Rocket III--dissed by New York Times...?

[ridin-gaijin]

This isn't my area so plse forgive if I'm stepping out of bounds here, but yesterday I noticed an article about the new Suzuki M109 (wasn't that a Messerschmitt figther??). Link here.

In it, the author drones on about how big bikes have gotten, and cites some numbers for the 109: 1,783 cc, 127 horsepower, 118 pound-feet of torque. He notes: "Japanese bike makers, who entered this category with halfhearted efforts a couple of decades ago, have in recent years engaged in something of an arms race of engine size and horsepower for class bragging rights. The 109 in the Suzuki’s nomenclature refers to its engine displacement in cubic inches."

Now, stop me if I'm wrong, but didn't the 2004 Rocket exceed every one of those specs? Four years ago...?

[Ugarte]

The Me 109 was a german fighter.

The M109 is suzuki's latest power cruiser and performs well, but still gets hammered by the Rocket.

Yes on all counts about the Rocket vs the Zuki.

Suzi also has a touring version of the 109 called the C 109 RT.

The NYT sucks!

[Diego]

Considering that the article was a review of the M109, and not a comparo or shootout or such-- and considering that the whole piece seemed to question the need for such bikes-- I personally am just as glad that they didn't find any reason to take the Rocket's name in vain.

[sbljr]

Originally Posted by ridin-gaijin

...He notes: "Japanese bike makers, who entered this category with halfhearted efforts a couple of decades ago, have in recent years engaged in something of an arms race of engine size and horsepower for class bragging rights. The 109 in the Suzuki’s nomenclature refers to its engine displacement in cubic inches."

Now, stop me if I'm wrong, but didn't the 2004 Rocket exceed every one of those specs? Four years ago...?

Keep in mind some pundits consider that "class" as bigbore V-TWIN cruisers, period. To them the Rocket is a niche machine like the Rune and BossHoss. Never mind that it has a mainstream price as heavyweight cruisers go (the Rune and Hoss certainly do not) AND the largest purpose-built motorcycle engine ever produced in any class. They seem to ignore those facts.

[dougl]

At least they didn't say: "While the M109 is the latest in the rush to bigger is better, there's actually something that's bigger: the Triumph Rocket, at 140 CI! Now how freakin' sick would you have to be to buy one of those?"

[HOTRODSRJ]

I'm NOT going to register with the F&*$)#g New York Times for anything!

So, carry on!