Journeyman
"And this one is just right" ~ Goldilocks
1) I agree with the rant on Triumph not having parts. Valve shims for my 07 Bonneville and 2011 Roadster are the same sizes (I presume for the new Rocket too), so probably common to all or nearly all Triumph models, yet try to find some at a dealer in the US. No one keeps them in stock! You'll have better luck buying panniers.
The best strategy for mechanical parts is to call (don't just order online- they don't let you know until afterwards that it's a special order) a reputable shop like Hermy's. If your part is not in stock ask them to do a search of all the dealers in the country to see who does have it. It shows easily on their computer, not a big deal, and they'll rattle off the list for you. Now, start going down the list calling. Just because the computer shows it in stock does not mean they still have it. This works... sometimes (not for shims
). Next, try eBay for a supplier from the UK. I've had good luck there sometimes and shipping is usually pretty fast.
2) I'm always surprised/amused/puzzled when the Rocket and Harley Davidson are mentioned in the same sentence. Someone who is seriously considering a Rocket would not then settle for a LEAD SLED. Maybe a V-Max or some other performance bike. HD is the most over-hyped-fan-boy merchandise driven brand with nothing to show for it's elitist attitude product out there. Masters of marketing. They sound good, period. Although the Triumph 2.3 and 2.5 are technically cruisers, they are anything but. On my third Rocket now (currently own two), but I would never buy a traditional cruiser, especially HD.
If your two neighbors are typical they'll spend more time polishing their new bikes then riding them. Meguiar's is readily available and not just at the HD shop, so perfect fit! Of course they now have HD stickers on their trucks, T-shirts, and beer huggies to show the world they are exclusive paid members of a huge fan-boy club.
You, on the other hand, my friend, just have a very high performance bike that I do agree is hard to get parts for, readily.
The best strategy for mechanical parts is to call (don't just order online- they don't let you know until afterwards that it's a special order) a reputable shop like Hermy's. If your part is not in stock ask them to do a search of all the dealers in the country to see who does have it. It shows easily on their computer, not a big deal, and they'll rattle off the list for you. Now, start going down the list calling. Just because the computer shows it in stock does not mean they still have it. This works... sometimes (not for shims
). Next, try eBay for a supplier from the UK. I've had good luck there sometimes and shipping is usually pretty fast.2) I'm always surprised/amused/puzzled when the Rocket and Harley Davidson are mentioned in the same sentence. Someone who is seriously considering a Rocket would not then settle for a LEAD SLED. Maybe a V-Max or some other performance bike. HD is the most over-hyped-fan-boy merchandise driven brand with nothing to show for it's elitist attitude product out there. Masters of marketing. They sound good, period. Although the Triumph 2.3 and 2.5 are technically cruisers, they are anything but. On my third Rocket now (currently own two), but I would never buy a traditional cruiser, especially HD.
If your two neighbors are typical they'll spend more time polishing their new bikes then riding them. Meguiar's is readily available and not just at the HD shop, so perfect fit! Of course they now have HD stickers on their trucks, T-shirts, and beer huggies to show the world they are exclusive paid members of a huge fan-boy club.
You, on the other hand, my friend, just have a very high performance bike that I do agree is hard to get parts for, readily.
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