R III Reliability

[JohnG.]

'Thinking I like the R III touring,but a friend's R III just had its oil pump & main gearbox bearing fail at 17000 klm...



What th...!?!?'Should be built like a Mack truck...Is this a common accurrence of what?...
I think Triumph will lose a sale till I know more...

[plowboyzzt]

If you'd read this forum much, you'd find that question has been asked many times....not that you shouldn't ask. The general feeling is...these things happen to just about every brand, every model...at some time or another. I just read the new Harley's are doing something nasty like having their cranks go out...and Harley doesn't acknowledge the problem...yet...so we all wonder why they still sell like they do.
Anyway....lots of folks on here w/ high mileage and no problems. For myself.....17,000 miles on an 06 classic.....11,000 miles on our trip last summer from Portland to Quebec and back. Our only complaint was having some difficulty finding tires when and where we needed them....mostly because of the rarity of the big rear tire and the fact we couldn't predict that well exactly when we'd need it. That should be less of a problem if you're thinking about the new tourer as it has a smaller rear tire.
Spend some time here w/ these guys...I think they'll convince you. I like having a bike that doesn't notice when I'm loaded for a trip and riding two up....it hauls ass just the same...but you probably know that if your friend has (had) one.
I love it....and hope you're keeping an open mind.
Of course, we'd all might like to ask how your friend rode it....balls to the wall, easy on it, or somewhere in between. I used to lift the front wheel on my 76 Gold Wing once in awhile and redlined it regularly. I did have to replace the driveshaft once...so these things will take a toll.
Good luck.

[Ugarte]

Even Mack trucks fail on occasion. The Rocket is the most reliable bike I've ever owned........55,000 miles and no problems. One thing is for sure, you will not get a reliable accounting of reliability on the unreliable internet. Its all just opinion, its all anecdotal.

However, if you do a search on the various Rocket forums for "rear seal", "output shaft bearing" and "idle problems" then you can get a good idea of the sorts of problems that some Rockets have had.

I'd buy another Rocket without hesitation.

[TallRocket]

In my two years of ownership, this is the first oil pump problem I have read about. I assume if under warranty that Triumph will fix it. Just as they fixed the cam shaft bearing that broke under warranty and the idle problem. Frankly the bike runs much better with the new software so I consider the idle problem to actually be a positive rather than a negative. Sorry your friend had this problem. If you like the Rocket then buy the Rocket if not then I will pass you on the highway riding what ever brand of bike you decide to buy.

Ditto, on the would I buy my bike again question YES I would!

[Rocket Mad]

JohnG, and anyone else considering a purchase of ANY vehicle … read testimonials from those who’ve experienced problems, NOT those who’ve never had a problem. That’s where you’ll find your most useful information. Read my postings on the thread “The Rocket’s in the Shop”. Most all of what I posted is not opinion, it’s fact. I don’t think people realize that it’s human nature to justify our purchases after we shell out cold hard cash (the more cash, the more we justify). Just watch and read how irritated people get with any critique of the Rocket or any other website for any other motorcycle. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I love this bike! But my eyes are wide freaken open when it comes to problems unique to the Rocket AND problems with the way Triumph handles warranty work.

[TRIIICK]

Beware of the Taiwan Jugs...Left side S&S..right,brand X note: the oil return. A friend of mine bought these for his Harley like he said ,doesn't matter where you buy them there every where.Makes one wonder what some internal parts look like..? There are alot of these parts getting returned,who knows where they'll end up.

[Ugarte]

Originally Posted by Rocket Mad

JohnG, and anyone else considering a purchase of ANY vehicle … read testimonials from those who’ve experienced problems, NOT those who’ve never had a problem. That’s where you’ll find your most useful information. .

If someone is truly interested in the reliability of a particular vehicle he won't get an accurate evaluation by only listening to one side of the story. I know I would want to anyway, cuz if all I ever read about were the problems I would never buy any bike ever.

I don't need to defend my purchase, the Rocket has already defended itself by being a great, and reliable, bike for 55k miles. I just think both sides of the story should be considered for all prospective buyers.

