The Boss Hoss BHC-3 is the cruiser on which an American firm from Dyersburg, Tennessee, built its reputation: a motorcycle wrapped around a Chevrolet V8 car engine. Buyers could choose the engine, and with it the character of the bike, from the 5.7-litre ZZ4 to the 8.2-litre 502 and the later LS-series units.
Boss Hoss BHC-3 at a glance
| Maker | Boss Hoss Cycles, Dyersburg, Tennessee, USA |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1990, by Monte Warne |
| Engine | Chevrolet V8, 376–496 cu in (6.2–8.1 litres) |
| Small-block option | 5.7-litre ZZ4, 355 hp |
| Big-block option | 8,230 cc (502 cu in), 502 hp |
| Later option | BHC-3 LS3, the largest-displacement motorcycle according to the French Wikipedia |
| Gearbox | semi-automatic two-speed with reverse, second gear an overdrive |
| Engine weight | over 250 kg on its own |
| Machine weight | sometimes over 500 kg |
| Price in Germany | €45,800 (5,700 cc) to €75,500 (8,200 cc) |
| Built | about 300 vehicles a year by the mid-1990s; more than 4,000 sold by 2006 |
The English article on the company is short, so the page also uses the German and French articles, which give the engine options by name. The individual BHC-3 versions have no Wikipedia articles of their own.
History of the Boss Hoss BHC-3
From Boss Hog to Boss Hoss
Monte Warne founded the company in 1990 in Dyersburg, Tennessee. Its first machines were shown at bike shows under the name Boss Hog, but Harley-Davidson holds the H.O.G. name in the United States for its Harley Owners Group, and Warne was ordered to change it. The name had already become known, so in the middle of 1991 the firm settled on the closest alternative, Boss Hoss.
A factory of hand-built machines
What began as Warne’s small shop grew into a works of 770 square metres where the motorcycles are still largely assembled by hand. The frames are built around Chevrolet eight-cylinder car engines rather than motorcycle units, which is what separates a Boss Hoss from any conventional cruiser. By the mid-1990s the company was selling roughly 300 vehicles a year, and by 2006 it had delivered more than 4,000.
Choosing an engine
The BHC-3 was offered with a range of Chevrolet V8s. The French Wikipedia names the 5.7-litre (350 cu in) ZZ4 with 355 hp at one end and the 8,230 cc (502 cu in) unit with 502 hp at the other, and calls the BHC-3 LS3 the largest-displacement motorcycle on the market. Displacement across the range ran from 376 to 496 cu in, or 6,160 to 8,130 cc.
How it rides
The engine drives through a torque converter to a semi-automatic two-speed gearbox with reverse, the second gear being an overdrive. The mass of the machine has a damping effect on vibration, and combined with eight cylinders and the very tall gearing it produces what has been described as vibration-free acceleration. The engine alone weighs more than 250 kg, and a complete machine can exceed 500 kg, yet the low centre of gravity means that in practice it handles much like any other heavy cruiser.
Design and features
- Chevrolet V8 power: a car engine in a motorcycle frame, from 5.7 to 8.2 litres.
- Semi-automatic transmission: a torque converter and two speeds, with reverse and an overdrive second gear.
- Hand assembly: the motorcycles are built largely by hand in a 770-square-metre works.
- Weight as a virtue: the mass damps vibration and settles the ride, while the low centre of gravity keeps the machine manageable.
Boss Hoss BHC-3 versions
- BHC-3 ZZ4: the 5.7-litre (350 cu in) small-block version with 355 hp.
- BHC-3 502: the 8,230 cc big-block version with 502 hp.
- BHC-3 LS3: the later LS-series engine, described by the French Wikipedia as the largest-displacement motorcycle.
- BHC-3 LS2: another LS-series engine option from the same line.
Boss Hoss also builds three-wheelers, described in the article on the Boss Hoss Trike. More machines from the firm are in the Boss Hoss collection.
Video: BOSS HOSS BHC-3 LS
Video on YouTube.
Sources
- Boss Hoss Cycles, English Wikipedia: company history, engine range, production numbers, riding character
- Boss Hoss, German Wikipedia: Boss Hog name change, factory, weights, gearbox, German prices
- Boss Hoss, French Wikipedia: ZZ4 and 502 engine outputs, BHC-3 LS3
