Photo: Roland Sands Design
Roland Sands Design (or RSD for short) is a household name in the custom bike community, best known for their huge catalog of aftermarket parts. Occasionally, you will also see them tackling a complete customization project to showcase their expertise, and the one we’re about to inspect was built by RSD’s Californian outpost. As you’d expect, this thing is a genuine head-turner!
The build was commissioned by Royal Enfield, with the starting point being their newly introduced cruiser – the Super Meteor 650. Aiming for a snazzy chopper aesthetic, Roland Sands’ specialists kicked things off by searching for an appropriate fuel tank. They eventually settled on a peanut-style Wassel unit, which was thoughtfully modified in order to work with the OEM fuel pump.
Next, the Super Meteor’s frame was heavily modified to give it a quintessential chopper geometry, with a single downtube replacing the standard double cradle construction. The rear shock mounts have also been revised to suit the updated anatomy, and they now clench a pair of adjustable piggyback shock absorbers from Ohlins. At the front, the suspension mods are equally enticing.
RSD took the conventional forks of a Harley-Davidson Sportster, rebuilt them inside out, and had their upper tubes coated in titanium nitride. The repurposed forks were then secured in place via TC Bros triple clamps, but there is no front brake to speak of. As such, all the stopping power occurs at the rear end, where you’ll come across a radial Brembo caliper that pinches an aftermarket disc from Galfer.
As for the motorcycle’s footwear, the stock wheels were ditched in favor of Roland Sands’ proprietary Morris units, measuring 21 inches at the front and 16 inches at the rear. Their rims are embraced by retro-looking Firestone Deluxe Champion rubber. Right above the rear hoop, you’ll see a custom fender and a stunning chopper-style seat upholstered in black leather, but handmade side panels with mesh-covered openings can also be spotted in that area.
Glancing at the bike’s cockpit, we encounter a fresh handlebar perched on outrageously tall risers, bearing black rubber grips and a single-cable throttle. It’s devoid of any levers or switches, though, because the clutch is actuated via a foot pedal and gear changes are performed through a suicide shifter placed on the left. A small headlamp completes the front-end equipment, attached to the lower triple clamp on a discreet bracket.
Other miscellaneous accessories include CNC-machined foot pegs, finned engine covers, and a circular LED taillight placed low down on the swingarm. The Super Meteor’s parallel-twin mill exhales through bespoke stainless-steel pipework, which terminates in top-shelf RSD mufflers. Finally, the motorcycle’s color scheme is a striking mixture of black and gold, with stylish flame graphics laid over the gas tank and side covers.
Next, the Super Meteor’s frame was heavily modified to give it a quintessential chopper geometry, with a single downtube replacing the standard double cradle construction. The rear shock mounts have also been revised to suit the updated anatomy, and they now clench a pair of adjustable piggyback shock absorbers from Ohlins. At the front, the suspension mods are equally enticing.
RSD took the conventional forks of a Harley-Davidson Sportster, rebuilt them inside out, and had their upper tubes coated in titanium nitride. The repurposed forks were then secured in place via TC Bros triple clamps, but there is no front brake to speak of. As such, all the stopping power occurs at the rear end, where you’ll come across a radial Brembo caliper that pinches an aftermarket disc from Galfer.
As for the motorcycle’s footwear, the stock wheels were ditched in favor of Roland Sands’ proprietary Morris units, measuring 21 inches at the front and 16 inches at the rear. Their rims are embraced by retro-looking Firestone Deluxe Champion rubber. Right above the rear hoop, you’ll see a custom fender and a stunning chopper-style seat upholstered in black leather, but handmade side panels with mesh-covered openings can also be spotted in that area.
Glancing at the bike’s cockpit, we encounter a fresh handlebar perched on outrageously tall risers, bearing black rubber grips and a single-cable throttle. It’s devoid of any levers or switches, though, because the clutch is actuated via a foot pedal and gear changes are performed through a suicide shifter placed on the left. A small headlamp completes the front-end equipment, attached to the lower triple clamp on a discreet bracket.
Other miscellaneous accessories include CNC-machined foot pegs, finned engine covers, and a circular LED taillight placed low down on the swingarm. The Super Meteor’s parallel-twin mill exhales through bespoke stainless-steel pipework, which terminates in top-shelf RSD mufflers. Finally, the motorcycle’s color scheme is a striking mixture of black and gold, with stylish flame graphics laid over the gas tank and side covers.
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