New Rocket III

[Tom]

Not sure I'd buy but I'd like to ride it.  The old ones were awesome in the torque but $29K.     MPG gotta be low. 

https://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/motorcycles/a27346763/biggest-motorcycle-engine-triumph-rocket/?source=nl&utm_source=nl_pop&utm_medium=email&date=050319&src=nl&utm_campaign=16776854

[Penderic]

Hey, my Uncle Clem would say "that there's just the right size!"

Golly!

[twowings]

"Nothing succeeds quite like wretched excess..." - O. Wilde

[Bud]

     I met a guy at a bike event a few years back that had one. Really funny guy. While talking to him he told me about mods he had done including a power commander. I said gee with all the power this bike has do you really need that. His response, " It's kind of like having a 12" penis, you'll probably never use it all but it's still nice to have" I forget almost everything but I'll never forget that, too funny.

[Tom]

Fun to ride but impractical to own. 

[leafman60]

Yeah.  I ditto just about everything everyone else has said.

I've been following this new upgrade for the R3.  The $29K jewel shown is one of their TFC (Triumph Factory Custom) versions.  That's sorta analogous to a H-D CVO and carries the same weighty price tag. 

I expect that a more standard version of an upgraded Rocker 3 will also be coming along.

Yep.  Too much is just about right for many people.

163 foot pounds of torque is amazing.

.

[twowheeladdict]

Not sure I'd buy but I'd like to ride it.  The old ones were awesome in the torque but $29K.     MPG gotta be low. 

https://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/motorcycles/a27346763/biggest-motorcycle-engine-triumph-rocket/?source=nl&utm_source=nl_pop&utm_medium=email&date=050319&src=nl&utm_campaign=16776854

It is a major step up in the looks department.  More power than I would want though.  I have no one to impress and no need for speed anymore.

[timonbik]

I know times are tough and sales down so manufacturers are doing what they can to keep the price down but it would be nice if they could finish off the back third of the bike.  I'm sorry but this bobber style just doesn't cut it!!!

Cheers, Tim

[Tom]

+1

[twowheeladdict]

I know times are tough and sales down so manufacturers are doing what they can to keep the price down but it would be nice if they could finish off the back third of the bike.  I'm sorry but this bobber style just doesn't cut it!!!

Cheers, Tim

Way batter than those whale tails in the 90s.  LOL!

[Kev m]

So like I posted on ADV rider.

I had a vehicle with the same size motor, that made almost identical hp and torque, and it was cheaper.

It had heated leather seats, AWD, and could carry motorcycles in the abbreviated bed.

Yeah I'd buy another Subaru Baja over this and I've ridden an RIII.

HELL sometimes I'm bitter at how big my Harley motor is in the RK.

[kingoffleece]

I put approx 14,000miles on a 2008 R3.  Loved every one of them.  A total hoot to ride.  Ate back tires for lunch.

[Smithy]

One of the most exciting new bikes in a long time...there will be a standard version. Google 2020 Rocket 3 for spy shots. All Australian allocation of the TFC sold, I believe they sold the first week it was announced.

[twowheeladdict]

Triumph makes / has made some beautiful motorcycles.  If I had a dealer close buy I would own some.  I'm still keeping my eye out for an air cooled FI scrambler that the owner isn't trying to market as gold plated. 

[Seventy One]

Nice bike. Too bad it's a Triumph.

In '13 I bought a new 800XC for $12,800. In three years I put 44k miles on it. I quit riding it in 2016 because it'd become too unreliable.

Yesterday a dealership offered me $2,200 for it. I think I'll take them up on their offer. I have never witnessed anything fall apart faster than that bike. 

I will never, ever own another Triumph.

[Kent in Upstate NY]

I always like the Subie Baja. It is a shame they dropped it.

[Pisano]

The motorcycle to kickstand ratio is monsterous. 

[leafman60]

Nice bike. Too bad it's a Triumph.

In '13 I bought a new 800XC for $12,800. In three years I put 44k miles on it. I quit riding it in 2016 because it'd become too unreliable.

Yesterday a dealership offered me $2,200 for it. I think I'll take them up on their offer. I have never witnessed anything fall apart faster than that bike. 

I will never, ever own another Triumph.

Most of the accounts I have received about Triumphs is quite the opposite!!  My perception is that they are maybe the most reliable and easily maintained European bikes currently sold.

.

[twowheeladdict]

Nice bike. Too bad it's a Triumph.

In '13 I bought a new 800XC for $12,800. In three years I put 44k miles on it. I quit riding it in 2016 because it'd become too unreliable.

Yesterday a dealership offered me $2,200 for it. I think I'll take them up on their offer. I have never witnessed anything fall apart faster than that bike. 

I will never, ever own another Triumph.

So, it was unreliable from the start or became unreliable when you hit 40,000 miles?  That kind of things caused you to say it is unreliable.  What broke that shouldn't have?

