Soooo.... your thinking about down sizing your bike's cc?

[SuperG]

not for the faint of heart.

 

"you open the throttle at any engine speed at all...and there is nothing like 2.3 liter 3 cylinder engine"

 

skip the first 22 seconds of the video below, it is disclaimer- not to try this at home-

 

LINKY to ebay demo video

 

could be an interesting ride.

has anybody ridden one? What do you think?

[JohnnyJ]

Wheelies... Really?

 

I want one!

 

 

Johnny J

[kmac]

That is a true power wheelie, he just just rolls on and it comes slow under power, not a snap the clutch hammer the throttle and pop it up wheelie like I have to do to get my RT front end to a balance wheelie.

 

It is kinda ugly for me though...never been a fan of that inline motor Triumph.

[Smoky]

We had a member, I think he was from Oregon, who gave up his RT and moved to a Rocket 3.

 

It was some time ago, I wonder if he's happy with it?

[cris nitro]

I have a buddy who bought one. Before he bought it, they gave him one to test ride and he brought it to my jobsite for a spin. WOW! I had no idea how powerful it was until I first gave it a little gas pulling away from a stop sign and it almost ripped the bars out of my hands and put me on my ass on the street. After that, I learned to hold on tighter, but when I was pushing it down Kelly Drive in Philly and I hit 100mph in 3rd, I took it back to him and said that this thing would just get me in trouble. He bought one and loves it.

[bikebits]

The official video for the Rocket III shows the Hinckley factory guys have a Monty Python sense of humour:

[tallman]

Clever.

 

First time I cranked one years ago it skeered me.

 

In the first video bike is going 105 when they show the dash area.

And it shows.

 

On my old GT at 105, there's nary a hint of the speed you're carrying.

I prefer that.

Obviously YMMV and that's OK.

 

The Rocket handles surprisingly well and set up w/Corbin Beetle bags that are color matched makes a striking cruiser/tourer IMO.

[upflying]

I have no idea how fast the Ttriumph is. But is it at least as fast as a 600 or 1 liter Suzuki GSXR?

You can downsize and go faster.

[SuperG]

I have no idea how fast the Ttriumph is. But is it at least as fast as a 600 or 1 liter Suzuki GSXR?

You can downsize and go faster.

 

I don't think it is about the speed, it is about the uummmppphhh. and rip-roar.

[Fubar]

Only the English can do that kind of humour. Bunch of sick bastards. I'm so glad I'm descended from them.

 

 

[kmac]

That was a great video and should become the offical add for the new behemouth.

[steveknapp]

I have no idea how fast the Ttriumph is. But is it at least as fast as a 600 or 1 liter Suzuki GSXR?

You can downsize and go faster.

 

Bingo. XB12X -> S1000RR = 200CC down, 100hp up.

[tallman]

Agreed.

 

But, there is that f=ma part and the big ole Rocket

imparts a different feeling when accelerating to XXX speed.

Part riding position/ergos, part mass, part brute.

 

I'd prefer the RR but who cares?

 

Nice to see you around again Mr K.

 

 

[steveknapp]

F=ma or a = F/m

 

Higher F, lower m, higher a.

 

But agree, there is a feel to it. My 1 ton dodge had torque galore and was heavy. Wasn't fast, but had a nice feel to it.

 

 

[cris nitro]

Totally different animals. The crotch rockets are much quicker and faster, but the real Rocket is just brute force from the crack of the throttle. The only way to describe it is it sounds and goes like a turbo farm tractor on steroids, meth and energy drink. You gotta ride one to believe it, there is nothing like it.

[steveknapp]

I guess I'd need to ride it. It's a very different beast. But I just don't see why I'd want to have something so big/heavy/upright that goes "fast".

 

Also seems like an ~11sec 1/4mi (Rocket3) vs ~9.5 sec 1/4mi (S1kRR) is a pretty big gap.

[kmac]

People are posting HP numbers but many are talking Torque...related, but different animals.

 

HP is a math calculation based on torque and RPMs.

 

Torque is what you feel, grunt.

HP is on top, that scream you see and hear.

 

Alot of vehicles make VERY high HP numbers with moderate amounts of torque by adding much higher RPM.

 

A friend and I traded bikes for a few minutes, I had a built Harley and he had a K1200LT. We both commented about the diffence in feel. The HD has alot of torque but very low RPMs so it had less total HP. The K1200 had less torque but quite a bit more HP because it revved out much farther.

 

I noted that the BMW did not feel like it was going fast even though you were quite quickly over triple digits. He noted that the HD threw him back into the seat felt like was yanking his arms out, but he never even broke the speed limit....different animals.

 

Comparing an Xb12 and an R1000RR or the Rocket are all very different beast with MUCH different feels and purposes.

[steveknapp]

Yup, I get all that. Gearing fits into that whole equation as well as the shape of the torque curve. I even think the sound a bike makes impacts our perceptions of it.

 

FWIW, XB and RR actually feel pretty similar when kept to the same RPM range, and a quick look at some dyno charts reveals similar torque between the two at those RPMs. The RR just allows another 8k or so past past the XB's peak. Shortshifting the RR gives a pretty good XB comparsion, minus the vibration at idle.

 

 

[UberXY]

Here is a Rocket with some anti-wheelie mods:

 

Rocket

[SuperG]

I don't get that bike posted on ebay ( post above)

 

It looks like a full blown dragster with no useful street application.

low to the ground, no suspension in the rear, why bother with one on the front?

seating position is wrong. dragster-like , but the foot peg is on the front instead behind the seat like dragsters have.

because it is so low , it seems like it would be impossible to turn or lean it in any direction so I guess it would only go straight ( dragster).

