[USER=5998]@Eric R.[/USER] You are MOST welcome here, with ALL your questions.
I had my own when I was in your boat. I was worried it's much bigger than any bike I'd had before, and I was concerned that "little ol' me" wouldn't be able to back it down the driveway.
That journey began with two categories of responses -- first the technical approach -- this and that dolly to rotate the bike in the garage to head in, and head out each time. I did that, and tried that, and it worked. The second category of responses were along the lines of "you'll get used to it." I did, and have. I'm happy I have the dolly because I have a diminutive garage from the early seventies and the dolly makes it easy for me to push the bike to the side so I can get my other bikes in there and still have a place to walk to get the venison in the freezer.
I was super happy with the encouragement as I did drop the bike a couple of times -- once with my lovely spouse on pillion and she still rides with me -- and folks on this site were a savior.
My pre-purchase snooping was mostly looking for "THIS !@#$% of sheet . . ." and endemic problems. While I found some of that, it was precious little, and of the endemic ones, just as I praised all the people who stormed Utah Beach, and Gallipoli, and other places tied to the ultimate sacrifice and a bunch of it, this site showed clearly past souls and early adopters who helped Triumph make the Rocket into the marvelous beast it has become.
I can recommend and endorse without reservation your purchase, and I do hope we meet up at some point.
I was fortunate the Air Force had me spend eight years around Boston, and this Alabama boy thoroughly enjoyed every bit of beautiful New England.
Please take it easy when slow maneuvering at first, and be extra watchful for that early tipping point. Once you develop your 'Rocket legs' it'll be second nature just as with any other bike -- though will always be less forgiving of inattention. Still, it rewards care with bottomless torque that wants to take you and yours from sea to shining sea, and it has tremendous potential to depart from stock in good ways.
