Mike Kelly Jr. was short and to the point when summarizing his company’s new 427 cubic inch, 550 horsepower performance motorcycle he calls the Vanquish V8.
“It’s a point-to-point bullet,” Kelly said. “It’s a race bike that’s street drivable. Zero to a hundred on this thing will scramble your brain.”
The occasion was a Boss Hoss bike fair, held at Kelly’s Progressive Auto complex on Marco Island.
Kelly, who took his first plunge into the world of V8 bikes about 15 months ago by acquiring a Boss Hoss dealership, doesn’t see competition between the two brands, however.
“The buyer (of the Vanquish V8) is a guy who likes to cruise on his Boss Hoss, but wants the fastest bar-hopper in the neighborhood for solo riding,” he said.
By comparison, the Boss Hoss is a 350 cubic inch capacity, 350 horsepower machine that weighs around 1,100 pounds and is suited to cruising.
The Vanquish is a 427 cubic inch capacity, 550 horsepower bike that weighs around 950 pounds and has a two-speed, semi-automatic transmission.
Webified
- AUDIO: Jack Phillips on why he came to the bike fair
- AUDIO: Jack Phillips on his love of bikes
- AUDIO: Jack Phillips on his introduction to Boss Hoss
- AUDIO: Mike Kelly Jr. on the difference between the Vanquish V8 and a Boss Hoss
- AUDIO: Mike Kelly Jr. on who would want to buy a Vanquish V8
- AUDIO: Mike Kelly Jr. talks about a Vanquish V8 model
- AUDIO: Mike Kelly Jr. on the marketing efforts for the Vanquish V8
- AUDIO: Mike Kelly Jr. on why he is manufacturing the Vanquish V8
Kelly and his team achieved the startling weight differential by using 41/30 Chrom-Moly tubing for the frame, as well as an all-aluminum motor and transmission.
Production of the new bike, Kelly said, has been under wraps for the past year while he and his team ironed out kinks.
“We’re what’s called a micro manufacturer, and will not produce more than 100 units a year,” he said.
Nevertheless, at $80,000 a pop, that’s a potential $8 million in turnover for the company.
Lifelong biker Jack Phillips made the trek from Titusville on the Space Coast to check out the Boss Hoss fair, as well as lay eyes on the Vanquish. He came away impressed with a Boss Hoss LS2 with a Corvette aluminum engine, and swooned over the Vanquish.
“Anything with an engine, I love,” said the Vietnam vet who remembers a 5hp scooter as his first ride as a youngster. “I even get excited if a lawn mower can get a few more rpm, and I’m just fascinated with a V8 engine in a bike.”
Kelly, a customary laugh that sounds like he’s just heard a really raucous joke, says the “hypothetical” performance of the Vanquish is zero to 60 m.p.h. in about two seconds, and from 70 m.p.h. to 120 m.p.h. within three seconds.
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Comments » 1
StrokinSmokin writes:
You would think a person in the Business of selling V8 bikes would not write this kind of stuff. Now this comes from a business person who is offering the world a $90,000.00 bike? You would think they would avoid all Negitive input and try to make the cumstomer happy?
kkelly wrote:
Your tired of this S***. You haven't stopped running you blasted mouth in 6 months about us. You have some nerve dear!!! Your indian name should have been runningmouth...and the butterfly logo you have is quite deceiving wouldn't you think???
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