If it is a dragster why bother with mirrors?

$25000 - haha, good luck.

 

[kmac]

Cake,

That bike does have rear suspension, It is air ride like a Harley soft tail set up. Lots of bikes have had front but no rear suspension, thing many choppers and all hard tails...

 

That bike looks like every other chopper seating position, butt low, body bent forward awkwardly, feet out front so you look like a lower case C while riding, low to the ground with no clearance and terrible turning radius.

 

Looks about like every bike ever built on those chopper shows just powered by a trumpet inline 3 motor. Those HD based choppers sell for 60k+ often, even in todays market, so I do not see it being unfeasable that someone will buy that thing for 25k....would I? Goodness NO, I'm just sayin someone will.

[SuperG]

Kmac,

 

I've reread the description on of the bike, it does say air ride in the back, so it must be in the deflated position.

 

The front susp. still troubling it states "fork", but at that steep angle can it work? unless you hit something dead on - like a wall. It may work like a "springer like" susp. set up perhaps? I am not sure. It is odd to may eyes for sure. but it surely can be a great garage display for some.

[kmac]

I agree that with that much rake handling is terrible no matter what trail you set up, the pure rake is ridiculous.

 

The fork action is there, it does have SOME effect on choppers with long rake that I have ridden, but flex has as much to do with it over fork tube sliding action.

 

The whole bike and concept is silly, but so is Jesse James West Coast Choppers, Orange County Choppers,Big Dog...and all of those other stretched out fat tired low riding forward controled ape haning or drag baring...silly and useless, but people still buy them every day.

[Fubar]

And did you see the way the headlights line up in the fairing? Lousy. That's a show/parade bike and nothing else. Waste of a perfectly good engine in my opinion.

[Urban Surfer]

My neighbor has an even more ridiculous motorcycle. It's called a boss hog, and has a 350 V8 with no mufflers of course. He fires it up a few times a year and I go running out to catch a brief episode of him smoking the back tire off as he rides it up the street and back. I doubt that he goes much past 50 mph.

[tallman]

Maybe a Boss Hoss?

 

First one I saw was ridden by a big man.

Bike fit him, and the full size German Shepherd that rode pillion.

 

Big bike.

[beemerboy]

I have no idea how fast the Ttriumph is. But is it at least as fast as a 600 or 1 liter Suzuki GSXR?

You can downsize and go faster.

 

I don't think it is about the speed, it is about the uummmppphhh. and rip-roar.

 

I'm old enough to have owned muscle cars and have several friends who have some serious stables filled with big block Detroit iron that they've been kind enough to let me drive. I've also driven some souped up euro and asian cars so I have a point of reference to compare. That being said I suspect the mini-block euro/asian cars are quicker and definitely handle better HOWEVER, there is nothing like the feel of a tri-power GTO shoving you into the driver's seat under full throttle acceleration. NOTHING.

 

Among the beauties I've had a chance to experience:

 

'68 Olds 442 (my high school car)

'75 Pontiac Trans Am 400 4 spd

 

Friends cars I've driven:

'65 Pontiac GTO 389 tri-power

'66 GTO 389 (highly modified)

'68 GTO Judge (insert drooling sound here)

'68 Corvette 427 tri-power

'70 Hurst Olds 442 w/455 CI engine (Dad wouldn't let me buy it)

'70 Barracuda 383 w/3.90 rear end

'70 Plymouth Roadrunner 383 w/pistol grip shifter (a factory "sleeper" car w/bench seat and minimal graphics)

'71 GTO 455 HO

'73 Trans Am 455 HO

 

[Urban Surfer]

Maybe a Boss Hoss?

 

First one I saw was ridden by a big man.

Bike fit him, and the full size German Shepherd that rode pillion.

 

Big bike.

 

 

I would really like to have seen that. I had a big German Shepherd, and I never got another one because I couldn't imagine how he could ride pillion. Of course I would have to get a kevlar suit made and fabricate a helmet.

[tallman]

It stopped me in my tracks.

 

Rider was off the bike, prolly 6'8" and 330# w/no fat.

Black leather pants/vest, shirtless and huge muscles.

A big dude.

Dog was over 120 pounds.

A big dog.

I wanted to go talk to him but I was askeered the dog would swallow me.

 

Wish I had a camera with me (pre cell phone camera era).

[RSlacker]

It's a bit big... and despite what they like to think, according to my technician (he tests things to their LIMITS! lol) He said that with that kind of engine you'd think you could really have some fun, but it reeeally doesn't. That's at least what he's told me.

[Guest Kakugo]

I'd really like to put it side to side with the two gutsiest motors I've ever ridden, the Honda VTX1800 and my present CB1300.

 

The VTX1800 is nigh on unbelievable. H-D engines, even the latest offerings, don't even come close to how strong that engine is. Not even the mighty Goldwing 1800 (not a pushover by any means in the engine department) feels so strong.

 

The CB1300, despite having an engine derived from the '80s CBR1000F, has only five gears. It doesn't need more. Put it in fifth and you can cruise around at 1500rpm. Uphill starts? Just let the clutch go, no need to use the throttle. It's so long geared because otherwise middle aged Japanese men would pull wheelies each time they gently apply the throttle.