# What is the rationale for a 3/4 ton cruiser motorcycle with a 5.7 liter engine?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-rationale-for-a-3-4-ton-cruiser-motorcycle-with-a-5-7-liter-engine/495864
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [May 9, 2009, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-rationale-for-a-3-4-ton-cruiser-motorcycle-with-a-5-7-liter-engine/495864 "2009-05-09T17:40:07Z")
**Posts on this page:** 17
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@JBENZver2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JBENZver2)
#### Post date: [May 10, 2009, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-rationale-for-a-3-4-ton-cruiser-motorcycle-with-a-5-7-liter-engine/495864/21 "2009-05-10T16:05:57Z")
Coolest.
Suicide.
Ever.
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### Author:  [@SuperNelson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuperNelson)
#### Post date: [May 10, 2009, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-rationale-for-a-3-4-ton-cruiser-motorcycle-with-a-5-7-liter-engine/495864/22 "2009-05-10T16:08:37Z")
My brother (who at 6/4", 300lbs has an affinity for all things oversized, overpowered, and overly loud) test drove one many years back. He said the weight was there, but all felt like it was sitting very low on the frame. He likened it to riding a Weeble.
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### Author:  [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)
#### Post date: [May 10, 2009, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-rationale-for-a-3-4-ton-cruiser-motorcycle-with-a-5-7-liter-engine/495864/23 "2009-05-10T18:27:09Z")
[Triumph](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triumph_Rocket_III) do a 2.3 litre inline (fore-and-aft) triple that is supposedly some flavour of rideable. 🙂
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### Author:  [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)
#### Post date: [May 10, 2009, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-rationale-for-a-3-4-ton-cruiser-motorcycle-with-a-5-7-liter-engine/495864/24 "2009-05-10T19:46:06Z")
That Triumph rides well, you’d be surprised at how well it gets around corners, its no supersport but still, you’d not expect it go so well in the little lanes.
It also takes to tuning quite well, it can be fitted with a very naughty supercharger
[![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twWOL2ceP4s)
In stock form it can get up to 60mph before a CBR600.
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### Author:  [@LIONsob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LIONsob)
#### Post date: [May 10, 2009, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-rationale-for-a-3-4-ton-cruiser-motorcycle-with-a-5-7-liter-engine/495864/25 "2009-05-10T20:59:32Z")
You think the Boss Hoss is overkill, then check out the Dodge Tomahawk.
It comes with a 500 HP. 8.2 Liter V-10 engine out of the Dodge Viper sports car.
> **[The Dodge Tomahawk Concept Motorcycle](https://www.allpar.com/threads/the-dodge-tomahawk-concept-motorcycle.228421/#post-1085222519)**
>
> The Dodge Tomahawk Concept Motorcycle
>
>
>
> The Tomahawk is a Viper V-10 based motorcycle, a 500 horsepower engine with four wheels beneath it. The engine breathes through twin throttle bodies mounted right up front (the two round things above the...
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### Author:  [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)
#### Post date: [May 10, 2009, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-rationale-for-a-3-4-ton-cruiser-motorcycle-with-a-5-7-liter-engine/495864/26 "2009-05-10T21:13:55Z")
> [@LIONsob](#):
>
> You think the Boss Hoss is overkill, then check out the Dodge Tomahawk.
> It comes with a 500 HP. 8.2 Liter V-10 engine out of the Dodge Viper sports car.
> [The Dodge Tomahawk Concept Motorcycle | Allpar Forums](http://www.allpar.com/cars/concepts/tomahawk.html)
It appears to have 4 wheels. Doesn’t that make it not a motorcycle by definition?
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### Author:  [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)
#### Post date: [May 10, 2009, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-rationale-for-a-3-4-ton-cruiser-motorcycle-with-a-5-7-liter-engine/495864/27 "2009-05-10T22:51:37Z")
Yes, the Tomahawk is not a motorcycle; it’s not street legal at all, either. Also, although there’s footage of someone riding it, I can’t figure out how one steers it.
However, for a real motorcycle in the same league, Boss Hoss has also used that engine:
[ ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgheMyCDtY4)
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### Author:  [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)
#### Post date: [May 10, 2009, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-rationale-for-a-3-4-ton-cruiser-motorcycle-with-a-5-7-liter-engine/495864/28 "2009-05-10T22:54:44Z")
> [@gaffa](#):
>
> … the real father of flight …
Oh good grief.
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### Author:  [@LIONsob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LIONsob)
#### Post date: [May 10, 2009, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-rationale-for-a-3-4-ton-cruiser-motorcycle-with-a-5-7-liter-engine/495864/29 "2009-05-10T23:45:48Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#):
>
> It appears to have 4 wheels. Doesn’t that make it not a motorcycle by definition?
In my book if you sit on it and not in it and you lean it to steer,it"s a motorcycle.
Peace
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### Author:  [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)
#### Post date: [May 11, 2009, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-rationale-for-a-3-4-ton-cruiser-motorcycle-with-a-5-7-liter-engine/495864/30 "2009-05-11T00:17:28Z")
> [@LIONsob](#):
>
> In my book if you sit on it and not in it and you lean it to steer,it"s a motorcycle.
> Peace
If it has four wheels you don’t lean it to steer.
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### Author:  [@Tenebras](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tenebras)
#### Post date: [May 11, 2009, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-rationale-for-a-3-4-ton-cruiser-motorcycle-with-a-5-7-liter-engine/495864/31 "2009-05-11T02:02:30Z")
If it has the right sort of suspension you might. I’ve seen prototypes (in person, not internet mock ups) for hybrid car/motorcycles (One in particular was actually a hybrid, in fact. Earth Day brings out the really impractical ideas in people.) with three or four wheels. They lean to steer and have a tricky suspension where the body leans over and all the wheels remain in contact with the road, just tilted over.
