sportster?  Well, this custom street tracker is definitely a good start.  The street tracker for those that aren't aware, is a perfect blend of bike styles and can take on both twisty paved roads, loose dirt, and gravel roads as well.

This resto-mod Sportster is a combination of old and new, and absolutely beautiful. 

Black Beauty

This beautiful machine was specially built for MotoUSA President Don Becklin and was used as a parts showcase from one of the USA’s biggest motorcycle-related businesses, MAG ( or the Motorsport Aftermarket Group). MAG licenses the Roland Sands Design brand, and owns Vance & Hines and Progressive Suspension—and also the Motorcycle USA website. 

>>Join the conversation about Roland Sand's Custom Sportster right here in HDForums.

Experimental Platform

The bike was used as an experimental platform for our Roland Sands' new Machine Ops Finish.  It also features a vintage Sportster gas tank, a flat track tail, Mid Control and a new exhaust concept.

The first mod was a new billet top triple that allows the bike to accept any riser combo, as well as eliminating the cast in riser.

Let er Breathe!

Bringing in some of the modern, the team at Roland Sands decided to add some punch and flare by using an RSD Slant Carbon Fiber Intake Kit.  They also added a Vance & Hines LCS Fuelpack ignition and Custom Slant 2-into-2 Works Finish exhaust.

>>Join the conversation about Roland Sand's Custom Sportster right here in HDForums.

More Engine Goodness

On the right side, the Roland Sands crew removed a portion of the cam gear cover to expose more of the internals, giving off a raw, unguarded look. RSD Black Ops Nostalgia Ignition and Clarity Derby Cover further refine the blacked-out theme. New Machine Ops-finished pieces like the RSD Nostalgia Rockerbox Covers offset the brooding demeanor of the mount.

>>Join the conversation about Roland Sand's Custom Sportster right here in HDForums.

Breathe In, Breathe Out

The bike features a host of prototypes including the wild 2-into-1-into-2 Slant Carbon Works finish exhaust system from Vance & Hines that allows the exhaust gasses to spill out in an elegant tangle out of each cylinder head.  It truly is a beautiful bit of piping that oozes exudes attitude.

>>Join the conversation about Roland Sand's Custom Sportster right here in HDForums.

More Odds and Ends

The bike features RSD mid-controls which keep a rider’s feet right beneath them providing an almost-dirt-style set-up. That setup allows for more freedom than the locked-in position of a clip-on, rear-set configuration. With this configuration, the rider can perform for plenty of wheelies and rear-tire slides if they are feeling a bit Keneivel-ish.

>>Join the conversation about Roland Sand's Custom Sportster right here in HDForums.

Wheel and Tires

The bike features RSD ‘Machine Ops’ parts throughout, including the 19” Slam wheels—which have an old-school textured finish but are actually machined from billet aluminum. The tires provided by Micah Racing are Mitas H-18s, which are DOT approved and street legal, yet designed for the flat track.

>>Join the conversation about Roland Sand's Custom Sportster right here in HDForums.

Finer Details

The bike was then topped off with a coat or 10 or 12 by Chris Wood at Airtrix, in a subtle but commanding Black, Gold Leaf, and Silver Leaf scheme. Providing the necessary cushion for your caboose is a custom made seat from Bitchin Seat Company.

>>Join the conversation about Roland Sand's Custom Sportster right here in HDForums.

Closing Remarks

RSD was somewhat given carte blanche for this project and the results speak for themselves with the end result being a bike that looks both comfortable and fun to ride. I know I wouldn't mind running around town on it, and I'm sure you wouldn't either!

>>Join the conversation about Roland Sand's Custom Sportster right here in HDForums.

For help with your maintenance and repair projects, please visit our how-to section in the forum.