From Norwich, UK

andysbro said:

Im on to number three rocket and once you had one its hard to change to any other cruiser bike.

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How much mileage can you realistically get out of an engine? In your time with rockets is it well worth migrating to newer models every several years? I was thinking that although buying new is costing more than it needs to I will make good use of the bike and over time do lots with it and get it to 100K miles over a fair few years...I've clocked up 15K miles on my SMT in 2 years as I ride a motorcycle all year round and don't drive, I leave that to the wife...I expect to cover atleast the same mileage with the Roadster on restricted touring/run day duty

kaivalagi said:

Thanks for the welcomes, nice place this, a lot from down under though place would be pretty boring without us Aussies

I've been going through a little dilemma with the finish I want, the shop doesn't have any matt black bikes to look at........

First I wanted the phantom black with red stripes for the gloss finish, then I rang back end of Friday asking for Matt black with white stripes 'cause I like the look with the white but now I've just emailed the sales guy and told him to go back to gloss finish again which he'll hopefully catch before arranging the order on Monday (I will ring him 8am sharp too!)....I've been warned off matt finish as it'll get shiny with wear and look iffy...

So....how easy are the stripes to remove? I've heard they are stuck on but I assume the bike is then lacquered afterwards? Is this right? I would much prefer gloss black with white stripes Hard to please I know... plastic sticker , doubt it would be lacquered over but i'm not sure. Own one the models that was actually painted .... with paint

Another option is I get thinner white stripes and put them centered and over the red ones...

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Disappointing that Triumph has dropped all the colours once available.

I think my Roadster engine will outlive me, it's like an old Fergie tractor really, everlasting! I've only done 20k miles on my first Rocket , since 2010, and have to say the matt black paint isn't very tough. The front of my bike , incl the front of the tank , is stonechipped badly. It kinda suits it though, I don't polish any matt black bits on the bike so it's like a life history , battle scars stuff. Or maybe I just ride too fast......

Welcome from Scotland too, I hope you've got plenty good roads down there. Rockets eat hills without noticing even at tickover so you'd better get out onto some twisty hill roads and then see what happens when you wind it on !

TOMCAT said:

Disappointing that Triumph has dropped all the colours once available.

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Yep, some of those earlier paint jobs look nice, still give it a few years and I'll want to make it my own with a unique paint scheme anyway...

och2pot said:

I think my Roadster engine will outlive me, it's like an old Fergie tractor really, everlasting! I've only done 20k miles on my first Rocket , since 2010, and have to say the matt black paint isn't very tough. The front of my bike , incl the front of the tank , is stonechipped badly. It kinda suits it though, I don't polish any matt black bits on the bike so it's like a life history , battle scars stuff. Or maybe I just ride too fast......

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Good to know about the mileage, I really want this bike to stay with me...oh and I reverted back to the gloss black finish with the dealer today too, after much discussion with other bikers on matt finish bikes.

och2pot said:

Welcome from Scotland too, I hope you've got plenty good roads down there. Rockets eat hills without noticing even at tickover so you'd better get out onto some twisty hill roads and then see what happens when you wind it on !

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One of the reasons for the bike was so I could try and get the wife on the back and do some touring....she's a little scared of the SMT, it can be a bit jerky....but the R3 with a sissy bar for her would leave her no excuses, even if it might still be a bit jerky when I get excited...

I'll be aiming for Scotland at some point...I never quite made it there this year, got close with the lakes but not enough spare time to do it justice.

I want to make a proper trip of it, heading up the west coast and onto some of the islands such as Skye then over the highlands (back and forth a little me thinks ) then back down the east cost again.

Come closer the time when I can arrange it, likely late spring next year now, I'll be sure to share my plans and take onboard any suggestions the likes of yourself might have!

I am really suffering with this waiting you know, this bike has really sucked me in This will definitely be the best treat I've ever given myself

Welcome from Minnesota
If you plan on taking the wife along get the tall backrest
It's not much taller but it is way more comfortable
I had the short one on my 05 and have the tall on my 08
Wifey likes the tall one better

I take my wife out all the time on the R3, she doesn't like a backrest just a sissy bar, but then I do just cruise when she's there - and that's the Rocket's forte - no gearchanging, dead smooth even from 1200rpm 2-up and loaded. We went to Ardnamurchan last weekend and back in the day, 320miles, over two ferries and rode all the way from Glencoe to Strontian in jeans and t-shirts. Keeping to 55-60 though, brilliant clear blue sky and warm (for us) at 23C.

Just booked us into a hotel in Mull in Sept too so hope for that long summer......

If you're going to tour , look at Easybrackets for your pannier mounts -then you can fit all sorts of boxes and bags if you want. And they're QD.

Thanks for the heads up on the luggage system, I was just planning on stacking and strapping on a rack but will take a look
edit: I'll not likely go for leather saddle bags, I want to use waterproof luggage if I can...it might be a basic big dry bag on a rack for me yet...I read that you were looking to mount hardcases to the easy bracket system, did you manage to find something nice? Any pics?

One thing I can't seem to find easily are fly screens, I just want a small deflector on the front in gloss black (I'll add the red stripe to it later...)....any ideas?

kaivalagi said:

Thanks for the heads up on the luggage system, I was just planning on stacking and strapping on a rack but will take a look
edit: I'll not likely go for leather saddle bags, I want to use waterproof luggage if I can...it might be a basic big dry bag on a rack for me yet...I read that you were looking to mount hardcases to the easy bracket system, did you manage to find something nice? Any pics?

One thing I can't seem to find easily are fly screens, I just want a small deflector on the front in gloss black (I'll add the red stripe to it later...)....any ideas?

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Hi from sunny south wales. I traded up from the 1600 thunderbird and the rocket is a much better machine. Much better ground clearance.

I have a clear fly screen from triumph. I believe that there are 2 types of fly screen from triumph, or there were when i bought mine. The clear one is larger than the painted one. Never got to see the painted one but the clear one works well up to about 90mph . You can just about see it in the attached photo of my nephen sitting on my bike during a run to Brecon.

Here's what I've got -old Oxford soft throwovers, stiffened with plywood inner sides bolted to the Easybrackets.And an Ortlieb 24L roll bag across the rack. Takes 5 min to remove it all, if that.
Or you could fit any hard cases as long as the back is flat (ish)

Welcome from South Texas.