Questions

[JRO]

I hauled my busted '06 Tiger 180 miles to the nearest dealer, and my wife sat on an '07 R3Classic Tourer, and liked it. A couple of years ago, when I was interested in a Rocket, she wouldn't go for it - test ride on a basic Rocekt, without a backrest, ended that idea. Just when I was about to abandon Triumph for something really fast, she decides she wants another one. I'll be honest; I'm still going to try to talk her into an FJR1300, but am now looking for reasons to want the Rocket. The choice will be up to her, because the last time I bought a bike on my own (the Tiger), she hated riding on it.

So...

What's it cost to run and maintain this thing? (fuel mileage, oil change costs, tires)
How maintainable is it at home (180miles to a dealer)
How fast is it, really? (standard classic tourer model)
Is it up to cruising the interstate at 80-120mph for extended periods?
How dependable is it? (bad luck with my Tiger)
Issues - serious & minor?
Is the luggage worth a hoot? (lots of errand & hauling duty)

I use a bike for transportation - NO CAR - and I usually ride until it's freezing outside.

Is this really a good daily driver for 9-12 months out of the year?
How's the wind protection?
How is it in the rain?
How many trouble-free miles do some of you guys have on Rockets?
How is it on poorly surfaced roads? Potholes? Dirt roads?

My wife is interested in this thing for comfort.

How is it two up, most of the time?
At highway speeds?
I weigh 220, she weighs 130 (some of the kids weigh more, or less), add a bunch of junk, and I'll regularly haul 350-400lbs. Is the suspension up to this?

I guess that's all, for now. Anything extra anybody adds, I'll be happy for the response.

[tbsrider2000]

Sorry about the length...

I have 23,000 miles on my '04 Rocket now and have never had a problem, other than I had to replace the tail light bulb. I took my bike to a dealer for it's initial valve shim check and I've never had it back.. Oh wait, I had a dealer in Houston install my last rear tire..

-What's it cost to run and maintain this thing? (fuel mileage, oil change costs, tires)

Oil and filter cost is depending on choice, of course.. I run Castrol Synthetic and which ever brand oil filter I have available at the time.. Usually is about $35-40 total. Triumph says every 10K miles, I usually make it around 5K-8K miles though. A stock Rocket can get as high as 40 MPG. I have the TORs/ cat by pass, and a PC-III, and I'm getting about 35 MPG now, but the extra kick and sound is so worth it.. Rear tires are the costliest thing, maintenance wise.. A rear tire will run close to $200 plus mounting. I've been getting 10-12,000 out of a rear tire and about double that for the front. I do some occaisional hot rodding, but most of my riding is highway.

-How maintainable is it at home?

There's not much maintenance required other than keeping her clean, and oil/filter changes.. Everything is easily accessible. The tanks lifts up like a car hood, and the spark plugs (6 of them) are right there. Other than the valve shim check, I've done everything else myself, and I'll probably tackle that the next time.

-How fast is it, really? (standard classic tourer model)

I have the standard model and had well past the 130MPH mark just the night before last.. lol The computer limits speed to around 140.. and a little less for the classic tourer model

- Is it up to cruising the interstate at 80-120mph for extended periods?

I've had mine up to Sturgis, over to Colorado, Louisiana, etc.. much of the way on those kind of trips I'm cruising about 90MPH... with PLENTY of punch left. 90MPH seems to be a sweet spot for mine.. Everthing smooths out and she just cruises along so good.

-How dependable is it?

Like I said, I've only had to change a tail light bulb that went out on me one night. It's a standard 1157 bulb, so I just pulled into a gas station and swapped it out.

-Is the luggage worth a hoot?

I went with Corbin bags and bought them well before the prices have reached what they have now. They are EXCELLENT bags.. but I would not pay what they are asking now. The factory ones look large, but I don't have any experience with them.

-Is this really a good daily driver for 9-12 months out of the year?

I use mine as a daily driver as well. I have the fly screen on for most of the year and switch to the Roadster screen when winter hits. I do chicken out and take the truck if it's really raining on my daily drives though.. lol

- Wind protection

The Roadster screen works for me.. I do plan on adding the lowers at some point. Everyone says they are the biggest improvement on protection.

- the Rain

With good tires the bike is absolutely great in the rain. Nothing seems to bother it. I've been in a couple of day-long down pours and cruised and all went very well, actually always better than expected.. lol One caution... The R-III has ALOT of torque.. so be easy on the throttle when pulling from an intersection and making a left/right turn on a wet street. I've never felt like I was losing it, but the rear tire will spin for traction..

- How is it on poorly surfaced roads? Potholes? Dirt roads?

Well.. the Rocket is not a dirt bike.. lol, but I've been down some pretty nasty roads.. including a recent wet red clay road in Oklahoma and we came through it alright. One of my Harley buddies went down on that road. I would say it's comparable to any other big bike in this area.. Not the bikes preference at all, but the roads are managable.