[Rocket Mad]

Point taken Ugarte. And I say with all sincerity that I’m happy you’ve had such a great experience with your Rocket. I wish I had the same.

My point regarding the tendency for buyers to defend large purchases beyond reason is well documented. I wasn’t referring specifically to you. I’ve enjoyed reading your posts for the last couple of years and don’t want you to misinterpret my ramblings here. It’s just very frustrating to have experienced the myriad of problems I’ve had with the Rocket and with Triumph. I have no doubt my experiences are the exception to the rule. But they should be unacceptable by Triumph. Most of my criticism is with the way Triumph has handled my situation. Any vehicle made in the numbers that the Rocket has been produced is bound to experience some problems. It’s how those problems are handled that defines the experience. I think it’s important for others to read about the chinks in the armor if they’re to make informed decisions. For every experience like mine, there are sure to be a hundred positive experiences. I just don’t think it’s useful to read through a hundred positive experiences if I’m trying to research problem areas. I rolled the dice with my first Triumph purchase three years ago. I’ve gone into some detail in a previous thread if you want more information, but it’s been a very frustrating and incredibly time consuming experience for ME.

[dazco]

I say look at both and at as many forums as possible. There are 2 other R3 exclusive ones to see.... r3owners.net and r3owners.com

Both those are a good source of info. The thing to do is see how much you see on these forums about problems people are having. If it seems to be more rampant than other bikes then you may want to worry. Personally i found searching all the r3 forums that it did seem like more people were experiencing serious issues than for example the 900 twins by a good bit. Someone actually PM'd me and pointed me at some threads where a lot of people were chiming in with their story and it seemed more than just the usual amount of owner woes. So while i'm still considering one myself, that is the one thing that has kept me from going there more than anything. It's also true what RM said that if you go to any model's forum there you will always get the same answer...."there are problems with any vehicle". While thats true it's not whether there are problems or not, but what percentage experience them. As to internet forums and their reliability for judging this, it's all relative. If there seem to be considerably more issues at forums for a particular model than others, then that speaks volumes IMO.

Personally i wouldn't let what i have seen stop me, but there are other things about the rocket that for me personally make me think twice. Nothing wrong, just subjective things. But add to those the issues that from what i've seen do seem a bit more than normal and it's kept me from plunking down the cash. But i'd say if the bike itself is to your liking, i wouldn't let the issues keep you away because while they may indeed be more than normal, it's still a small percentage. It may be a higher risk than most bikes, but still small.

[Rocket Mad]

I’m a numbers guy and here’s how the numbers play out. If 3% of Rocket owners experience major problems with their bike, that may be an acceptable risk for some. However, if you are one of the unlucky 3%, then it’s not much consolation that 97% of owners are happy with their experience.

Whenever I’m asked if we’re experiencing a recession I steel the following quote from Harry Truman: “It’s a recession when your neighbor loses his job; it’s a depression when you lose your own.”.

Dazco, you are right on when you say it’s a question of percentages. But it’s impossible to determine those percentages on the web (as Ugarte says). What you CAN draw from web testimonials is how Triumph responds to major engine/transmission problems when they occur. For reasons unknown to me, there are many captains who seem happy to extend their warranty for time spent on a long-term repair. I’ve said on another thread that settling for a warranty extension is like giving a cheating spouse another chance if she promises never to cheat again… for the next three months. The law protects you from having to spend an unreasonable amount of time for repairs to a new vehicle with Lemon Laws in most (if not all) states. The problem is that most people are either unaware of that protection, or they can’t afford to be without a vehicle for the time it takes to pursue a Lemon Law claim. Manufacturers stall and delay, so consumers settle. Vehicle manufacturers settle virtually all Lemon Law claims to the disadvantage of the consumer because of the advantage they have in both time and money. I have several bikes to ride and use them only for recreation. Yea I know, there’s no substitute for the Rocket. And I may choose to settle, but hell doesn’t show any sign of freezing just yet.