Triumphrat

MCN

Here are the world’s first pictures of the final version of Triumph’s Rocket III Touring – which shows that the bike bears an almost remarkable resemblance to the Harley-Davidson Road King. This motorcycle was first revealed in MCN more than...

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Diego

What? --"first revealed in MCN more than a year ago"? First loosely predicted would be more accurate, because what they "revealed" at the time didn't look very much like this. But I must say, even though I'm not sure it's quite my cup of tea, this one looks a LOT better to me than MCN's concept at that time.

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John

glgavin

It seems to me that anytime a cruiser from any mfg is produced in touring trim it looks like a Road King.

The only R3 owner I've met couldn't wait to get it to the US mainland to tour on it.

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Gary
Oahu, Hawaii

sbljr

Except for the addition of hard bags (available from at least 2 aftermongers for the current Rocket) this seems to be just a mainstream restyling of the Rocket, NOT the rumored luxury touring model (which would require a big fairing to house electronic farkles, large touring trunk etc etc to compete against Goldwings and HD Ultras).

PRICE will have a lot to do with whether it sells. Should do well against the Suzuki C90T and similar HD copycats if priced anywhere near them. IF priced up with the RK only those who need the 2300's prodigious torque will buy it. Otherwise you're getting a much smaller dealer network, far fewer accessories available, and faster depreciation. Those are all things that matter to the touring cruiser crowd. It would be popular with those who tow trailers, since it has the torque to do so better than anything else out there, but that's about it.

Having owned a Rocket I can tell you it already makes a great "see the USA" touring machine if properly outfitted. This model does not really seem necessary to me, except to please those who want "mainstream" cruiser styling as defined by WillieG.

Jamo

I don't know why my original post was deleated, but, I'll say it again: THis motorcycle doesn't look anything like a Roadking, other than having two wheels and side cases that don't look like a Roadking's. And where is the topcase?

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Turn on, Tune in and Ride off

sbljr

There were 2 threads w/same subject and looks like moderator deleted the other one not just your post. As for looking like a RK, the drivetrain doesn't, but certain other parts do bear a resemblance to the RK Standard (moreso than the Classic/Custom).

However the overall look can't be tied to any one traditional bagger--it looks like ALL of them including the honkayamazuki touring cruisers. To that end it is a much less distinctive machine than the original "love it or hate it" Rocket III. OTOH it will have broader appeal to mainstream cruiser types who putter around in groups at 55mph, but whoever has the biggest motor and loudest exhaust becomes the alpha male.

With this bike Triumph is jumping on the "me too" cruiser bandwagon, and I bet within a year there's a naked version which sells more units than the original but can't be distinguished from any other cruiser until your eyes focus on the motor.

BadMouth

Said sidecases look almost identical to the ones that come on RK's and Ultra's, down to the placement of the marker light.

The RIII's signature dual headlights have been replaced by a single large headlamp housed in a nacelle, just like the roadking.

Where is the topcase? Simple, roadkings don't come with topcases

I'm still hoping that this is a test mule and there is going to be one with better styled bags, a topcase & satellite radio.

sbljr

Methinks that previous post may have been confusing the RK with certain EG's which have topcase (the HD lingo is "TourPak") standard rather than optional as it is on the RK. All the touring "family" are one bike dressed out at the factory differently, but Electra Glide variations looks very different from Road Kings (and those spy pics).

Accomodating farkles like satellite radio, cd player etc will require either a large fork-mounted fairing aka the Harley "batwing" or a frame-fixed fairing like some other touring barges have. Since the bike in those pics looks more finished than a testmule missing a full fairing would, I'm guessing that's the final product and they might also offer a pseudo-bat faired version kinda like the Royalstar Venture vs Deluxe (to please those who want more gadgets). Will be interesting to see...

farky

just what i expected from Triumph. Everything "but" what a tourer would want. No mention of "cruise control" either. Now that "really" doesn't surprise me either.

jerry

sbljr

If they really are using the Road King as a benchmark it will have electronic cruise control at least as an option since all RK models do. For 2008 RK's (all Harley touring models) also have ABS available. I'd expect the Rocket tourer to offer that too. As for musical contraptions, intercoms and other gizmos aimed at the "Cadillac minus 2 wheels" touring crowd, they can stick with their Goldwings, K1200LT's, Ultras etc as far as I'm concerned. Been touring a couple of decades and I'm among those who have neve found such gadgets essential ingredient of the motorcycle touring experience.