Bike of the Week: Roland Sands Design - Schlege Triumph

Roland Sands builds a Triumph Scrambler for a friend, the Schlege Triumph.

By: William Connor

Sep 11, 2015 at 5:00am ET

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Triumph began manufacturing the latest version of the Bonneville in 2001 after John Bloor had purchased the bankrupt and failing Triumph Motorcycles several years before. This nostalgic model kept Triumph Motorcycles in business and is still a mainstay in the manufacturer's lineup.

With other manufacturers jumping on the Scrambler train, it appeared that maybe Triumph would be left behind. Thankfully for them, their entire Bonneville line is easy to modify, has healthy aftermarket support, and is still a favorite of builders because of it.

Added to that a list of customizers and builders is Roland Sands, who created a one of a kind bike for a customer named Chris Schlege: the Schlege Triumph.

It has a one-off Black Ops Del Mar wheels with gnarly off-road styled tires. This definitely amped up the attitude and capability.

With more forward bite, it's always a good idea to improve your "woah" factor. Galfer wave rotors were fitted, and the stock steel sprockets were removed. These were swapped for a much lighter anodized aluminum Renthal version.

RSD raised the front fender and added Pro Step bars, Traction grips, Nostalgia risers. They also fitted the bike with a custom skid plate. All those bits really added to the Scrambler's attitude and stance.

The handmade stainless steel RSD Slant low pipe and K&N filters increased intake and exhaust velocity. The Scrambler—with its 270 degree firing—already sounds great, but with a set of pipes it becomes an aural symphony.

A new RSD Stepped Enzo seat narrowed and shortened the back of the bike, and made the bike look slender in overall.

They added some new RSD Tracker turn signals so people can see where you're going, and they can also hear you coming with that custom pipe.

Taller Progressive 970 Series reservoir shocks and fork springs tweaked the suspension for better handling and neutral weight transfer.

READ MORE: 2015 Ducati Scrambler First Ride

As a Triumph Scrambler owner, it makes me smile to continue to see new custom builds on this venerable chassis. The simplicity of the motorcycle, the supremely sorted chassis and motor, and the reliability of it make for a great palette to create your own custom or just to ride it as it is.