[tazio]

Most of the accounts I have received about Triumphs is quite the opposite!!  My perception is that they are maybe the most reliable and easily maintained European bikes currently sold.

.

Agreed, my perception too.
Looks like Trumpets are being made in the U K., Thailand and Brazil.
Wonder if quality is equal across the board...
Wonder which models are made where...
I feel practicality isn't a strong suit of motorcycles in general,
(some snowmobiles have 200+ hp and turbo charged) so let's celebrate our beast of a motorcycle! 

[Guzzistajohn]

My '06 has been a great machine, 76K now I think!

[britman]

I have had and ridden one since 2005 having bought it brand new.  There have been issues that I must say Triumph has stepped up to the plate on through the years, some being well out of warranty.  All I can say is that I enjoy twisting the throttle open as much today as the first day I brought it home.  R3 owners are somewhat a special sort, much like Goose riders.  I have been to several gatherings a number of years back when distance rides were no problem.  There is nothing like the sound and sight of 30 to 40 Rockets traveling in pack on a back country road.

I do like the look of the new one, but IMHO, it is a marketing gimmick in the current release.  Just out of general principle, no motorcycle is worth that kind of price tag...........




pic hosting

[Seventy One]

So, it was unreliable from the start or became unreliable when you hit 40,000 miles?  That kind of things caused you to say it is unreliable.  What broke that shouldn't have?

It burned oil from new, usually a quart or two between changes. After 18 months and 22k miles it was 3-4 quarts every 6k miles. I took it to the dealer who then refused to honor my warranty because I self-serviced it. Before buying it I had a long discussion with the salesman. I told him I planned on doing all the service work myself and asked whether or not this would be an issue. He insisted it would not be. At that point I told him to order me a factory service manual and to mail it to my house, which he did.

The dealer insisted that I had no issue with the bike because they'd "sold five of them and none of them had any issues."

He finally said they'd take a look at it but it would be very expensive. Instead I took it to a different Triumph dealer who found low compression on #3. "That's where your oil is going" he said.

I called Triumph North America and asked them about my oil consumption concerns. They offered to help but needed to speak with my dealer first. Naturally my dealer lied and told them they "had not seen me since the 600 miles service and had no record of any other services or any complaints" from me. Boom, just like that, no warranty.

When I informed Triumph North America that I paid the dealer to do my 24k service and that they were lying to them they told me: "this issue is between you and the dealer". Yes, I still have e-mail chain from them.

Bad bike. Bad dealer. Bad manufacturer.

Into year three there were two separate transmission failures. One was a known issue involving the shift shaft. That piece was recalled in the Daytonas (which the Tiger engine shares 80% of it parts with) but never recalled in the Tigers. Mine failed after 2.5 years of ownership and 42k miles. The shifter pawl then went at 44k miles.

It takes 4-6 weeks to get parts in from Bike Bandit so half of my 3rd season was spent waiting for parts to come in.

The anodization on the bike is gone. The black on mirror stems disappeared in the second year of ownership and has been replaced with surface rust. This bike is stored indoors and has been washed, cleaned and detailed religiously. It has NOT been used off-road.

Starting in the 3rd year of ownership the powdercoat started flaking off the frame.

There have been two voltage regulator failures. The horn quit at 38k miles. The factory heated grips ($275!) failed at just 30k miles. 

The cam chain tensioner is making noise now (50k miles).

The brushes in the starter are weak (another "known issue"). This is an extensive job and involves pulling the throttle bodies.

Maybe I'm asking too much of it. I put some miles on it, sure, but I also maintained it religiously and kept it absolutely spotless. I even bought a 4hp dryer for it so I could dry it off after washing. It looks as if it was dragged out of a river. I don't leave town on it anymore due to its reliability. There are guy who ride coast-to-coast on 20 year old Goldwings without a care in the world and yet since 2016 my 2013 Tiger has never left town without coming home on a trailer.   

A local multi-line Japanese bike dealer offered me $2,200 for it.

If I can't trade it even-up for well-sorted KLR650 I might go for it.   

[PeteS]

Nice bike. Too bad it's a Triumph.

In '13 I bought a new 800XC for $12,800. In three years I put 44k miles on it. I quit riding it in 2016 because it'd become too unreliable.

Yesterday a dealership offered me $2,200 for it. I think I'll take them up on their offer. I have never witnessed anything fall apart faster than that bike. 

I will never, ever own another Triumph.

I have a 2011 bought new. Only has 25k miles but I have 4 other bikes I ride. Zero problems. Still have the orginal chain. Tires, oil and filters its all it needed.
As for the Rocket III I rode the first edition and thought it was a blast. If I had a bigger garage I would consider one.

Pete

[Tom]

I did consider an older one that is for sale on the other side of the island but I used the money to buy a Cal 1400 Touring instead.   

