Triumphrat

cookies · 07-22-2005

Time for reflection.

I had given the initial purchase lots of thought back in bleak and wet January before putting down the deposit and looking at a six month wait for the Rocket....... (and by the way having to pay nearly double the price our American brothers pay for the same privilege!!!)

Rode a Harley Fat Boy in Thailand, and had hired a Heritage Classic in the States for a while, so I had some idea of the nature of the beast. These seemed agricultural to me when faced with the tight Irish twists and bends of our roads here.

I have owned lots of bikes in the past.
I spent a weekend with brother-in-laws Honda VFR 800 and 999 Ducati. Great bikes, but boy am I too old to do continuous push-ups on a bike, whilst bent over to the maximum and knees crying for a stretch, whilst being kicked up the arse and in the bollocks for hours at a time, however much fun they are to ride.

The big Beemer or a Pan European (oh yes, and a very close call with a Hayabusa in a showroom) were the only real alternatives for me. They are great bikes, but I am not impressed with being "smooth", having heated grips or an MP3 player or cuddly toy. I have a decent car for when it is lashing it down!!

Thank god for Triumph! It is absolutely the right choice. I have something that makes me smile. It’s something with "soul", something "special". It’s a "keeper".

I have had so much sheer fun on it. So has my family.
It is a fantastic rush. Riding the rocket is just continual fun and joy.
There is something special about it. I have had people stop and get out of their car at red traffic lights to come and look at it. Even truck drivers stick their thumbs up when they pull up along side the bike. It causes crowds to flock in town. People rubberneck as I drive up the road. I had to lift kids on to it for a sit-on for ages at my daughter's school. It is as good to drive as it looks. It handles well; it is a blast in a straight line. It really earns the respect it needs to be ridden properly.

This is my first Triumph. I am glad I have joined the family!

Aussiebikerdave · 07-22-2005

Cookies, you've really caught the bug in a big way man, you're gone... I can see that already!

Enjoy and keep on enjoying. Mine is nearly 12 months old and it just gets betterer and betterer! :-D

Davo

RickL · 07-22-2005

This is my first Triumph too, and I keep asking myself, "why did you wait so long?"

07-26-2005

HI Cookies!

Nice to here from another Irish Rocketeer. I live in Belfast and got mine (black) in April from McCallens in Lurgan, I guess you did too?

I was on the last RAT run from the shop when another Rocketeer turned up (red) it was great to compare accessories he had the loud pipes and had it in solo trim which looked really good. I have RIVCO parts, touring seat and sissy bar. I was a great ride out around the Mourne mountains and see his riding style as he has a backgroung in racing.

Hope to see you on one of the future ride outs.

Harky

Aussiebikerdave · 07-26-2005

Hey Harky, Nice to meet another Rocketeer and a man of impeccable taste, infinate wisdom and sound judgement.

Enjoy your black Rocket! :-D :-D

Davo

sbljr · 07-26-2005

Great reflections. You got it right about the Rocket including the color :wink:

rick05rocket · 07-26-2005

Cookie,

Bravo! Yup, the Rocket is truly something special, and you're so right. . it simply makes you grin ear-to-ear whenever you get the ride the beast.

Triumph's Rocket is truly a Triumph in every sense of the word!!

ride on

rick

Ugarte · 07-26-2005

You hit the proverbial nail on the head cookies. The Rocket is special...I don't think any other bike can give as much motorcycle satisfaction. I don't even smoke, but after riding the rocket, I seem to want a cigarette....go figure..

Quote:

Even truck drivers stick their thumbs up when they pull up along side the bike.

That reminds me of the time I pulled up alongside the Harley rolling museum on the freeway. I paced them for a bit to give them a good look at the right side of my Rocket. They didn't give a thumbs up....I was crushed... :wink: :-D

Jamie · 07-26-2005

Thumbs preserved for hitch-hiking purposes, whenever their mounts blow a rear cylinder head gasket. :razz:

cookies · 07-27-2005

Quote:

On 2005-07-26 06:13, Harky wrote:
HI Cookies!

Nice to here from another Irish Rocketeer. I live in Belfast and got mine (black) in April from McCallens in Lurgan, I guess you did too?

I was on the last RAT run from the shop when another Rocketeer turned up (red) it was great to compare accessories he had the loud pipes and had it in solo trim which looked really good. I have RIVCO parts, touring seat and sissy bar. I was a great ride out around the Mourne mountains and see his riding style as he has a backgroung in racing.

Hope to see you on one of the future ride outs.

Harky

Hi Harky
Great to hear from you.
I come up to the North for work a couple of times a month, but not often on the bike.

I have seen an orange (tribal?) rocket up there, running down the M1, but I have not been on any RAT runs myself yet.
I saw the orange one for sale on E Bay last month. Don't know if its sold yet?

Got mine from Bikeworld, Dublin.
I have gel seats, sissy bar and summer screen, so pretty similar set up to yours

We are going to start a Dublin Triumph RAT branch, and there are now four Rockets here, with another two in the showroom at the moment.