Triumphrat

Torch · 10-01-2005

Took my R3 for a quickie ride thru the twisties of Colorado. The fly screen does a pretty good job until 70(i'm 6'2") then I started wishing for a full face helmut. The power is awesome. Blows my lightly modified x Valk(exhaust,K&N,6deg trigger wheel,Interstate carb springs) away. Handling is ok,waiting for my 440's to show up. Definitly takes more muscle to got thru twisties(my 02 GWING,Valk and even the 05 Road King Classic turns in easier). Noticed this morn I only had 34lbs of air in the front(makes a difference?don't know). Taking it out for a longer ride tomorrow thru mountain passes. We will see. Overall impression! Grins,grins and more grins. Need to change the seat,it's the low version of the gel seat,It's killing my lower back...Otherwise this bike gets a ton of looks(red/gold flames) and I know I'm not part of the cookie cutter crowd(Harley) anymore... :-D

Jamie · 10-02-2005

Agree with Ogre: " You go through faster on a Rocket".

The Valk' and the Harley might turn in a bit easier (?) but it's at much lower speeds (I have owned both BTW). With some more RIII riding experience (!), you'll realize that the RIII is untouchable by other cruisers... and a challenge to real sports bikes, at least charging uphill ENJOY! :wink:

10-02-2005

While the rocket is bad to the bone, it is no match for a sport bike in the mountains. The only place that a Rocket is competitive with a sport bike is in the 1/4 mile. Even then most sport bikes will out perform the Rocket. Where the Rocket excels is in the Cruiser big bike class, nothing else comes close! :hammer:

RocketlessTodd · 10-02-2005

I just completed 5 runs of the Tail of the Dragon.
While no one would claim the Rocket is going to best the sport bikes, I can say that the sport bikes can't shake the Rocket. I was right up their arse the entire time, enough so that they expressed great admiration for the handling of such a monster.

mikesitter · 10-02-2005

Torch,

Congrats...as a fellow RIII owner in the Denver area, I know this weekend was one of the best for riding.

Progressives are on my Christmas list...I hit a bump yesterday and my posterior came clear out of the seat.

on the front psi...34 lbs is what is recommended by the factory. Are you running more/less?

Torch · 10-03-2005

It had 34lbs in the front,upped it to 38 frnt and rear. Seems Metzlers usually do better with higher pressures. Have 440's showing up any day now. And ***** the wife wanted to go for a ride yesterday so I had to take the Wing. Great ride anyway,Golden Gate,Peak to Peak,Trailridge road,lunch in Grand Lake then over Berthoud pass and home. Would of been fun on the R3..... What I meant in a previous remark about my other bikes "turning in easier" is the willingness and ease of leaning quickly into a turn not that they handled any better. Seems I geuss because of the 240 rear tire the R3 needs a bit more muscle to get it hustled around the curve. I'm willing to practice more often to improve thou. :-D :-D :-D

TallRocket · 10-03-2005

The ride will GREATLY improve with the 440's. I added the longest they had I think it was 13 or might be 12.5 and it greatly changed the ride. Raising the seat, made a big difference. At 6'9 with 38" inseam, I thought I needed to move the controls forward. The change in seat height made all the difference.

Ugarte · 10-03-2005

Quote:

On 2005-10-03 01:35, Torch wrote:
Seems I geuss because of the 240 rear tire the R3 needs a bit more muscle to get it hustled around the curve. I'm willing to practice more often to improve thou. :-D :-D :-D

Hang off the bike a bit from the outside grip....use your weight not muscle....it is one of the joys of the Rocket!