Boss hoss dealers

[3FOR2]

"they are advertising their Demo trikes on Ebay"

Good for Rick. I hope they sell all six by the end of the week. Cash flow is good. Cash burn sucks.

[SQ4MN]

Here is a suggestion for Ricky to consider. I THINK THE FACTORY SHOULD SELL KITS AGAIN. Boss Hoss started out selling kits and maybe its time to once again offer them. In my opinion there will never be enough V8 bike customers, they are a unique segment of the Motorcycle world. The prices of all V8 bikes are outrageous for all but the wealthy. There are many bikers and trikers that are mechanical types. As far as trikes go if a rolling chassis was available commercially many Old bikers and hot rodders would like to build it themselves. Two wheelers need the transmission, and even if customers think thats all they need and that they then could build a bike cheap they would soon discover the truth. BH could sell the kits in several different stages of completion. The prices would be based on what stage the kit came in. The bikes or trikes would be registered in each state according to the states requirements on a homebuilt vehicle.

[Ron Radulski]

Doesn't sound like a bad idea. The Factory is already selling the trikes with "raw" (not primed or painted) bodies. You or somebody else will have to take off the body, fairing, if you order one, gas tank, & front fender, then assemble it back together. All this for a savings of $8,000.

[Paul H]

Back in 91 basic BH (then Boss Hog) kits were priced at
$3,995. They quit selling them because people were calling
Monte asking how to fit a Gold wing front end to the kit.
Other stupid stuff like that spelled the end of the basic kit.
That's what I started with and ended up with a running
street legal bike for around 6 grand. Then about 1993-4
they would sell you a "complete" rolling chassis for $10,500 raw or $12,500 for a power coated frame and
chromed swing arm and other parts. Just a ZZ4 for
around $2,600 at the time and you were riding. Kinda
makes you wonder how the factory was able to sell a
complete one color paint job bike for around $28,000.
Those were the good old days???

Paul H

[CanuckHoss]

The reason Boss Hoss stopped selling kits as told to me by Monte was that their insurance forced them to sell running motorcycles....having the non painted pieces attached or in a box was ok...Insurance just wanted the technical / assembly of the mechanical bike or trike done by Boss Hoss then they would cover Liability..made sense to me

[SQ4MN]

I think they could get around the insurance with some sort of signed document releasing liability. Possibly they could even get coverage with some company today, I don't know. I do think they would sell many kits of unpainted bikes and trikes. No dealer mark up would help keep the price down. Boss Hoss service centers could put bikes together and charge what they want for those not able to do it themselves. I just don't see enough demand for any V8 bike to make it a successful business venture able to support a factory and dealers and owners, I truly hope I am wrong. I think kits in various states of completion would sell pretty good. I envision many just buying frame and trans for two wheelers because the entry price would be attainable. They would soon realize that an old Harley front end won't really work as well as they had envisioned and decide to buy the BH front end and wheels. They find a deal on an Chevy engine and now they are committed. They start to discover that there are lots more parts needed but they can be purchased from the factory a little at a time. It finally fulfills a dream but costs way more than they thought, however they finally ride it and are hooked. Those that go with trikes will fall into the same scenario. The factory could still sell completed bikes thru any dealers they have or factory direct for those in states with no dealers. I have given a simplistic scenario but it could be worked out by smarter people than me. They also could just offer single parts on their website such as transmissions, frames, forks, wheels etc. besides different kits. The name of the game is to get more people riding V8 bikes to where more motorcyclists see them and consider one for themselves.

[TXscooterguy]

The name of the game is to get more people riding V8 bikes to where more motorcyclists see them and consider one for themselves.

My local Harley dealer had a Cinco de Mayo bike night tonight. I rode my 2015 Coupe to the event. Fortunately there was a handicapped parking spot about 25 feet in front of the stage where the band was playing. I drank my free beer while sitting on my trike. A dozen or more people came up and asked questions. One guy told me he has over $70,000 in his Harley trike. Had he known about Boss Hoss, he said he probably would have gone that route. We V8 riders need to show up at more bike gatherings, smile and answer questions. If I would have gotten off the trike and sat on the picnic tables, they could have seen it but wouldn't be able to ask questions. Let's show off our rides to the local riders.

