Boss Hoss Celebrates Its 20th Anniversary

2023 Author: Eric Donovan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-08-25 09:36

The Boss Hoss group is well known in Germany as a country pop star. In the USA, the motorcycle manufacturer with the same name is celebrating its 20th anniversary on the stage - with monster bikes and V8 engines.

American motorcycles are more than just Harley-Davidsons. In addition to the long-established cult brand, there is a second, no less legendary one in "gods own country": Boss Hoss. The hallmarks of - in the best sense of the word - "Big Bikes" are the built-in V8 engines.

Chevy engine as standard

The story begins 20 years ago: The American Monte Warne was looking for a bike for himself in 1990. But not just any, nothing everyday and nothing sloppy. It should have three to four times more horsepower than the other motorcycles available on the market. Bad luck for Warne: There was no such bike. So he went to work and built his own bike. First official act: he removed the V8 engine of a Chevy from a stock car. He put this thrill of engine into a framework he designed himself - which is by no means easy. Because his new motorcycle was not intended to be a pure show bike. Warne wanted a cruiser, one that was drivable, comfortable to drive.

With his self-made construction, he jets off to Daytona Bike Week. He received a lot of praise and lots of questions. One frequently asked was: "Where can I buy the motorcycle?" It was slowly becoming clear to Monte Warne: He had to build more of this thing. So Montes small shop developed into a real motorcycle production. Today his monster bikes are mass-produced in Dyersburg, Tennessee, on an area of 770 square meters

Ten liters of displacement and more

The frames are developed, produced and powder-coated here after welding. The in-house turning and milling shop manufactures all parts for the motorcycles except for the engine. The engines come from Chevrolet. They are modified in the factory by the Boss Hoss specialists for use in the bikes.

There are (almost) no limits. Depending on customer requirements, engines with a displacement of up to ten liters and more are available. On the production line, the motorcycles are assembled by hand by the mechanics. After final assembly, each bike is first tested on a test bench and then on the road before it is delivered to the customer.

Own ideas welcome

In a short time, the mega bikes made the leap across the pond to Europe. Here some enthusiasts initially supplied themselves with motorcycles from the USA. They struggled with sometimes considerable difficulties with the approval, and the supply of spare parts is not entirely unproblematic. It became easier for the fans when the trained master mechanic Andreas Müller from Hürth near Cologne took over the European imports for the Boss Hoss motorcycles. In addition to the factory machines, the Rhinelander also sells individual Boss Hoss bolides.

Future owners' own ideas flow into the custom bikes and are therefore just as individual as the drivers of the large-volume V8 motorcycles. In addition, the original accessories program and the clothing collection from Boss Hoss are sold from Hürth.

32 liter tank

The "entry-level model" is the BHC-3 ZZ4, which is available from 49,980 euros. For the money there is "motorcycle fed up". Built around the V8 with a whopping 5.7 liter displacement. Power is abundant: 263 kW or 355 horses compete at a moderate 5250 revolutions. The power goes to the rear wheel via a toothed belt, and a two-speed semi-automatic (plus reverse gear for the big ship) allows relaxed driving.

The dimensions and weights take a bit of getting used to: the bike is 2.69 meters long, has a center distance of 2.03 meters and the ship weighs 505 kilograms when empty. The permissible total weight is 761 kilos. Consumption should be between nine and twelve liters per 100 kilometers, depending on the gas hand, and the 32-liter tank ensures a decent range.

Two trikes on offer

The buck is decelerated by two floating 32 centimeter brake discs with 4-piston brake calipers at the front and a corresponding system at the rear. There is a 130 / 90-16 tire at the front. In the back, a 230/60 15-inch model struggles to bring the abundant power of the thundering eight-cylinder to the ground. In addition to the ZZ4, there are three other "series" models on offer. And not to forget: two trikes at prices from 55,573 euros. One of them with a rear in the style of a 1957 Chevy. (mid)