Church Of MO – Hunwick Hallam Debuts Its BOSS Power Cruiser
In this Church feature from 1999, we look back at one Australian company with a big vision. Hunwick Hallam was a partnership between Australian Rod Hunwick and engineer Paul Hallam, to create their own take on motorcycling. While Australian Superbike racing was what the company may be most known for in Australia, the thought of producing the Boss Power Cruiser was arguably a bigger goal for the company. Actual prototypes were eventually made, and the duo had sights set firmly on the cruiser-happy American market. The bike drew eyeballs, but not much funding as the thought of buying an new motorcycle from an unknown company was a tough sell. Ultimately, Hunwick Hallam faded away, its dream never fully being realized. However, Hunwick would later go on to co-found the popular motorcycle custom shop Deus Ex Machina. This report from contributor Ken Edwards provides a few details about the Power Cruiser.
Hunwick Hallam Debuts Its BOSS PowerCruiser
Australian Superbike manufacturer Hunwick Hallam has announced details of its stunning BOSS PowerCruiser prototype. The pioneering Australian marque’s debut machine is set to take street cruisers to a new plane – in terms of styling and design as well as performance.
The first of three debut models to wear the Hunwick Hallam badge, the BOSS PowerCruiser is propelled by a 1350cc version of Hunwick Hallam’s own V-Power, fuel injected, eight valve, DOHC, 90-degree V-twin. In its PowerCruiser guise, the ultra-modern, short-stroke, Axial Targeted Combustion, air/liquid-cooled powerplant is claimed to produce in excess of 100 horsepower — despite a very mild state of tune.
Hunwick Hallam’s engine/chassis design offers weight reduction and packaging benefits as well as facilitating production savings and easing routine maintenance. Visually however, the benefit of this approach is clear. The visual aspect of the Hunwick Hallam design is that the PowerCruiser is almost elemental in its appearance. Wheels, engine and controls — nothing ancillary. In this respect, the BOSS PowerCruiser is a hint of things to come.
Indeed, could the HH PowerCruiser deliver handling characteristics more akin to a conventional sportbike? This ability, while not detracting from the traditional attraction of cruisers, has the added bonus of appealing to riders who have been frustrated by the poor dynamic performance of the current crop of cruisers. Hunwick Hallam claims the BOSS PowerCruiser promises 50 percent more power than its opposition, while boasting a 50 percent weight advantage in the cruiser arena.
Troy's been riding motorcycles and writing about them since 2006, getting his start at Rider Magazine. From there, he moved to Sport Rider Magazine before finally landing at Motorcycle.com in 2011. A lifelong gearhead who didn't fully immerse himself in motorcycles until his teenage years, Troy's interests have always been in technology, performance, and going fast. Naturally, racing was the perfect avenue to combine all three. Troy has been racing nearly as long as he's been riding and has competed at the AMA national level. He's also won multiple club races throughout the country, culminating in a Utah Sport Bike Association championship in 2011. He has been invited as a guest instructor for the Yamaha Champions Riding School, and when he's not out riding, he's either wrenching on bikes or watching MotoGP.
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Nice pick for Church of MO! I always wondered what happened to those guys...
One correction I'd like to make regarding your introduction. The cruiser was initial product and was the driving force behind the project. The superbike was devised later initially as a rolling testbed/PR exercise which was slated to become a product later.