Transformer motorcycle

Arguably the biggest biker bash on the planet, the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally takes place every August in the USA, attracting huge amounts of cruisers, choppers, and motorcycles in general to South Dakota.

More than 70 years old, the Sturgis Rally regularly attracts around half a million visitors, and as such has become a popular launching pad for new models.

American-based Indian Motorcycles launched updated models at the 2010 event, but it was an unorthodox two-wheeled creation that caught the eye of the Bikesales Network this time round.

Essentially a concept, Veon Motorcycles intriguing design is being hailed as a 'transformer' of sorts (decepticon or autobot?), thanks to its ability to convert from a cruiser to a sports bike (of sorts) at the flick of a switch.

Norwegian robotics engineer and founder of Veon Motorcycles, Peer Toftner, came up with the idea of of an electronically adjustable frame system, which allows the bike to undertake a metamorphosis of sorts, while Freddie Bertrand put the bike together.

The novel creation was built to enter the 2010 AMD World Championship of Custom Bike Building, which took place at Sturgis, and went on to take out first prize, with a stoked Freddie Bertrand awarded the World Champions ring.

The Veon Motorcycles prize-winning concept bike is a low-riding cruiser with a long rake and feet-forward seating position, perfect for comfortable long distance travel. But by flicking a toggle switch, the bike transmogrifies into a sports bike, with a shorter wheelbase, more ground clearance, a steeper rake and hence a more aggressive riding position.

What takes place is a complex system that changes several geometry parameters simultaneously, and the transformation takes about five seconds to complete and can be initiated at speed. Interestingly, the innovative motorcycle features two sets of foot pegs to match both riding styles.

The seat height starts at 605mm in cruiser mode and rises to 775mm in racer mode, and the other parameters that change from cruiser to racer mode include:

- Rake: 30 to 22 degrees
- Trail: 120 to 80mm
- Wheel base: 1610 to 1535mm
- Ground clearance: 170 to 235mm

Check out the second image to get an idea of the Veon concept's different riding modes.

Power for the belt-driven machine comes from a 1250cc (76ci) V-Rod engine, though how much tweaking has gone into the engine was not clear at the time of writing. We'd like to think it's got a lot more herbs than the V-Rod lump in its standard state of tune, and judging by the lovingly crafted exhaust system we reckon it might.

Do motorcycles like this one pique your interest? Hit the comment link below and let us know what you think of this genre-melding motorcycle.

Check out AMDChampionship.com for other winners.