Canon

[Verno]

Yep, they pick up proper Transmetal Technology and are taught how to use it, unlike the driver Megatron had on Earth.
Was it ever explained how he got it?

Never officially. Possibly from debris from the Metal Hunter Base. Possibly from inside the Metal Hunter Base when he was incharge of it. Definately during Season 2 though.

[Verno]

Thinking a bit more about Megatron in BM - It's a very Liege Maximo thing he's doing. Controlling the masses through one means or another for his own ends. An ascention of sorts for Megatron.

[LordCyrusOmega]

It's almost..Noble.
Usually Order is attributed to Good while Chaos is attributed to Evil however in Beast Machines Megatron is all about Order while the Maximals are Chaos. Sooo, Megatron's the good guy.