Bonneville America Forums Forums General Motorcycle Forums Other Bikes The New Rocket III's

Did anyone take a close look at the new models of the Rocket III's. Wow, I've got to be honest with you, anyone who goes for a Road King or the like over that Classic Rocket III is nuts. About $10K less, twice the engine, and ...well I could go on and on, but I have to go to work to make enough to buy one of those!

I like the look of them, but keep telling myself where would I use all that POWER. Then I think surely I could just.......

Looks a bit better now that they've blacked out most of the engine. Still, it's hard to hide that tractor look.

They grow on you. The more I look at them the more I get used to the look. They are so different than anything we have pre-configured in our mind they shock us.

I have been lucky enough to drive one. Oh My! Gives new meaning to the words "Twist and Shout".

Where would you use that power? You're pulling up a long mountain grade 2 up with a weeks worth of stuff in the saddlebags and tail pack and you're passing a semi. Halfway into the pass of that 18 wheeler he starts to pull into your lane so he can pass another 18 wheeler in front of him. So you give it the gas and all that torque and hp gives you the roll on acceleration you need to blast ahead of that trucker that didn't see you, preventing him from running you off the road and into the dirt median.

Just one example. It's what's missing from my Speedmaster, and yes I've ran into this problem. Slightly different scenario, but almost got sidswiped by a big hay hauler in Albuquerque. Luckily there was a breakdown lane I could move over to. Scared the sh%t out of me.

I agree, Soren.

That bike's been begging for the Goldwing treatment since the day it premiered.

Last year, in either Cycle World or Motorcyclist, I saw an artist's concept of this exact thing, and thought Triumph was going to release just such a version in '06.

Well, as you said..."Maybe that's next", huh?

And Derek...Yep! Our BAs and Speedys are great machines, but they'd be PERFECT if they had just 25 more HP and torque at the rear wheel, for JUST such an occassion like the one you've described.(Big-bore, maybe?)

Cheers,
Dwight
(I've been there too!...HOLY CRAP...come on baby...PULL!)

Blacked out engine and bars in a much more comfortable position for me are the biggest pluses. I prefer pegs to floorboards, so that change didn't do it for me. I would probably still swap the touring seat for an aftermarket seat. I would have loved to see a British Green and creme similar to the Tbird.

Ride Safe

A 904cc big bore kit isn't going to get you 25 more horsepower and 25 more ft/lbs of torque. Nope, I'm looking for a bike with more power. I don't want something that's much heavier than what I've got though, so the Rocket III is out. I have to wait a year until some bills are paid off, and then I'll go shoppin', but I have done some window shoppin'. Still keeping the Speedmaster though for day rides and around town, plus maybe solo trips to Triumph events...if we'd ever get one within 1,000 miles of Tucson.

Of course I'm not leaving out the "Annual Triumph Weekend at Dwight's Place in Prescott" with that last sentence I wrote.

Hmmm...we need a better name for that one.

Derek

Man, you guys are on the money. I did that Rocket, but the weight is a little concerning. Our bikes really need an 1100 version. A Triple, something. They're plenty quick and all, but like the earlier post. I too have had a close call pulling up a grade. Just not there umph there that there needs to be. If there is one thing that will cause me to trade in my TBA, it's the lack of power.

Man, you guys are on the money. I did that Rocket, but the weight is a little concerning. Our bikes really need an 1100 version. A Triple, something. They're plenty quick and all, but like the earlier post. I too have had a close call pulling up a grade. Just not there umph there that there needs to be. If there is one thing that will cause me to trade in my TBA, it's the lack of power.

the new r 3s are very cool. the blacked out engine and the red & cream looks great. i have a bid kaw and it weighs 700+ lbs and I've ridden a r 3 a number of times and i like 'em. i don't think the weight wd. be a problem for me. there was a bit of vibration on 1 i rode. but the other 2 were fine-- what power. a full dresser might get me to look hard. i do like the red cream classic though.

cat

r3 classic

For a lot of people the radiator is off-putting. FYI, I saw over on the TriumphRAT.net RIII forum that someone is working on a much sleeker aftermarket replacement radiator.

Mmmmm, yes please.

Any time that I'd be passing a semi under those conditions, I'd have it WOT anyway , I don't want to spend any more time beside one than necessary. On a Rocket Three that time would be minimal! As for the looks, it looks a lot better from the seat

As someone else on this board has said - they look a lot better once you've ridden one... Saw the new classic when I visited the bike show in Birmingham last November. Very nice in the flesh, they've really cleaned the exhausts up - black engine looks great. I would have one in a flash (if the Mrs. would let me )







Jan

I must admit they look cool even with Jan sat on one

Derek, you need one of those South Bay big bore/stroker kits that takes the Bonny twin out to over 1100cc's. That, and a cam change should give you all the power you need.

While South Bay's stuff is a little pricey, kitting and camming is still way cheaper than buying another bike.

Methinks one could load up an R III with a catalog of touring goodies, put Mama on the back, AND hook a motorcycle trailer onto it, and still pull up the hill to Flagstaff with the cruise control set!

Cheers, mate!!!

The right fairing could make that radiator "blend" a bit better.

The "tractor" reference is appropriate - in first gear you realize just how much torque and power is available just off-throttle. Awesome.

I don't have any experience with any other cruisers, but wouldn't a Honda 750, or a Suzuki M50, Kaw 750-800 - all be about the same? Would not the TBA or SM be a better choice on that winding rode next to the blind semi? I know the Hardleys have more torque, but they are slow, too, right? That is definitely a moment when a quick downshift would be in order.

Unless you want a crotch rocket (or a Speed Triple or Sprint), that Rocket is going to scoot better than anything else.

The left side it still ugly too.

PapaDean,

Well my next bike is going to be something different than a feet forward cruiser. Now that I got my knee replaced, I'm itching to try a more upright position again, but I still want to keep the Speedmaster for around town cruising. Almost blasphemous in here, but when i bought my Speedmaster I really wanted a T100 instead(They had an orange and silver 100th anniversary on the showroom floor and I had to pry myself away from it). Didn't think my knees could hold up at the time.

Bigbill,

I hear what you're saying, but a car in front of me prevented me from just blasting past the semi in the first place. But I'm glad you brought that up, because it's one of my pet peeves when I have to ride the interstate. Why do a lot of cagers insist on slowing down when passing a 18 wheeler? Or they'll nose in front of one and slow down, but stay in the left lane trapping you next to the semi? Those kinds of drivers sure are a PIA and a hazard out on the road. They're the same kind of people that'll slow down on an onramp when they try to merge onto the freeway. Dangerous idiots.