[CanuckHoss]

The name of the game is to get more people riding V8 bikes to where more motorcyclists see them and consider one for themselves.

My local Harley dealer had a Cinco de Mayo bike night tonight. I rode my 2015 Coupe to the event. Fortunately there was a handicapped parking spot about 25 feet in front of the stage where the band was playing. I drank my free beer while sitting on my trike. A dozen or more people came up and asked questions. One guy told me he has over $70,000 in his Harley trike. Had he known about Boss Hoss, he said he probably would have gone that route. We V8 riders need to show up at more bike gatherings, smile and answer questions. If I would have gotten off the trike and sat on the picnic tables, they could have seen it but wouldn't be able to ask questions. Let's show off our rides to the local riders.

YEP....just start asking Harley guys what they have into their Ultra trikes and you may be very very surprised...

I have had customers tell me they spent $10,000 plus on their HD motors here in Canada so they can travel in 6th gear and they still have to shift on Hills....

A few years ago at a major International Show I was beside a trike conversion dealer with my booth. He had a Goldwing trike there for $72,000 and a Harley trike for $75,000. At the time I could have put someone into a new LS3 trike for that money. Both trikes sold at the Show and the Boss Hoss trike I had did not....Harley guys are Harley guys and Goldwing guys are Goldwing guys...most will go to the grave without changing. As dealers we fight the "But it is not a Harley" all the time...

[2crzy]

The problem besides the insurance issue is the vin number. You cant put a complete vin # on any vehicle that is not complete. Then it comes to an issue it turns into homebuilt. You cant call it by the BH name. Also resale values will come into play. You really don't know what someone has pieced together and trying to sell it the same as a factory built BH. Too many liability problems, not to mention any warranty.

[SQ4MN]

The problem besides the insurance issue is the vin number. You cant put a complete vin # on any vehicle that is not complete. Then it comes to an issue it turns into homebuilt. You cant call it by the BH name. Also resale values will come into play. You really don't know what someone has pieced together and trying to sell it the same as a factory built BH. Too many liability problems, not to mention any warranty.

I have built many bikes from parts. The DMV issues a number, in some cases they stamp your frame, in others they issue a special sticker, its not a problem for the guy that has already put in the effort to build a bike to put in some more to register it. Who cares if it says Boss Hoss on the title which it won't. It will say special construction or something similar. When its being sold its up to the buyer to determine the quality of the build, some builders can build higher quality machines then any factory and some don't. Of course you get no warranty, but remember that the kit bikes are for the type of guy that is mechanically inclined. Many of those guys feel they can build better than any factory and some can. I would suggest kit bikes as an option as there are plenty of V8 riders that have no desire or time to build a bike or trike. Actually a factory can get around liability problems easier with a kit then with a bike or trike they sell complete. There are many hot rod kit builders, it is not a new concept. The main attraction would probably be the savings. Most working people have no way to buy a fifty or sixty thousand dollar motorcycle but they would love to have one if they could. The kits lets them piece together the money as well as the bike or trike. Without kits V8 bikes will stay just as they have since I came around about eight years ago, there just will never be very many. If there were more of them on the road and at events they will be considered by others. If they aren't seen very often they will remain a rare novelty. If normal riders see them and are told they are built from a kit it will open a whole new door to working guys with a more limited budget.

[CanuckHoss]

The problem besides the insurance issue is the vin number. You cant put a complete vin # on any vehicle that is not complete. Then it comes to an issue it turns into homebuilt. You cant call it by the BH name. Also resale values will come into play. You really don't know what someone has pieced together and trying to sell it the same as a factory built BH. Too many liability problems, not to mention any warranty.

I have seen many "one of...homebuilt Harleys...I mean V-twin bikes"...most are garbage as people think it is an easy task to build a bike...not so...need to be a master at everything to get it right...which very few have accomplished

[TXscooterguy]

Harley guys are Harley guys and Goldwing guys are Goldwing guys...most will go to the grave without changing. As dealers we fight the "But it is not a Harley" all the time...

