The Kneeslider

Doers Builders and Positive People

Roland Sands Design Mission 200

By

Roland Sands Design Mission 200 Victory Hammer
Roland Sands Design Mission 200 Victory Hammer

Just flipping through the November Motorcyclist and saw a short reference to the latest project from Roland Sands. It’s called Mission 200 and the simple purpose is to take a Victory Hammer and run it up over the 200mph mark. They took off the forward controls and mounted rearsets, then grafted a fairing from one of Roland’s old 250cc GP bikes, added a steering damper, wheels, a new tail section, and swapped the belt for a chain so they could get the gearing they needed. Spray on a nice paint job, then without touching the engine they took it out to see what they had to work with. A few runs in the desert and they saw 147mph, easy enough on a sport bike but a respectable start on a big cruiser like the Victory. Next step in the process is a turbo.

I haven’t been keeping track of Roland Sands lately but this project just struck me right. I like the look of the bike with the fairing and paint. Nothing exotic, just good old fashioned hot rodding. Pretty neat. Hope they get the 200mph they’re shooting for.

Link: Roland Sands Design

Comments

  1. Pretty darn good for the first time out. With a turbo it should hit 200, but it might need more work in areas like aerodynamics, stability and cooling. The jump from 150 to 200 is like climbing a step hill compared to Everest. It’s very possible but the preparation increases with the cube of the speed, just like aerodynamic resistance.

  4. It’s definitely an interesting challenge. I do like his recent work on Sportsters better, especially that XR1200 build, though the cafe’d Sporty he did looks real good too.

  6. Good looking design! That bike say I’m bad! Would I like to cruse that thing around? Hell yes! Not all of his bikes appeal to me, but that one is one nice piece of iron!

  7. It’s…pretty! I kinda like the cruiser fuel tank in a sportsbike package. Now it would be even more interesting with a Yamaha VMax engine.. Like the out-of-the-box thinking!

  9. B50 is close: this kind of horsepower is cubic to the speed. 200/147 ^3 = 2.5, that’s 2.5 times as much HP to get to 200 mph from 147 mph. Add for tire slip and drivetrain friction too. Maybe they can get more with what they got already, is gonna take one helluva turbo-boost from here! Would show really good for their motor if this can be done.

    And yeah, I wanna see the on-bike video of that! Good luck!

  10. I agree with Steve D. That bike wouldn’t do so well on the twisties. It does look sweet though. I’d think that style of a bike would be more suited for drag racing purposes though. Of course then you’d need to get to 200mph without boost.

  11. All of this put Bert Murno’s effort in a little perspective. Here was a man, on his own, making his own pistons, et al, got his 1920s Indian Scout of 950cc over the 200mph mark. No turbo, nothing too fancy except good, innovate engineering.

    These guys are starting with a 1700cc mill and are going to through a turbo on it? Why bother? Just buy a ‘busa and be done with it if +200mph is your goal.

  12. why do people take the easy approach and think the answer is a ‘Busa to going fast. The challenge is doing it with what you want to use. But to add a Turbo isn’t interesting to me. It to is the easy approach. Now do it naturally asperated. That is good old hot rod style.

  13. It would sell fine in the US. Drag-style cruisers work here. It’s certainly nice looking and would give Victory some more distinctive looking bikes besides the Vision.

  14. “Yeti B. 10.17.10 at 7:40 pm
    I agree with Steve D. That bike wouldn’t do so well on the twisties.”

    I guess they better go back to the drawing board and change it from project 200 to project turn well.

  15. ” B50 Jim 10.15.10 at 1:00 pm
    It’s very possible but the preparation increases with the cube of the speed, just like aerodynamic resistance.”

    ………I dont even know where to begin… 🙁

  16. I understand that the project has been squashed due to disagreement between RSD & Victory….apparently it was too extreme for Victory’s tastes?? Shame because it about the only time I’ve looked at their bikes with interest. Any confirmation out there??”

  18. The project has really been cancelled? I hope not. I’ve been following for a little bit, not ordinarily my cup of tea but I definitely appreciate what they’re doing.

    That video posted above is pretty sweet. 2:41 – the most awesome bit of editing that I’ve seen in a while. I’ve been back to watch it over and over!