When British motorcycle company Triumph set out to make a power cruiser
to dominate the American market, they used the old American adage of bigger
is better.
The Rocket III takes big to another level. The III's 2294cc inline triple
is the largest production motorcycle engine ever created, and the first
to break the two liter mark. The pistons are the same dimension as a Dodge
Viper's. The stock rear tire is an enormous 240/50-V16 Metzeler. With the
6.6 gallon tank full, this bike tips the scales at a Happy Meal shy of 800
lbs.
As visually, and physically, imposing as the Rocket III is, the bike is
surprisingly manageable. Though I stand on the low side of five feet, six
inches, with a 28 inch inseam, I was able to comfortably flatfoot the big
Triumph. Tipping the bike off the sidestand it stood perfectly balanced
between my legs. Reaching out to the foot controls was a little bit of a
stretch, but still within my comfort zone.
Turn the key and the needles on the self calibrating gauges swing clockwise
towards six-o'clock and back home. Thumb the starter and the big triple
turns twice and settles into a quiet idle. Twist the grip and you're greeted
with a warm snarl more reminiscent of a vintage Porsche than a motorcycle.
Since this was a dealer bike and not a factory beater, I gently eased out
of the parking lot into traffic. My only instructions on departure were
to keep the odometer under 11 miles and make sure the motor didn't see redline.
It wouldn't need to.
With 147 ft.lb. of torque coming on at only 2500 rpm, this thing pulls like a freight train, and a flat power curve allows the Rocket to make useable power everywhere. All that torque can make it easy to forget what gear you're cruising in. No matter - at 40mph in any gear, a goose of the throttle will jerk your arms and hurtle a half ton of bike and rider past posted speeds quicker than your brain can register what happened.
Everything about this bike screams heavy duty, from the beefy shaft drive
system, to the fat 43mm USD forks. Even the check engine icon lets you know
this is no puny machine - it's the same icon that lights up when you start
your car.
The Rocket rides as solid as it looks with no rattles or shakes, even through
rough pavement. Throttle response is instant and shifts are long, but positive.
The twin 320mm front disc brakes with 4-piston calipers and single 316mm
2-piston rear brakes do a great job of hauling the Rocket to a stop.
The big triple does make a fair amount of heat. Chrome heat shields do an
excellent job of shielding the rider's legs from exhaust heat, but at long
traffic stops, you can feel the heat waves beginning to rise from under
the bike. In all fairness to the big Brit though, I rode the Rocket on a
humid 90 degree day.
With all of this heft, there is one very important feature of the Rocket
III that Triumph did well to not make bigger than the competition - the
price tag. With a sticker price of about $16,000, the Triumph falls below
most of its competition when it comes time to write the check, and the Rocket
comes standard with many of the cosmetic touches you'd be paying extra for
on the competition.
Since we only got to spend a short time with the Rocket, we talked to 47-year-old
Phil Boerner, owner of the first Rocket III in Hampton Roads, to get his
opinion on the bike.
Boerner is a long time Harley rider, but says he'd been waiting for the
Rocket III to come out for a while. His Rocket shares the garage with a
'95 Harley-Davidson Road King and a '03 Triumph Bonneville.
To Boerner, the Rocket says to other riders, "Why are you screwing
with me? Because I can!". He continues, "You get to 45mph in first
gear, 70mph in second, and you still have three more gears to go. The bike
is very agile, and takes corners well, even with a passenger." It also
doesn't hurt that the big triple manages to pull down an average of 35mpg.
The Rocket III is somewhat of a crossover bike. Boerner says his Triumph
is generally respected by both Harley folks and sport bike riders, and he
frequently gets compliments on the bike from both sides of the fence. The
huge rear tire is universally admired, the Harley crowd is generally accepting
of Triumphs, and sport riders relate to the power and sportbike inspired
design cues, such as the gas filler cap.
Boerner is also thrilled with the Triumph's easy maintenance schedule. After
break-in, oil changes come at 10,000 mile intervals due to the Triumph's
dry sump system and Mobil 1 synthetic oil. The shaft drive system is also
virtually maintenance free.
In riding the Rocket, Boerner advises, "You really need to get used
to the power, it'll surprise you." It's surprised some other folks
too. Boerner says he passed three sport bikes at about 70mph on the interstate,
grabbed the throttle in fifth, and shot up to about 135mph. "I think
it really took them by surprise", he said, "but they did come
back by me after they downshifted."
In a nutshell, Boerner says, "Speed climbs fast, but the brakes match
the power. It's just a fun bike. And I know I can screw with you."
D&D Cycles specializes in import cycles and performance, and is Southeastern Virginia's only Triumph motorcycle dealer. Contact them at 757-423-1082 or online at www.danddimportcycles.com.
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