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Triumph is set to present two new 08's in france this month one is supposed to be a 1500 triple based on the rocket III and the other a brand new 1600 twin touring bike. We should start seeing some pictures of these real soon . Scan the web for anything you can find.

Yeah, yeah............

Again? what's the seat height?

Sounds pretty specific - thanks for the update. Care to elaborate on the source?

triumph magazine summer issue 001

Well here's one I know for sure. It's the Rocket III Tourer. Fugly.



EFI for America and Speedmaster in '08

Street Triple

...and possibly a few more surprises.

Stop teasing me. I just ordered the freak and a bunch of bling for my Speedy.

1600 "touring" bike...mmmm another variation on the rumour.

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Well here's one I know for sure. It's the Rocket III Tourer. Fugly.

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Oh Great! A Rocket3 with aftermarket hard bags and a Memphis Shades screen modified with a RotoZip saw and some sheetmetal from grandma's chicken house - of course the Buick/Lamborgini radiator remains intact. Thanks Triumph! Exactly the touring bike I've dreamed of (Harlie copy?).

I am beginning to believe that a camel is a horse, designed by an engineer (sorry, Benny).

AND, I believe a BMW is in our future.

OK... fine.... I'll talk about it...
Triumph doesnt get it!!! They needed to come out with a real touring cruiser. One with a full faring that includes all the gadgets of other touring cruisers. One with a queen.king seat. One with a tri-hard bag set-up. But nooooo, all they did was put a single headlight on it, that is very dumb. I know a couple people that really like the R3, but they bought HD or a Venture because they take off with their wives for a couple weeks at a time and they need to have all the creature comforts of those other touring cruisers.

Soren

A-MEN! Go on and preach, brother!

Oh thank God this is not another 1500 thread! I much rather see a 1600 thread in stead. Wow what a relief! Now maybe we can have a dozen 1600 treads, yeh that's more like it!

I agree with Soren. Triumph needs to make an actual touring bike/rolling living room. Arm rests for the passenger,sterio,glove box,all the little fairing gadgets,full fiberglass fairing,front and rear floor boards, hitch,hard bags and trunk with removable soft bag inserts with handles,etc..

They will never "get it".

mike

But it has to be more swoosie than the Victory...thing.

I wonder if Triumph is pulling a practical joke with this Rocket III nonsense. It is so UN-Triumph.

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I wonder if Triumph is pulling a practical joke with this Rocket III nonsense

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It's actually the New Triumph 1500 cruiser in disguise.

Well, I too agree with Soren that Triumph has for the past two years, and as it appears is continuing this practice, of lost potential sales of interstate tourers in the vein of Goldwings and BMW LTs by not offering their own version of these machines.

However...I do have to mention once again that I think this single large headlight, those now symetrical and lower exhausts, and those larger and deeper bags(courtesy of those lower mufflers) are an improvement of sorts over the standard R-3's look and convenience factors.

I think those designers in the english midlands are at least starting to "get it", anyway.

OK, i will play the devils advocate here, and defend Triumph. A full touring spec bike is a different beast to that of a large bore cruiser. A couple of things that i can see that might make Triumph think twice about going full speed into the Full Dresser type of touring bike.

I have found that Gold Wing owners and BMW owners are extreemily loyal to the brand, and so to entice them away from their chosen rides a full touring spec Rocket would have to be very good right out of the box.

And just how big a market is the full touring bike market. Again, taking into account the loyalty Gold Wing and Beemer riders are. How many people who were seriously concidering going out to buy a full touring bike with stereo, butt warmers, cup holders and the like. How many of those people would seriously consider a Triumph over proven long distance bikes.

When thinking of long distance touring bikes, Triumph, like many other brands i can think of would not come to mind.

I must be honest, if i was thinking of making a cross continent ride, a Goldie or a Beemer would be the only bikes i would make the trip on. And i believe a lot of riders feel the same way. So for that i can see why Triumph is somewhat reluctant to jump into the full touring market.

Of course, i could be totally wrong here. I have been wrong before. I think it was a tuesday back in 1976.

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I have been wrong before. I think it was a tuesday back in 1976.

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Mark,
It was a Tuesday, but it was 1975 - remember?

Mark, I don't think I would ever seriously consider buying a R3 unless it was a decked out full dresser cruiser. I just don't see the point in having that much motor on a bike otherwise, after all I do have my Speedy if I just want to ride.

Soren

A Rocket III could replace all my vehicles. With a trailer I could make dump runs, wouldn't need the Jeep. Gets better gas mileage than my daily driver. Faster than my Mustang ever will be shy of spending a fortune on it. And it's uglier than the 914s (and I already have a buyer for those).

I'd just need studded tires for the winter.

I hear they were going to use Minbari power crystals instead of fuel injection.

Yes, however that powerplant was first tested on a Kawasaki Ninja.

1620

Arsenalfan, I agree. It's basically a marketing choice by Triumph. The big tourer market is relatively small and is sewn up by BMW and Honda. Triumph's one big tourer was the Trophy 1200, great bike, but a failure in the market. That's why Triumph no longer manufactures it.

On the other hand, the Triumph cruisers are profitable and mostly made for the American market. Most Americas, Speedmasters and Rockets are probably sold in America. The coming 1500cc Triumph is for the American market and if they don't srew up the performance and styling will sell.

1600 would be nice in the size of the current Speedmaster.Keep the weight down.Great fuel mileage would be great also.

was told at triumph yesterday (triumph rep was there) that the big speedmaster/america I'm waiting to see won't be available till late 2K8--> salesman said this and said I can ask the rep he's standing right there but I didn't bother cause I was sitting on that thruxton..