Bonneville America Forums Forums General Motorcycle Forums Other Bikes Rode a Rocket 3 today...Impressive

I got a card in the mail a couple weeks ago from my local Triumph dealer, Hermy's Cycle, Port Clinton Pa. Come take a Rocket for a test ride, get a T-shirt. Cool I thought, when I get a chance I'll head up and check out this bike I've read so much about. Today was the day, no work and a great day to take a nice ride. I headed up there and got to talking to Chris that works there. He set me up for the demo ride.
While I was doing the required paperwork I mentioned that I had 2 recall papers at home I never got taken care of on my TBA. He looked it up in the computer and came back and told me while I'm on my demo ride they could take care of the recall items. Another bonus I thought, don't even have to schedule an appointment.
Back to the demo ride, WOW. I mean WOW. If you get a chance to ride this bike, do it. My other bike is a Honda Valkyrie, a 6 cylinder power cruiser. Almost as big a bike, size wise as the Rocket. I had no doubt I could handle this bike. So I got on the bike and fired it up. First thing I notice is the way the bike rocks to the right when you twist the throttle. I head out onto the highway and quickly get up to the posted 35mph speed limit. The size of the bike quickly vanishes. Feels real good. Once I got out of town i rolled on the throttle a little and I was doing over 80 without realizing it.
I took a right onto a side road and enjoyed about 5 miles of twisties, the bike handled like a dream. I turned around and headed back. Some more twisties and I got back to the main hiway. I got back on the hiway and this is when I let it rip. I pulled out in first and started going thru the gears. WOW. I've never felt anything like it. WOW. This bike was pulling so hard it wanted to pull my hands off the grips. Scary fast. I was doing about 120 before hitting 5th gear. I didn't think many bikes could run better than my Valk, but this bike runs. Ride one if you get the chance. WOW.
I got back to Hermy's and they were just finishing up my TBA. Chris came out and talked to me a bit and gave me a T-shirt for the demo ride. He didn't even pressure me at all about buying the bike. I guess he knows if I decide on one I know where they are. All in all a very enjoyable experience.
If anyone needs service in NE Pa., I highly recommend Hermy's. I didn't buy my TBA there but I will buy my next one there. I felt that good when I left there today.
Ride Safe
Steve

Lucky Steve,
You got me wanting to ride to Chattanooga tomorrow instead of the Georgia Rally. I know my dealer won't have one - they keep 1 Bonnie, 1 TBA or Speedy and 1 sport bike - that's it. And they don't allow test rides. Maybe I can skip the Newnan trip tomorrow and meet up with everyone near Chy & Di's place. I did get to smell a Rocket last year.
Ride Safe,
Dennis

I rode the Rocket 3 days ago......the back of my mind keeps going to the torque and horsepower........my ol-lady would kill me if i brought one home......

I had the opportunity to ride one as well a few weeks ago.
125 MPH is 3rd gear, with RPMs at 2200... unreal.

Yea, impressive, etc...but, it's ugly. Just my opinion.

HeliPilot,
Yeah...Kind'a. But the POTENTIAL to create a beautiful bike without "much" additional cash is there in spades.

I'd love to have one to "fix" the aesthetics on, and show the boy's at Hinckley just how CLOSE they came to doing it "RIGHT"!

Dwight
(the first thing we do is get rid of that asymetrical exhaust system)

I would like to Mr. Wade do his magic and fab a bobbed rocket III. The intake would have to go and fuel tank modified, K&N filters, bob the rear fender, remove the front one and stick a fat tire up there, drag bars and for sure change the exhaust system. Whatta think ?

Budster,

Did ya see the custom R-3 that someone posted here last week, I think it was, that some German guy created.

IT WAS AWESOME!

I wish I could help ya find it, but I'm sure somebody here will be able to give you that info on which thread it was on.

Anybody?

Cheers,
Dwight

Dwight, Yeah buddy, I would like to see that mod. Every time I go visit my local dealer he tries to get me to ride the Rocket and I refuse cuz I know I will buy it if I ride it. BTW our local dealer is nothing but Triumph and he has sectional couches surrounding a big screen tv where alot of the local Triumph riders hang and watch bike racing. I hang for a bit and then hit the asphalt. Great bunch of people there.

Gotta agree with you on this one...I'm really impressed with the power, torque and handling of the bike, but man, it just doesn't have the asthetic appeal of a TBA or a Speedmaster. If only they'd go to a 1000cc twin putting out around 85 to 90 horses, we'd all be in heaven.

Sorry, IMHO it's just one flat a$$ homely motorcycle!! But hey...to each his/her own. That's what makes life interesting huh?

Yeah, but when you actually ride it and feel the power and handling, and experience the cool factor of being on one of the hottest bikes ever, the rest just goes away. Crank it up, hard, and the handle bars try to get away as this incredible machine leaps forward. My old 9 second drag race cars didn't have this kind of power/weight ratio! This thing is everything you've heard, and then some!

HALLO,everybody!

I get a Test - ride by our lokal Dealer last Week .
ROCKET 3 ...unbelievable.
Like kickin# ******
Ride safe
Peter

I mean kickin my rear Side in the middle


WOOOOAAH !!

hotdog,

Now now, young man! I hope you weren't pullin' any wheelies with that demo-bike, were you?

I know that just about everybody who has ridden that monster, comes back with that same "YEE-HAW" attitude that you just described. I've got to try out that baby for myself, one of these days.

Cheers,
Dwight

I've stopped by Hermey's a few times, nice selection of accessories and bike inventory. The original owner of my bike bought it at Hermeys. My only gripe was they wouldn't remove the AI or adjust the air/fuel screws after installing long off-road pipes. The bike ran like crap, but that was in my favor as the orignal owner was frustrated and sold it cheap, guess that is my gain!

I was curious how the R3 stacked up against the Valkyrie, they seem very similar. I'd love to take a spin on the R3, just to say I did it!

That was pretty decent of them to have taken care of the recall work on the spot, bet that doesn't happen everywhere.

Not so much of you lucky sods trying the R3 all I've done is sit on one,the dealer sacasticly asked if I'd like to take it for a spin knowing full well the roads where iced up,this was in january but next chance....A case of if I rode one I'd want one,so I think its safer if I don't(not if I want stay married that is)

Hey, I test rode the rocket yesterday (and got a free "size maters T-shirt").

Oh... my... gawd!

I discovered a few things - power, brakes, power, brakes, power, brakes... it goes on and on.

This bike has absolutely INSANE amounts of power... ANYWHERE. If you can, test drive it. Good god!

I also discovered that it's not nearly as ugly when you are on it and you can't see the motor, but you can feel it.

HI Dwight ,
ask me ,i got the answer ,but i'm not Jesus !!

Look under :www.huber-verlag.de (CUSTOMBIKE ,side 52)

hope ya enjoy this one

greatings from good old Germany
Peter

Hallo everybody ,
i remember the times ,when Kawasaki got the 500ccm,2T, Mach 3!!
your in 4th. gear, open throttle and you had the same result as R3 ...WHEELIE !!!
But the Mach 3 got any Problems Elektik,lost skrews.
frame split etc. ...incredible
The Horror drives with you ,but we had our TBA
and be sooo glad ..
Peter

Webster's Dictionary - definition: UGLY-- Triumph Rocket III.

FWIW. I think a larger twin would vibrate like hell, even with balance shafts. My S3 mirrors are crystal clear even though I get a nice picture of my elbows. I had to order some Harley mirrors in black that don't have the H-D logo. Haven't come in yet.
Dale

Put one next to a V-Rod. Looks like a shiny new penny.