Triumph Rocket III test

Intro: THE BIGGEST AND STILL THE BEST

Once or twice in a bikers life he has the chance to take advantage of the creative madness of a constructor.

With the Rocket 3, Triumph once again proves that in terms of the large custom bikes they are still the best.

Imagine, with a 2.3-litre, 3-cylinder power plant it is simply the largest ever-standard series engine that Triumph is proposing.

Esthetique: IMPOSING

The Rocket 3 is imposing. Long and massive, it has a truly unprecedented silhouette and is clearly different from the standard production series. The twin headlights are an example of Triumph’s pain staking attention to detail to their bikes. The rider has a large and comfortable seat at his disposal. However, the passenger is less fortunate, left with a very thin excuse for a seat.

Motorization: ENERMOUS

Injection fed, all three cylinders are bathed in chrome. The 2294cc, 3-cylinder longitudinal engine develops 106 horsepower, with a torque output of 20.3 mkg, while the Rocket 3 weighs in at 357 kilograms. The five-speed gearbox is actuated by a universal joint transmission. It is the lone system capable of resisting the more than 20mkgs of torque available as early as 2500rpms.

On the road: PURE PLEASURE

From the very first metres, the bike proves to be very user friendly and well balanced, which is a pleasant surprise for a motorbike of this size. Quickly the rider will gain confidence and begin to enjoy and take advantage of all the Rocket 3’s on road capabilities. Under a smooth pace, the bike demonstrates quite easily what it is capable of. The corners are taken with the least of worries and soon the rider can discover all of the pleasures of the Rocket 3. The ground clearance is adequate for this type of motorbike allowing for correct angle percentage in the bends. Aboard this massive Triumph, the rider will never have the impression of riding a custom bike despite the riding position where the legs are very far forward. The large handlebars provide for a comfortable ride as well and one will have a tough time erasing a large grin when at the controls of the Rocket 3. The only negative : the suspension, which is too stiff and transfers all the vibrations of a bumpy road surface through the chassis. As soon as you come across a straight bit of road you can take advantage of the throttle, and their you discover a violent acceleration, which simply said is mind blowing. And then you understand better why they have gone for an enormous 240mm rear tyre to cope with the phenomenal power. The Rocket 3, conceived for an American customer base, will also surely seduce European bike riders. Sold for around 18 000 Euros, it is not the most expensive custom style bike, but without a doubt it is the most impressive that we have had the pleasure of test riding for quite awhile. Triumph wanted to come up with something special, and after testing the Rocket 3 we can confirm they most definitely have.