It will pull two up better than any other bike. With all the torque available, the motor doesn't even know it's carrying extra weight. If you get the classic tourer, you'll be getting a good seat. If you get the standard you will need to upgrade the passenger accomodations IMMEDIATELY. You may also want to upgrade the rear shocks, however, I still have the stock shocks and don't hear too much complaining. They actually work better two up than with just me (185lbs) on board. I would try the stock ones for a while first. They are rather stiff, but do work better with more weight added, and they get better over time too.


What else.. In addition to the standard questions you get when riding a Triumph, such as "Does Triumph still make bikes?" "Who makes the Triumph, Suzuki?", etc. be prepared for "Is that a Boss Hoss?", "Is that a V8", "How many cylinders does that thang have?" "Is it really 2300cc?" "Does that thang got a Hemi?".. lol etc...

[Pig9r]

What's it cost to run and maintain this thing? (fuel mileage, oil change costs, tires)

First oil change at 500, then every 10,000 there after. Mobil syn oil, washers and filter will run about $80 (DIY). Rear tires are about $200 on line. A dealer shouldn't charge you more than $300 for tire and change.

How maintainable is it at home (180miles to a dealer)

10,000 is a valve check. Haven't heard of too many that actually need adjustment. Here's the service interval chart... http://www.triumph.co.uk/media/RocketIII(2).pdf

Issues - serious & minor?

You could read about issues on here all day. The newer the model the better, but very few really have issues. Output shaft bearing and tps sensor are the most frequently heard about. If you are the type to want guarantees from others about problems read these threads....
http://www.triumphrat.net/showthread...light=problems
http://www.triumphrat.net/showthread...light=problems

Is the luggage worth a hoot? (lots of errand & hauling duty)

If you are going to use it as a daily rider I would look at the Corbin beetle bags.

Is this really a good daily driver for 9-12 months out of the year?
How's the wind protection?
How is it in the rain?
How many trouble-free miles do some of you guys have on Rockets?
How is it on poorly surfaced roads? Potholes? Dirt roads?

My wife is interested in this thing for comfort.

How is it two up, most of the time?
At highway speeds?
I weigh 220, she weighs 130 (some of the kids weigh more, or less), add a bunch of junk, and I'll regularly haul 350-400lbs. Is the suspension up to this?

The Rocket is very easy to ride. Wind protection depends on what windshield or fairing you want to use. The stock rear suspension is not the greatest. It is very stiff on the softest setting, though it won't be a problem loading it up with stuff. Most get some progressive 440 shocks, then you can actually feel the swing arm move. At highway speeds the bike is hardly working. I am at 70 mph at about 3000 RPMs.

There is rumored to be a full-fledged touring model out this year or next. It looks to be more Harley Ultra Classic like. It might come stock with more items that would suit your needs.

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/Ne...s/?R=EPI-93541

[Diego]

I'll try to answer a couple of specifics the others haven't yet. And remember, I'm speaking only of the current models. The new tourer may well be different in the ergonomic and comfort areas.

> How is it in the rain?

Not bad, but you have to remember in the rain (as everywhere else, really) that as well balanced and sure footed as the beast is, it also weighs WAY more than any other Triumph. At speed, you have a LOT of kinetic energy stored up in inertia, and you will need to make allowances for that when braking.

> How is it on poorly surfaced roads? Potholes? Dirt roads?

In stock configuration, rough! Some of it can be dealt with through adjustment, but many folks have found it preferable to go with aftermarket shocks.

Now, as to "issues" and reliability: I say this with all respect, but also in all seriousness--DON'T BUY THE ROCKET.

Or any other Triumph, or any other brand which would put you so far away from a dealer, for that matter.

It's one thing to depend on a motorcycle as your primary transportation if you live in the same city, but not 180 miles away! I know. There was a while in the Eighties when my only transportation was two wheels. That bike was far less dependable than any modern Triumph, and the nearest dealer was 40 miles away. Were it not for my bicycle as backup transport, plus a bit of mechanical resourcefulness on my part, and occasional bus service near the dealership, it wouldn't have worked at all.

The problem you had with your Tiger could happen to ANY motorcycle from ANY maker. My Rocket was troublefree (though I did have to take it in for the driveshat recall in '05), just as my Tiger has been, and my Bonnie, and my Speed Triple. But nobody can give you any guarantees of the same good fortune! Therefore, if you really must have something approaching 100% reliability--and knowing there is no such thing in reality--then you'd best be near a good dealer, whatever the brand.

Make that your first criterion in selecting a new ride!

