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NEWS
Sci-fi meets vintage at Motorcycle Expo
The upcoming event on the Gold Coast is not all about the latest and greatest – there's also plenty of room for the innovative, quirky and historicalBrisbane-based business coach Steve Leach has become used to the constant double takes and camera flashes when he parks up his daily ride.
It looks like something straight from Hollywood's sci-fi reels – because it is.
Coated in candy apple red with meticulous chrome embellishing, ‘Beond’ began life as a prototype of a Transformers character before being purchased by Leach and rebuilt as a road-registerable motorcycle.
The extensive overhaul began in 2007, with deconstruction, reengineering, customisation and reconstruction 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 is 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 Time Cameron created the artwork, while the original prototype engineering was completed by Chris Travert, the driving force behind Jay Leno’s incredible Y2K jet bike which appeared at a past Australian Motorcycle Expo event.
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.
A turn-of-the-century 1901 Wearwell-Stevens motor-bicycle is another feature sure to attract plenty of interest.
This particular model’s 2.25hp four-stroke engine is the first of its kind built for use on a bicycle.
Mounted above the front down tube, it has an accumulator ignition, surface carburetor and twisted leather belt drive to the back wheel.
The Wearwell went on to be displayed at a national motorcycle exhibition later in 1901 and sales saw the bike fetch 40 pounds apiece, a costly investment at the time.
Various unique bikes, customs, choppers and one-off machines will be showcased at next month’s event alongside hundreds of new models from a wide range of manufacturers.
Tickets (available pre-purchase or at the gate): Adults $20, seniors $14, children 5-15 years $14, under 5 years free, family (two adults and two children) $4.
Opening Hours
February 17: 10.00am-8.00pm, February 18 9.00am-6.00pm, February 19 9.00am-5.00pm
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Written byBikesales Staff
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