Barry, Bob Dylan sang, "the times they are a-changin'." A long time Harley friend of mine is now riding an Indian Chief Classic. My neighbor is now on a Triumph Thunderbird. Your neighbor to the east of you has sold over 100,000 Can-Am Spyders.

What I seem to run into is a perception that V8 riders are a cult clinically addicted to horsepower. They trailer their machines to gatherings so they can impress each other with smoking tires and then load them back into their trailers to go home. They don't believe V8 bikes can be reliably ridden over long distances. I intend to prove them wrong. The average annual miles racked up by motorcycles is just 3,000. If we can get some V8 touring articles in the motorcycle magazines, maybe we can lift the impression that these are just expensive parking lot toys.

[Grand Canard]

Here is a suggestion for Ricky to consider. I THINK THE FACTORY SHOULD SELL KITS AGAIN. Boss Hoss started out selling kits and maybe its time to once again offer them. In my opinion there will never be enough V8 bike customers, they are a unique segment of the Motorcycle world. The prices of all V8 bikes are outrageous for all but the wealthy. There are many bikers and trikers that are mechanical types. As far as trikes go if a rolling chassis was available commercially many Old bikers and hot rodders would like to build it themselves. Two wheelers need the transmission, and even if customers think thats all they need and that they then could build a bike cheap they would soon discover the truth. BH could sell the kits in several different stages of completion. The prices would be based on what stage the kit came in. The bikes or trikes would be registered in each state according to the states requirements on a homebuilt vehicle.

Good idea, I'm looking into it.

[SQ4MN]

The problem besides the insurance issue is the vin number. You cant put a complete vin # on any vehicle that is not complete. Then it comes to an issue it turns into homebuilt. You cant call it by the BH name. Also resale values will come into play. You really don't know what someone has pieced together and trying to sell it the same as a factory built BH. Too many liability problems, not to mention any warranty.

I have seen many "one of...homebuilt Harleys...I mean V-twin bikes"...most are garbage as people think it is an easy task to build a bike...not so...need to be a master at everything to get it right...which very few have accomplished

Actually its real easy to build a quality V Twin bike today. The frames, front forks, wheels, complete quality engines, transmissions and all the add ons are available brand new out of catalogs. If the bike you have seen are POS its because new quality parts were not used. You don't even have to know how to weld to build a nice V Twin bike these days. Money is the problem, many bikers have little to none and they buy used parts and cobble together a running bike which looks terrible. Some on the other hand build quality bikes. It will always be like that. Here is a picture of a bike I built using mostly catalog parts, it had a special construction title. The engine used no Harley parts, the frame was an after market frame, the front fork tubes were aftermarket, the fenders were aftermarket, the tank was genuine Harley, the dash was aftermarket, as were the rims and tires. Someone else painted it and I fabricated the sisssy bar and the front fork triple stands. It was an easy build that most anyone with a good eye and a little mechanical skill could accomplish. I actually sold that bike for a profit so its not impossible, It was no problem to register or insure.

[SQ4MN]

Here is a suggestion for Ricky to consider. I THINK THE FACTORY SHOULD SELL KITS AGAIN. Boss Hoss started out selling kits and maybe its time to once again offer them. In my opinion there will never be enough V8 bike customers, they are a unique segment of the Motorcycle world. The prices of all V8 bikes are outrageous for all but the wealthy. There are many bikers and trikers that are mechanical types. As far as trikes go if a rolling chassis was available commercially many Old bikers and hot rodders would like to build it themselves. Two wheelers need the transmission, and even if customers think thats all they need and that they then could build a bike cheap they would soon discover the truth. BH could sell the kits in several different stages of completion. The prices would be based on what stage the kit came in. The bikes or trikes would be registered in each state according to the states requirements on a homebuilt vehicle.

Good idea, I'm looking into it.

