Unless your internet has dropped in the past year, you may know about the phenomenon is bagger racing. MotoAmerica’s King of the Baggers is a race-ready series of six races for big-V American twins, complete with cranks and panniers. It sounds ridiculous, but it produced some awesome races — and some pretty wild machines.
Roland Sands Design is the regular track. They are up against two Indian Challengers this season, driven by Frankie Garcia (#14) and Bobby Fong (#50). Today, we’re taking a closer look at Bobby’s bike, built in collaboration with the V-twin performance tuning experts at S&S Cycle.
In the stock version, the 108 ci power plant of Challenger India produces 122 hp and 175 Nm of torque… but this car is far from available. It runs a 112 ci engine with a host of outstanding features, including a Maxx ECU used to tune racing cars. RSD is hiding the numbers, but we’re guessing they’re pretty big.
The engine inhales through a custom inlet and exits through a two-in-one exhaust system designed to maximize ground clearance. Both are part of the S&S Cycle, along with the main case and bracelet. The spec sheet lists the K&N air and oil filter, the Endurance Adler sliding clutch, and the Translogic quick shifter.
If you’ve ever ridden a bagger in a fit of rage, you know that they’re eerily fun in the corners – until things start to crumble. So a lot of work has been done to improve not only the Challenger’s grip, but also its ride height and ground clearance.
That includes clever modifications like machining the front sections of the Indian aluminum frame and installing raised S&S rear sets. There is also a smaller Lithium-ion battery, which is mounted in a taller and tighter S&S battery case.
As you’d expect, the suspension is brand new. Up front is a Sachs fork from India’s FTR1200, equipped with GP Suspension cartridges. They are clamped by a set of three S&S clamps with adjustable offsets.
There’s an Öhlins TTX race car with shock absorbers back, connected to an RSD adjustable ride height link bar. Surprisingly, the swingarm is still in stock — if you don’t count the soldered racing rack mount.
The 17” racing wheels are RSD aluminum parts, based on the design the shop originally used on their Victory motor-powered Pikes Peak race bike 7 years ago. They are wrapped in Dunlop tyres; one smooth KR448 (front) and one KR451 (rear).
As for the brakes, RSD threw a mixed bag of Brembo parts into bagger number 40, connecting everything to a Spiegler hose. The front setup uses Brembo’s M4 Monobloc brake calipers, floating discs from a Ducati Panigale and a 19RCS Corsa Corta master cylinder. The rear uses a P34 caliper on an S&S Cycle mount, a Serie Oro floating disc, a Beringer master cylinder and a Racetorx thumb brake.
The rules of the Bagger race state that the bike needs a booster and a carrying case — but they don’t have to be factory-assembled. Even so, RSD kept the fairing of the Challenger, but revised it on improved stays from the S&S Cycle. It wears a Klock Werks windshield and fake headlight decals.
Mounted behind the fairing is an Aim MXm dash, complete with data logging software. S&S bars and risers take control to where they need to go, and are equipped with Renthal grips and Driven Racing barricades.
The fuel tank is mostly intact, but it has been trimmed to accommodate the large air intake. RSD has also removed the locking mechanism of the fuel cap, to allow for faster refueling.
Further down the line is the complete Saddlemen tail and seat assembly, floating on a fiberglass rear fender from Airtech Streamfining. Airtech also offers fiberglass panniers; they are significantly nicer than the factory cases. The front fenders are from FTR1200, while the engine sliders and aluminum fenders are from S&S.
There may be a bunch of other mods that RSD doesn’t tell us about, but one thing’s for sure: whether you like baggers or not, this racing bike is the perfect fit for the player. We also love the black and gold – and the John Player-inspired RSD logos.
It is also significantly lighter than before. An in stock Indian Challenger has a 796 lbs dry meter, but this one weighs only 621 lbs – one pound above the King of the Baggers minimum weight limit.
If you’re wondering how Bobby and his 50th Challenger have performed so far, he’s currently fourth in the championship after two rounds with a podium finish to his name. Not bad for a flat road guy who has never raced a bagger before this season.
And if you still don’t know what bagger racing is, hit ‘play’ on the featured reels below and thank us later.
Roland Sands Design | Facebook | Instagram | The picture of Joe Hitzelberger (static) and Jason Reasin (race)
