Cruiser chaos at MCN

The news that a Honda Rune was in the MCN car park was enough to see the office empty this morning, Wednesday June 30, 2004. The added news that there was a Triumph Rocket and a Boss Hoss parked next to it meant a gawping crowd, including MCN Editor Marc Potter, just waiting to hear the five-and-a-half litre Boss Hoss engine fire up.

The three bikes are being tested alongside a Harley-Davidson Road King, and the full report will be in MCN, Wednesday July 7. But when it came to starting the Boss Hoss, a flat battery was diagnosed. Not only did we need to jump it from a car, but it actually worked out easier to bring the BMW saloon to the bike rather than push the huge beast to the car.

And the effort was more than worth it to see the whole bike rock to the side, almost lifting off it’s side stand, every time the throttle was twisted.

Next to the Boss Hoss, both the Rune and Rocket seemed almost quiet. The Rune gained a lot of attention for the styling, due to the fact it looks like a concept bike on the road. One staff member commented that sitting on it ‘makes me feel like Judge Dredd’, while others pointed out details like the stylish rear lights. It’s so convincing as a one-off top-spec custom creation, it takes the Honda badge to remind you it’s actually available to anyone with the cash.

To find out how all four heavyweight cruisers fare on wet Peterborough roads, and whether, as predicted, the Boss Hoss destroys a motorcycle dyno, see MCN, July 7. And would you consider a cruiser as stylish as the Honda Rune? As British as the Triumph? or as unbelievable as the Boss Hoss? Have Your Say on cruisers, here.