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### Author:  [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)
#### Post date: [May 11, 2009, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-rationale-for-a-3-4-ton-cruiser-motorcycle-with-a-5-7-liter-engine/495864/32 "2009-05-11T03:02:17Z")
Isn’t that thing the Batcycle from _Dark Knight_?
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### Author:  [@LIONsob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LIONsob)
#### Post date: [May 11, 2009, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-rationale-for-a-3-4-ton-cruiser-motorcycle-with-a-5-7-liter-engine/495864/33 "2009-05-11T05:23:45Z")
> [@Lobsang](#):
>
> If it has four wheels you don’t lean it to steer.
Here is the wikipeda page for the tomahawk that describes how the suspension works.
> **[Dodge Tomahawk](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodge_Tomahawk)**
>
> The Dodge Tomahawk was a non-street legal vehicle introduced in 2004 by Dodge at the North American International Auto Show, as a one-off concept, and later that year, DaimlerChrysler announced they would sell hand-built reproductions on order. The Tomahawk attracted significant press and industry attention for its striking design, its outsize-displacement, 10-cylinder car engine, and its four close-coupled wheels, which give it a motorcycle-like appearance. Experts disagreed on whether it is
[QUOTE=Wikipedia]
Though it has four wheels, to associate the Tomahawk with a quad-type vehicle is not entirely accurate; quad-type vehicles have more in common with the automobile. They turn like an automobile, **while the Tomahawk turns by leaning**.
------snip------
PERFORMANCE:0-60 mph:2.5 seconds (est.) Top Speed: 350 + mph (est.)
DIMENSIONS:Length: 102 inches Width: 27.7 inches Height: 36.9 inches Wheelbase: 76 inches Seat Height: 29 inches Weight: 1,500 lb (680 kg). Track, Front: 8.75 in Track, Rear: 10 in Weight Dist: 49F/51R Ground Clearance: 3 in Fuel: 3.25 gallons
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:Alternator: 136-amp high-speed Battery: Leak-resistant, maintenance-free 600 CCA Lighting: Headlights consist of 12 five-watt LEDs, front, with beam-modifying optics and masked lenses. Eight LEDs, rear. Headlamps articulate with wheels.
TRANSMISSION: Manual, foot-shifted two-speedAluminum-cased two-speed, sequential racing-style with dog ring, straight-cut gears Gear Ratios: 1st 18:38; 2nd 23:25 Clutch: Double-disc, dry-plate with organic friction materials, hand lever actuated with assist Final drive: Dual 110-link motorcycle-style chains
Front Sprockets: 14 teeth Rear Sprockets: 35 teeth
BODY/CHASSIS:Longitudinal, centrally mounted engine, rear-wheel drive layout; monocoque construction, engine is central, stressed member. Body of billet aluminum.
STEERING: Dual hub center type steering. Steering Linkage: Rocker arm and push/pull rod with roller bearings. Polished billet aluminum steering yoke with turned aluminum grips and billet levers Steering Lock: 20 degrees, left and right **Lean Angle: 45 degrees, left and right**
TIRES and WHEELS (4):Type and Material: Billet aluminum discs, asymmetrical Size, Front (2): 20x4 Size, Rear (2): 20x5
Tires Mfr. and Model: Dunlop custom-made symmetrical Size, Front (2): P120/60R-20 Size, Rear (2): P150/50R-20
[/QUOTE]
(Bolding Mine)
Peace
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### Author:  [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)
#### Post date: [May 11, 2009, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-rationale-for-a-3-4-ton-cruiser-motorcycle-with-a-5-7-liter-engine/495864/34 "2009-05-11T15:14:14Z")
So, do you get an [International CXT](http://www.motortrend.com/auto_news/112_news040921_inational/index.html) to haul your Boss Hoss around in?
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### Author:  [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)
#### Post date: [May 11, 2009, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-rationale-for-a-3-4-ton-cruiser-motorcycle-with-a-5-7-liter-engine/495864/35 "2009-05-11T15:30:26Z")
> [@Sunspace](#):
>
> So, do you get an [International CXT](http://www.motortrend.com/auto_news/112_news040921_inational/index.html) to haul your Boss Hoss around in?
Those things still around? The link was to a 2005 story.
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### Author:  [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)
#### Post date: [May 11, 2009, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-rationale-for-a-3-4-ton-cruiser-motorcycle-with-a-5-7-liter-engine/495864/36 "2009-05-11T16:13:29Z")
I caution people who are buying their first motorcycle to avoid getting too much bike. Thanks to that bike, no matter how experienced, big, and strong a rider may be it will always be possible to get too much bike.
In the last year, I’ve stopped to help 3 or 4 guys who dropped a motorcycle and weren’t able to get it back upright alone. My guess is that they were just barely able to keep it upright, especially when riding with a passenger. The American affiinity for bigger and more powerful backfires pretty easily when we’re talking about motorcycles or guns.
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### Author:  [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)
#### Post date: [May 11, 2009, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-rationale-for-a-3-4-ton-cruiser-motorcycle-with-a-5-7-liter-engine/495864/37 "2009-05-11T16:15:14Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#):
>
> Those things still around?
I believe so. A friend recently saw one stopped in a Florida gas station. It was being driven by a huge and friendly guy who proved to be Shaquille O’Neal.
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