| Author | Message | ||
     Kilroy |
I was at Bike Week at the Speedway Saturday with some time to kill, so I figured I would demo a Boss Hoss. What a beast of a machine! I have ridden and driven some fast cars and bikes in my life, including Corvettes, Cobras, Ninzas, Hurricanes, you name it, and I have never been afraid of the power and acceleration of any of them, up until now. 3 or 4 times during the demo, I told myself that "this time I'm going to go WFO". Each time, I had to back off at about 1/3 throttle. The acceleration was just too intense. Starting around 60 MPH, I would twist the grip, and in just the amount of time it took to glance down at the speedo, I was sweeping thru 90 and climbing rapidly -- too rapidly. The tach never got above 3K either. I have never, ever piloted a machine with this much raw power. And these were the ones with the small V8s, with "only" 335 HP. They also had them with the 502 motor, pumping out a whopping 425 HP and well over 400 Ft. lbs. (smartly, they would not let anyone ride any of those). Unbelievable. I used to laugh at those things every time I saw one. What a piece of $h]# I would say to myself. But I have a new found respect for them and for anyone that would actually ride one. Ridiculous, yes. Overkill, absolutely. Handles like a '72 Cadillac with no shocks and bad brakes, yep. A truly useless "motorcycle", no doubt. Would I buy one? In a heartbeat. Just wondering if anyone else out there has ever had the opportunity to ride one of these and what your "riding impressions" were. And I would recommend a try to anyone curious enough. It was something I will never forget, and it sort of made me instantly forget the demo I had just done of the wonderful 1125R. | ||
| Jaimec |
I was rather surprised how easily it handled, given its extremely limited cornering clearance. I also wish they warned us to start the bike while it was leaning on its sidestand; the torque reaction was so strong it almost tossed the bike to the ground on the right side! While riding it took me a second to realize my knees were burning. That's when I looked down and realized they were right on the exhaust headers! You really have to do a "leg spread" to ride this thing. So much for the MSF instruction of "hugging the tank with your knees." I don't think I'd ever want to own one of their two-wheelers... but if I ever hit the lottery I can see me getting that trike that looks like a '57 Chevy from behind! | ||
| Etennuly |
My best riding buddy had one for several years. It was a 406, 425 hp, single speed automatic version. I didn't get to ride it, but for thousands of miles I was beside, in front of, or behind that beast. Gas stops were always fun, I would buy two point five gallons, he would get eight. Not my cup of tea, but an attention getting beast none the less. Everywhere we stopped people were coming over to it to ask about it or take pictures. I had the pleasure of riding my brand new 2005 City-X with him. More than once as people approached us in a parking lot he would start into his spiel about the Hoss, and some one would say "no thanks, I want a picture of that blue, rocket looking bike, what is it?" It felt great to tell them about Buell while he had a stunned dejected look on his face. A beastly, somewhat dangerous bike, that attracts attention like few others. I have seen the rear tire light up at over 95 mph as he was passing a car and hit a small damp spot in the centerline of the road. And the last time he rode it as it was flying through the air in a parking lot because the four barrel opened unexpectedly on a damp parking lot driveway. Truly explosive power for two wheels. | ||
| Jerry_haughton |
A truly useless "motorcycle", no doubt. Would I buy one? In a heartbeat. what Kilroy said. FB ps: first one i ever saw in the flesh was at Sturgis. it had a blower sticking up thru the tank. overkill is ok. (Message edited by jerry_haughton on March 10, 2008) | ||
| Ratbuell |
What's the Man Theory? Oh yeah..."too much is almost enough". I'll stick with 2 cylinders on 2 wheels. Hell, I don't even have the self control required to purchase an 1125r! | ||
| Kyrocket |
If I remember correctly the Tomahawk was just a proto and was never going to be built anyway, right?  And would it even be considered a motorcycle with four wheels? Sorry didn't mean to hijack, this just came to mind with all the overkill references. Just imagine a V-10 humming just under your crotch. On the Boss Hoss note, I've seen a '57 Chevy trike someone mentioned. It was being pioloted by a female with a bikini top probably not 125# soaking wet at Easyriders, Chillicothe. I wasn't quick enough to get a pic. | ||
| Jaimec |
They built a limited number of Tomahawks for collectors. Not street legal, and selling for $500,000 apiece. Boss Hoss makes a bike around the V10 Viper Engine, by the way. We saw it on Main Street a couple of years ago. Must've been a real pig because it apparently needed a couple of Nitrous bottles too... | ||
| No_rice |
i rode one of the viper hosses. not my thing, but man does it have some pull! and when the guys across the street from your booth with a tomohawk want to ride your guys 292pnd 300pnd ft of torque jet powered bike you tend to work things out. even if it is at 4:00 in the morning in a back street parking lot in daytona... | ||
| Etennuly |
For the over kill program I would rather have one of the jet engined bikes. | ||
| Djkaplan |
I'd ride it. Not in North Georgia, though. | ||
| Ratbuell |
I've been around when a Tomahawk was fired up and ridden around. It definitely does NOT "hum". It does, however, make babies cry and women run in fear. Even the "car guys" all around were a little nervous-looking... A throttle blip nearly sent it onto its side. I take back what I said earlier. I could live with one of those  | ||
| Ferrisbuellersdayoff |
I saw the V10 Boss Hoss rolling down A1A. it sounded like it was idling and moving at almost 50pmh a throttle blip shot that missle ahead amlost 300 feet in half a second! So much unusable power gone to waste. |