[twowheeladdict]

It burned oil from new, usually a quart or two between changes. After 18 months and 22k miles it was 3-4 quarts every 6k miles. I took it to the dealer who then refused to honor my warranty because I self-serviced it. Before buying it I had a long discussion with the salesman. I told him I planned on doing all the service work myself and asked whether or not this would be an issue. He insisted it would not be. At that point I told him to order me a factory service manual and to mail it to my house, which he did.

The dealer insisted that I had no issue with the bike because they'd "sold five of them and none of them had any issues."

He finally said they'd take a look at it but it would be very expensive. Instead I took it to a different Triumph dealer who found low compression on #3. "That's where your oil is going" he said.

I called Triumph North America and asked them about my oil consumption concerns. They offered to help but needed to speak with my dealer first. Naturally my dealer lied and told them they "had not seen me since the 600 miles service and had no record of any other services or any complaints" from me. Boom, just like that, no warranty.

When I informed Triumph North America that I paid the dealer to do my 24k service and that they were lying to them they told me: "this issue is between you and the dealer". Yes, I still have e-mail chain from them.

Bad bike. Bad dealer. Bad manufacturer.

Into year three there were two separate transmission failures. One was a known issue involving the shift shaft. That piece was recalled in the Daytonas (which the Tiger engine shares 80% of it parts with) but never recalled in the Tigers. Mine failed after 2.5 years of ownership and 42k miles. The shifter pawl then went at 44k miles.

It takes 4-6 weeks to get parts in from Bike Bandit so half of my 3rd season was spent waiting for parts to come in.

The anodization on the bike is gone. The black on mirror stems disappeared in the second year of ownership and has been replaced with surface rust. This bike is stored indoors and has been washed, cleaned and detailed religiously. It has NOT been used off-road.

Starting in the 3rd year of ownership the powdercoat started flaking off the frame.

There have been two voltage regulator failures. The horn quit at 38k miles. The factory heated grips ($275!) failed at just 30k miles. 

The cam chain tensioner is making noise now (50k miles).

The brushes in the starter are weak (another "known issue"). This is an extensive job and involves pulling the throttle bodies.

Maybe I'm asking too much of it. I put some miles on it, sure, but I also maintained it religiously and kept it absolutely spotless. I even bought a 4hp dryer for it so I could dry it off after washing. It looks as if it was dragged out of a river. I don't leave town on it anymore due to its reliability. There are guy who ride coast-to-coast on 20 year old Goldwings without a care in the world and yet since 2016 my 2013 Tiger has never left town without coming home on a trailer.   

A local multi-line Japanese bike dealer offered me $2,200 for it.

If I can't trade it even-up for well-sorted KLR650 I might go for it.   

There can be a bad one in every run, but the treatment from the dealer and manufacterer would turn me off as well. 

[Tom]

+1

[Seventy One]

Mirror stems. My DR650 (which I bought new in 09 and has 30k miles on) looks much better than this. It's not even close. People still ask if that bike is new.






Transmission parts.






This failure caused me to ride home from the Elkader MG rally in 5th gear. Triumph built critical parts of this bike out of cheese. Removing any engine covers will reveal scabby looking castings. Rough edges, burrs, casting flash... It's as if they flat-out didn't care about any parts you might not see.   





Dealer was 'Sport Rider Inc'. in Altoona Wisconsin. Thankfully they are no longer a Triumph dealer. They still carry Slingshot though so please, buyer beware!

[Rick in WNY]

Hey there, Seventy One, got some interesting reading material for you...

https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0138-auto-warranties-routine-maintenance

[Seventy One]

Hey there, Seventy One, got some interesting reading material for you...

https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0138-auto-warranties-routine-maintenance

Thanks for the link. I became aware of the shortly after the dealer denied warranty work on the bike. That's when I contacted Triumph North America.

I eventually contacted the State of Wisconsin department of consumer protection where I filled a report. They then contacted the dealer for their response.


Get this, the dealer stated; "We denied his warranty claim because he had no service history". I have this in writing from them. It should also be public and found through the Wisconsin Consumer Protection website.

The warranty was never through the dealer! The warranty was from Triumph. They were the only ones able to deny a warranty claim. It was their bike/product and their two year, unlimited mileage warranty. Their statement also goes against their own claim to Triumph North America that I had no issues with the bike.

I have literally busted them lying several times now.

I've called a half dozen lawyers and no one seems interested in taking it. Several suggested I go after Triumph. I'm not sure it's actually worth it for me to pursue. How much was my loss? I sure would love some revenge.  Even the State Wisconsin did nothing. They suggested I sue them. My complaint (and their response) is on file with the state for the next five years and may be used against them if other incidents like this occur.

Sport Rider Inc. Altoona Wisconsin. Buyer beware.