I hope it turns out to be a workable addition your product line. I believe that no matter how good you make the new Boss Hoss bikes and trikes the real problem is that they remain unaffordable for most. You can't give them away and stay in business. If a way can be found to make them affordable and increase the market share of V8's into the MC world they may start to become more mainstream. If that happens it would be a game changer. Trikes were not particularly liked ten years ago but as people saw them more they began to catch on. Today they are a big share of the MC market. The joy of V8 bikes and trikes are waiting to be discovered. If people see them being ridden more often it will sink into their minds that they too could possibly have one of those.

[Carl La Fong]

There are hundreds of people, from the big guys like J&P all the way to small guys on eBay selling Chinese knockoff junk, offering rolling chassis kits. Add an engine, trans and a few other bits and bobs and, Voila, instant chopper. They all come with MSOs so you can register them and get them insured. I'm sure that they have their butts covered, liability wise. BH probably could do the same. The warranty would be a limited deal, maybe on defects in workmanship only.

BTW, Dave's bike was the bike of my dreams. Absolutely perfect. Nothing about it needed changing. It won first place at the Hells Angels bike show, here in SoCal a few years ago.
I would have bought it, but I prefer large motorcycles

[SQ4MN]

Thanks for the compliment about my old bike John. Imagine how much fun it would be to buy the major components from BH and build your own bike. I love the pictures Ricky just posted showing them starting to build six new bikes. I've watched Stan and his guys building new bikes, it would make me drool. When I was 18 years old I bought a brand new 74 cu inch flathead engine still in a crate packed in cosmolene left over from the war. I built a bike around that motor and loved it. In 1966 I bought another brand new shoveled engine from the factory and built another beautiful bike. The bike you liked had mostly all new parts, there is something to say about building bikes with new parts instead of what you just happen to have. I built many bikes with parts that others were just throwing away or would trade for something, they were ok but never as nice as when I could afford new parts.

[Carl La Fong]

If I had a kit and a big wallet, I'd love to build something really offbeat to confuse the onlookers. Maybe a 409, a Ford 427 SOHC or a big nailhead Buick

[Jack]

My bike came in a box in 1998. That was after my dad bought 2 bikes from Monte in 1998, and that was after he rode a demo in Daytona I believe.

He loved the BH so much that he thought there was a market for it in Buffalo NY. That is why he bought the Boy Toy... Monte wasn't selling kits anymore and the Wild One Custom could be had for "cheap" and with some work you could be on a homebuilt V8 bike. I have a line on another AKV frame and tranny. Should be available in June.

The demo rides sell bikes. Imagine if you could offer "something" at an HD price to someone who fell in love with the bike on the test drive but can't afford to pay you to build and paint it? Buying a V8 bike is cost prohibitive, for the most part, the guys with the new bikes could, quite literally, have anything they wanted. Used bikes can be had at a decent price but with the reputation for blowing through transmissions it can be a tough sell to a burnout machine with a few thousand miles on it.

Prepare the kits, have them on hand, in a crate, at the bike shows ready to load into a pickup truck. Catch the occasional impulse buyer - who for once - may not regret the purchase a couple months later. Get those Harley guys to ride by a sign explaining to them that they "could have had a V8 for the price of that Vtwin" and throw them on a $60k demo. They won't be able to write a check fast enough for the $20k kit.

My question... In 1998 there was no problem registering a home built that had an old, carb'd, no cats, pre-ODB crate motor. Are they going to have to buy E-rod type crate motors to pass emissions? I don't know. I do know that an LS can be pulled from a junkyard and the PCM unlocked for about $2k total. It will outperform any carb'd crate motor for the price and you're on a motor that has MPFI, 300+hp, and TONS of aftermarket support.

Sorry I'm rambling... My kids are watching Frozen for the millionth time and I don't want to put my phone down.

[SQ4MN]

I agree with you Jack. I think the kits would have to come in different states of completion and have different prices. I think its the only way to increase the volume of sales enough to make a difference. Most states don't have any emissions laws for motorcycles. Nevada does have them for trikes. If you live in a state that has them you either register in another state or buy a complete bike or trike that complies. Harley guys could become a big market if the initial price was lower. I would love to hear from Ricky what he thinks about the kit idea. I might be his first customer. Indiana geezer might be his second.

