Boss Hoss Motorcycle Has a 502 Cubic-Inch V8 Because, Why Not?
Distinctly American Boss Hoss pushes its engine-to-vehicle ratio to the extreme with a big-inch Chevy V8.
We often joke about the things that make America a unique place, one of them being the fact that we love to overdo things just a tad. Too much is never enough, and the more excess, the better. That’s precisely why things like Boss Hoss motorcycles exist – because more than one person was sitting around wondering why we couldn’t go out and buy a bike with a V8 in it. But this particular Boss Hoss, up for grabs at Mecum’s Muscle Car City auction January 22-23, is a bit more extreme than most.
These days, Boss Hoss sells a variety of motorcycles powered by everything from GM’s 350 small block to a 496 cubic-inch big block. But this bike is packing 502 cubic-inches of Chevrolet V8, a mammoth motor that cranks out 502 horsepower and 565 pound-feet of torque in this guise. That’s a healthy amount of juice for a car and absolutely insane numbers for a motorcycle.
While the auction listing provides precious little information about this killer cruiser, most Boss Hoss bikes utilize only one- or two-speed transmissions, because these engines provide more than enough torque to the rear wheel to get them up to speed with no problem. The bigger question is how do you ride around in traffic without blowing off that large piece of rubber?
Outside of its mammoth powerplant, this bike features a body built in house by Boss Hoss. Seen in person, these motorcycles are quite large compared to your average Harley, but that’s by necessity. Obviously, no Harley frame was designed to carry a V8. But to us, that just gives them even more road presence than they already have. And who the heck wouldn’t love to have a V8 sitting underneath them, exposed for the world to see, while they cruise around town?
Yes, the Boss Hoss is a special slice of Americana, something that you just wouldn’t see anywhere else. One could say that’s because we’re crazy or power-hungry, but in reality, we just never lose our love for toys when we exit childhood and enter adulthood – we just buy bigger and more expensive toys.
Photos: Mecum Auctions
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