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Transformer bike Beond a Harley

  • By Carsguide team
  • Carsguide
  • 07 February 2012
  • image

    Leach said his business background inspired him to create something beyond mediocre.

A sci-fi inspired bike will star at motorcycle expo.

And if you think Steve Leach's bike looks like something out of a movie, you wouldn't be far off.

Finished in candy apple red with plenty of chrome, the 'Beond' began life as a prototype of a Transformers character.

It was purchased by the Brisbane-based business coach and re-built as a road-registerable motorcycle.

The extensive 'ground-up' overhaul began in 2007, with de-construction, re-engineering, customisation and re-construction taking hundreds of hours to complete.

Its Harley-Davidson V-Rod engine and tyres are the only components not crafted entirely from hand.

Leach said his business background inspired him to create something beyond mediocre.

"I always wanted to create something that showed that you can go beyond the norm, whether that be in bikes or in business," said Leach.

"The prototype came from the US and was originally inspired by a character from the Transformers movie.

"It certainly gets people's interest and creates attention. We get used to the ordinary world we live in and I don't believe in locking away your 'good stuff' for 'someday."

Sydney artist Tim Cameron created the artwork, the original prototype engineering was completed by Chris Travert, the driving force behind Jay Leno's incredible Y2K jet bike.

These are just a few of the many unique machines set to be displayed at the Australian Motorcycle Expo at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre from February 17-19.

Comments on this story

Displaying 2 of 2 comments

  • I appreciate Steve's skepticism at the handling. Its re-design here included raising it from an impractical 8cm to 11 making cornering much better. I certainly don't get my knee down much, but I've followed several harley and Victory cruisers up some windy roads and know I have way less challenges than they do. Enjoy the Show

    Steve Leach of Brisbane Posted on 15 February 2012 2:13pm

  • When you get over the sheer 'look at me' aspect of this machine, you notice echoes of Yamaha GTS1000 and various other signature bits from different motorcycles. It's a cruiser, and it's plug ugly to me, but then beauty is in the eye... Tests from its 2008 US release as the Traverston V-Rex, suggest it handles okay for what it is - a cruiser - though videos show it hardly leaning. Maybe that's good enough for some. If the Beond is 'beyond mediocre', 'the good stuff' and 'going beyond the norm', and has enjoyed so much thought, effort and money, however, I would want it to handle like a sportsbike or at least a sports tourer in order to redeem itself. If you want to attract an audience, this will do it, but they will mostly be shaking their heads at its schoolboy cartoonish silliness. I admire Tim Cameron's edgy designs in some respects but he has much more interesting ideas in his portfolio than this. He calls this one the V-Rex Cybercruiser, by the way; that's three variations on naming one bike so far. Let's encourage the original in life, yes, but to accept it without discrimination would be a folly.

    Steve Evans of Adelaide Posted on 09 February 2012 10:46am

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