[Grand Canard]

I agree with you Jack. I think the kits would have to come in different states of completion and have different prices. I think its the only way to increase the volume of sales enough to make a difference. Most states don't have any emissions laws for motorcycles. Nevada does have them for trikes. If you live in a state that has them you either register in another state or buy a complete bike or trike that complies. Harley guys could become a big market if the initial price was lower. I would love to hear from Ricky what he thinks about the kit idea. I might be his first customer. Indiana geezer might be his second.

If BH did offer a 2 wheel kit, it would consist of a frame and transmission, anybody can order from the factory or a dealer whatever additional parts they might want such as swing-arms or front-ends, etc.

Available frames - BB, SB standard, SB SS, LS Standard, LS SS.

The transmissions are expensive, they cost more than the damn engine; who out there honestly would buy a kit this year were it offered?

Rick

[johnny redneck]

I would want a complete bike, Not assembled, Less engine and paint. You can sell a wiring harness, controls, the bolt on's ect. For the same money if not less than a ones z two z customer and still make a little money.
john

[Jack]

I think the beauty, and also possibly a shortcoming of providing a kit, for BH is that there are so many proprietary parts on it. It would be much less a kit and more of a "lay-away" program to continue buying BH parts for the bike from the dealer network or factory direct. You're not sourcing a lot of these parts, minus the motor, from a swap meet or your existing pile of motorcycle parts.

Johnny nailed it - the kit can be complete - just in pieces in a box. You'd knock some materials time off of the cost (paint and finishing touches) and quite a bit of assembly and tuning time off of the factory or dealer associated costs. Factory and dealer can still have their markup, maybe a little less profit margin, but it gets more butts in seats. You'll end up with guys who simply do not have the time or skills to complete it - so it goes to a dealer for finishing. Ultimately you end up with more bikes on the road that you can service, take on trade-in, or spread the word of the V8 experience.

I guess my mindset is maybe too specific to my own experience, which was not with a BH kit, but more of a custom frame and transmission (among a couple other "original" pieces) which were supplemented with a host of generic motorcycle and/or car pieces. Most of the "bike" is H-D or homebuilt, and the rest of it is "1990 K-1500"... which is how I have to tell the guys at AutoZone that I need a PCV for a smallblock and they give me a blank stare.

So in one hand, you'll own the market for the parts (unless the aftermarket or independent dealers start producing the remaining kit parts) and they will come to you to buy when the funding or time is available. And - it's money in hand whether or not the bike ever sees the road from someone who would have never cut a check for the cost of a new bike.

So, to give you a straight answer - No.
I would probably not be a customer of a kit and it is because it would be more an exercise in assembly than it would be sourcing parts from the auto store or a swap meet to make something I could call my own. I also don't know if buying the parts from you would be any cheaper than buying the bike complete - it may be, it may not be. The old saying goes - "it would cost $125k to build a $20k car if you bought it from the parts department instead of the sales floor."

IF I didn't have to go to BH for everything except the motor it would be a more attractive solution. If you felt like it, you could make a rough list of the parts that weren't proprietary and see for yourself if there would be any monetary benefit to the purchaser in piecing the bike together or not. To Dave's point - you can build a V-Twin "Harley" without touching an H-D part. Not the case with BH - nor should it be.


I'm basing this off of the 1998 BH I had, the 1998 Wild One I have, and your statement that they would have to come to you to finish the kit. So, I could be way off base.

[BossHossAZ]

I really don't see it as a cost effective benifit. The dealers won't want to mess with them. Boss Hoss will now get all the phone calls like this doesn't fit ect.. I think as a business stand point maybe a frame fork package for someone to do a totally custom deal but anymore will just be hassle.

[CanuckHoss]

I really don't see it as a cost effective benifit. The dealers won't want to mess with them. Boss Hoss will now get all the phone calls like this doesn't fit ect.. I think as a business stand point maybe a frame fork package for someone to do a totally custom deal but anymore will just be hassle.

I tend to agree. Not enough guys around with the knowledge to complete a home built "anything"