Had your full situation been clear to us when you first came to the Tiger forum, that's what I would have recommended to you then also. As much as I like to see people enjoying Triumphs, I also like to be realistic about things. All it took was a problem in one area (which probably the mechanic didn't really solve the first time around) to sour you on the Tiger, even in the face of so many other people having NO problems of the same kind. So imagine how you'll feel if a bike 60% more expensive has to be off the road for a while. It can happen, and if you have no backup, one single instance will cause you just as much or more grief than the Tiger did.

Ride something that can be fixed under warranty locally if it's your only transportation. We'll be sorry not to have you as a Triumph rider, but the important thing is, you'll be much happier.

[rndtaylor]

I can add little to the previous posts, except agreement.

I have factory leather bags, and Im happy with them. Not waterproof, but very water resistant. never have seen more than a spoonful of water in them, after downpours moving, downpours stopped, washes, anytime. They say only 11 lbs each, but I laugh at that and have 20 or more in each and never think about it.

I have no windshield because I dont like them, and I will ride all day and still get off with a grin. I do have the classic model seat, and it is a big step up from stock.

I had one issue with trans getting stuck in first gear @ 25 miles. A spring came off of the shift fork, and was a simple fix. Posted it here, and never seen before or since. Just my luck. Triumph was beautiful about taking care of me, and 6 months and 11800 miles later im still in love.

My dealer will do a service for @ 130.00.
An emergency rear tire replacement cost me 337.00, but honest places like 29dreams in Alabama will do it for @230.00.

The only road my bike simply would not navigate was a steep driveway made of softball sized round rocks, like creek gravel. Just wasnt gonna happen, so I parked at the bottom and walked up.

No problems in rain, just slow down, like you should.

Gas mileage ranges from 36 having WAY too much fun, to 43 following Harleys around curves. Totally stock.

I wish you the best, and please ask if you have more questions.

Guess I had more to say than I thought.

[TallRocket]

Just responding to your comment about letting your wife chose the next bike, but if MY wife selected my next bike it would be a chopper. Why? Because it is tough to not like the chopper look and she knows next to nothing about performance, handling, braking, stability and reliability. But for some reason, she would think that the bike would be comfortable, guess that big back tire or something conveys comfort.

I think you asked all the right questions and concur with agreement to the answers provided. If given the option to purchase any other bike would I repurchase my 05 Rocket - YES! Would I trade my 05 in on an 07 or 08 - nope - awaiting for the full on touring version that I hope they build in 09-10. I would like better gas mileage along with the performance and more after market options on tires and accessories.

Diego makes a really sound point in suggesting that the Rocket might not be for you as the primary ride given the distance to dealer support. Something will break and most of what will break will require dealer assistance. The first purchase I made after the Rocket was motorcycle towing insurance (my prior fail safe option was Dad and his truck, **** I miss him) and you might want to make certain that they will cover the entire 180 miles to that dealership.

I would encourage you to consider the percent of time on gravel vs paved roads, and solo or two up. I would only point you away from a Rocket if the percent of time on gravel was high. And I would point you towards a BMW GS for greater confidence on rough stuff.

Don't get my initial comment wrong, my wife played a big role in the purchase of the Rocket. When I asked her why she was supporting my decision, her comment was this was the first bike where I acted like I just had to have it and this was before I rode it.

[rndtaylor]

'Diego makes a really sound point in suggesting that the Rocket might not be for you as the primary ride given the distance to dealer support. Something will break and most of what will break will require dealer assistance. The first purchase I made after the Rocket was motorcycle towing insurance (my prior fail safe option was Dad and his truck, **** I miss him) and you might want to make certain that they will cover the entire 180 miles to that dealership.'


For any warranty repair, Triumph will reimburse the repairing dealer for the cost they incur to retrieve your bike. They just have to document the tow bill in the request to Triumph for reimbursement.
DO NOT allow a dealer to charge you for towing for any warranty repair.
Call customer service and let them talk to the dealer if necessary.

Triumph WILL take care of you on this.

[roadweazel]

Originally Posted by tbsrider2000

In addition to the standard questions you get when riding a Triumph, such as "Who makes the Triumph, Suzuki?", etc. be prepared for "Is that a Boss Hoss?", "Is that a V8", "How many cylinders does that thang have?" "Is it really 2300cc?" "Does that thang got a Hemi?".. lol etc...

This made me laugh. I get a lot of the 'I used to ride a Triumph back in...' comments when I'm riding my Sprint Executive but the best was when I rode up to a bunch of my "Harley Friends" on my Guzzi V-11 Sport. My buddy Kip starts with, "I shoulda known that was you, Weazel. You always have the weirdest bikes. What is that?"
"It's a Moto-Gootzie" I reply.
"Huh" sez Kip, "Who makes that, Honda?"
ROFLMAO
Weazel

[rndtaylor]

Oh yeah, you gotta get used to talkin to people that are drawn to this bike like tornados to trailer parks.
it never fails to draw a, mostly admiring, crowd.