Boss Hoss
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Boss Hoss is a motorcycle company, founded by Monte Warne in 1990 and based in Dyersburg, Tennessee, that distinguishes itself for making motorcycles and trikes equipped with General Motors V8 engines and semi-automatic transmissions. By the mid-90's, Boss Hoss was selling 300 vehicles per year.[1] As of some time in 2006, Boss Hoss has sold over 4000 vehicles.[2]
Boss Hoss bikes and trikes are noted not only for their power and size, but for their strikingly minimal vibration, especially when compared to that of V-twin or single-cylinder motorcycles. The dampening effect of the unusually great mass and relatively high number of engine cylinders combine with the very tall gears of the semi-automatic transmission to provide what is often described as "vibration free acceleration".[3] This has lead to some dealers and riders to affectionately describe the Boss Hoss as a "big scooter".[4]
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[edit] Products
Boss Hoss currently offers motorcycles and trikes equipped with either a small or big block V8 engine with a semi-automatic transmission with reverse. They also offer a number of accessories for their bikes and trikes.
Despite a car-sized 8.5 U.S. gallon (32 liter) gas tank, the bikes only get motorcycle-like distance on a single tank, due to 25 mile per gallon (9.4 L/100 km) maximum gas mileage for the small block and 18 mile per gallon (13.1 L/100 km) maximum gas mileage for the big block. The trikes have an additional 3.5 U.S. gallons (13 liters) of reserve.
Overall, Boss Hoss motorcycles are rated somewhat below average for reliability, but obviously very highly for engine performance. Current models are also rated very highly for their aesthetics.[5]
[edit] Engines
From the creation in 1990, the Boss Hoss bikes were all "kit" bikes meaning a frame and other equipment were shipped to the consumer from Boss Hoss. The consumer was then responsible for adding their own engine and additional touches that allowed them to customize the bike. In 1996 Boss Hoss started to manufacture the bikes from their own factory and headquarters located in Dyersburg, TN. From that point no more "kit" bikes were sold. The "kit bikes" were titled as BHC-2 bikes while the factory built bikes were titled as BHC-3 bikes. The titling difference made a large difference with insurance companies due to liability concerns.
In 1996 the Chevrolet ZZ4 350 cubic inch [5.7 liter] block was the standard issue engine in the bikes. The ZZ4 block is a crate motor designed and built by Chevrolet that creates 355 standard horsepower to the crank at approximately 6,000 RPM. The standard short block is primarily made of steel while the heads are aluminum. A factory option for the bike also includes a GM "hot cam" which replaces the cam shaft, pushrods, rollers, and springs in the heads for a new total horsepower of 385 hp. In 2000, Boss Hoss added the "Stud Hoss" to their line-up which includes a massive 502 standard horsepower Chevrolet crate motor [8.2 liter]. The Stud Hoss has been a very popluar bike with bike owners.
In 1997 and 1998 models years Boss Hoss offered a 4.0 Chevrolet V6 engine in the bikes. They narrowed and shortened the frame for the conversion but they sold very few bikes due to the popularity of the larger horsepower engines.
The torque produced by these engines while at a stop is known for a more violent pull to the right when revved up quickly. The pull is not evident when the bike is in motion.
The engines have always been mounted longitudinally, with the crank pointed to the back of the bike. You would find the same configuration in nearly all traditional V8 vehicles such as Corvettes, Pick-Ups, or Hot Rods.
Fairly common engine-related modifications for a Boss Hoss are nitrous kits, blowers, turbos, fuel injection, and cam shaft changes.
[edit] Transmissions
The first Boss Hosses offered included a one-speed manual transmission with a standard motorcycle hand clutch. The bikes used a standard 10 spine 12" disc ceramic clutch plate all hooked to a worm gear drive box that had an attached sprocket. The first bikes were chain driven but changed to 1.5" wide Dayton belts in the early 1990's. The ratio of the gear box used was 1:1.5. In 1999 a one-speed semi-automatic transmission was available for the motorcycles that utilized a torque convertor. In 2001, a one-speed semi-automatic transmission with overdrive became standard with a heel-toe shifter and a reverse gear.
Most Boss Hoss owners believe the transmission, made by Nesco, has been the weakest link in the design of the bike. However, additional measures have been taken to increase the strength of the transmission by installing hardend planetaries and changing seals.
Boss Hoss trikes have always offered a three-speed semi-automatic transmission with a real reverse gear.
[edit] Motorcycles
Early Boss Hoss releases were considered cumbersome and unfinished. The bikes were difficult to ride and were largely considered an expensive novelty. Since they were fitting a high-end automotive motor onto a motorcycle frame, they found themselves stuck between using parts from the Harley Davidson aftermarket and the muscle car aftermarket. They were stuck somewhere between Küryakyn and Edelbrock and this left the bikes with an unbalanced appearance as well as unbalanced hardware capabilities.
Early models were almost as notable for their jury rigged appearance as they were for their impressive girth and conspicuous V8 engine. They often had substantial amounts of thermal tape around the manifold and upper exhaust as well as ad hoc heat shields that appeared to be reused from other applications. The distributor was cumbersomely situated directly in front of the seat and there were numerous other finish flaws.[6] Also, the large radiator was conspicuous for its boxiness and lack of ornamentation on such an otherwise curvy and stylish machine.
In the late 1990s, a new custom 4130 chromoly frame helped address a lot of the visual balance issues and accommodated solutions to a lot of the mechanical balance issues. The heat shielding issues were solved and the large radiator was dressed up with chrome screens and frames. The radiator is still the Boss Hoss's weakest aesthetic feature, but there has been vast improvement. The 2006 models dress up the enormous radiator as well as or better than the much smaller radiators of other high-volume manufacturers.
Current models have all the details of high end custom bikes, like braided lines, hidden wiring, and a chrome swingarm. They also have custom appearance parts that only Boss Hoss bikes use, like chrome heat shields for V8 manifolds, as well as Boss Hoss labelled gauges.
They have also lengthened the bike over the years, going up to a 78 inch (198 cm) wheelbase in the late 1990s to an 82 inch (208 cm) wheelbase for the 502 model in the mid-2000s. This allows for a lower seat height, since the seat is more forward of the rear wheel. The lower seat height helps stabilize the bike for smaller riders.
At 1300 lb (590 kg) they are easily the heaviest bikes in production, fully twice the weight of most sport bikes. However, they also have far more than twice the power.
[edit] Trikes
From fairly early in their history, Boss Hoss has sold trikes with rear ends designed to look like smaller facsimiles of Chevrolet Corvettes, 57 Chevys, 32 Low-boy hot rods, or other distintive cars. At some point, the Corvette rear end was discontinued and replaced with a 2000 Sierra truck rear end. As of 2006, the trikes have a new three-speed transmission that takes advantage of the extra stability and rear axle of a trike configuration.
[edit] Tires
For many years, Boss Hoss sold their bikes with a motorcycle front tire and an automotive rear tire. This is one area where the motorcycle aftermarket has come closer to the muscle car market, and Boss Hoss is now able to offer properly rounded, and still sufficiently large, motorcycle tires for the rear end. The only tire that has been certified to be used on a Boss Hoss is the Avon 230.
