Help me decide on my next bike

late2ride

Rocket roadster playing as a tractor
Joined
Sep 9, 2015
Messages
40
Location
Hampton NH
Ride
2017 Rocket iii Roadster
I'm trying to decide what to replace my vtx1800 with. I'm shipping it down to Fla for vacations and need a replacement. Want to get big bike with flat out speed. Looked at Vmax but it's really a 1 person bike with little options for storage. Test drove Rocket dresser and love it. Read that the Roadster has a lot more horsepower and wondering if I could get the roadster and outfit it with luggage, trunk, windshield etc. Anyone know if the engine difference is really that significant? Also saw a supercharger kit TTS performance and wondered if anyone has one?
 
Ducati Diavel...(not my cup of tea but a nice bike).
 
Yes to all of what you ask. Stick around, search the threads and then go ride one. FWIW, the R3T can be uncorked to give a pretty reasonable accounting of itself. It just take a few dollars to get the parts.

bob
 
Welcome and good luck with your searching. The R3 engines are all the same from 2010 onwards.
You can supercharge/ turbo charge or do engine internals to make horsepower. All are about the same cost, I went with the internal work - it's a little more stealth that way.
Any R3 with ABS will limit your turbo options as the ABS module is in front of the back wheel (this is a nice turbo hiding spot)
 
Welcome from Florida.Tough choice R3T has a little more room for comfort R3R has a bit more power and has bit more lean angle.
 
G'day and welcome. Reflashing the ECU on the R3T will make it as close as makes no difference to the Roadster. The R3T has a narrower rear tyre which probably improves handling, although the Roadster can probably lean more. There are thousands of bags that can be attached to the Roadster, and a bunch of screen options. Either bike will do what you want, so ride them both and see which one fits you best.
 
Since you even looked at the TTS superchargers, this is probably a lot about performance.
If you like the looks of the Rocket 3 Touring better, you don't need to worry. The engine is the same as the Roadster, and it is really easy to tune it to have similar horsepower.

The VTX 1800 has about 85 rear wheel hp stock, if I remember correctly.
In original state the Touring has about 95 hp and the Roadster 120 hp at the back wheel.

Just adding a good filter, full aftermarket exhaust and Dyno tune will give you around 160 hp at the back wheel on all Rocket models.
You don't even need a blower to exceed 200hp ... you could choose to go for a R3T with a 240 rwhp Carpenter kit!

So the engine is not a problem - but if you go for topspeed runs, it should be mentioned that most Tourings tend to weave over 110mph. I have a Roadster and have just mounted a smaller windshield, to be able to go faster than 125 mph without fear.
 
Welcome from another Aussie, get a roadster and dress her up the way you want it, there are plenty of bag / storage options Corbin are probably the best and the same goes for screens heap of options to suit the style you want.