24 Hour Courier Service 07874014305

Boss Hoss Motorcycles - 1990 -

Posted by Howard Trott on Tuesday, March 21, 2017 Under: American Motorcycles
Americans so they say like everything Big with a capital 'B'. Buildings, cars, open spaces and motorcycles. So it's hardly surprising that the largest production motorcycle in the world should be built in the Unites States.



For many years Harley-Davidson produced the largest-engined motorbike until pipped to the post by successively bigger Japanese machines such as the Kawasaki Z1300, Honda Gold Wing 1500 and Yamaha 1600cc WildStar. None of them however come anywhere near the Boss Hoss.

In 1990, Monte Warne had the idea of building a motorcycle powered by a Chevrolet V8 engine. He did so and there was so much interest in the motorcycle at Daytona Speedweek that year, that he went into production. Its basis is the well-known 5.7-litre Chevrolet engine which more usually powers a large car or pick-up. Several different rates of tune are on offer, ranging from 180 to 350bhp. The Boss Hoss weighs half a ton, but is still a lightweight by V8 standards, so it needs only one gear and the engine is so flexible that it can be rode, clutch out, from tickover upwards and accelerate away at a flick of the wrist.



There is no neutral, though the motorbike does have a foot pedal which locks the clutch in. Not surprisingly when Boss Hoss decided to offer an automatic version most buyers opted for that. Final-drive was by toothed belt to a huge 215-section car tyre at the rear, which looked as if it would be incapable of leaning around corners, though in practice it could.

Even in one-gear form the makers claim 0-60mph in 1.7 seconds, though the Boss Hoss's top speed is limited by aerodynamics to around 125mph. The company later launched a small 4.3-litre V6 version, with 195bhp at 3.500rpm and 250lb ft of torque. Four times the torque of a big Harley-Davidson. Whether you consider the Boss Hoss pointless excess or the ultimate motorcycle, it is certainly the biggest.  

In : American Motorcycles 

Next post: Motorcycle Safety...
Previous post: Motorcycle Safety...

Tags: boss hoss  motorcycles  american motorcycles  motorbikes   
« Back to posts

Categories

Copyright Spartan Motorcycle Couriers 2013

120 Hume Street, Warrington, Cheshire WA1 3QT, GB | 07874014305