It's R3 R a good option as a second bike?

Chris141 · Nov 1, 2024

Hello fellow riders,
I joined this forum to get in touch with R3 owners as in my country (Romania) there are only few bikes of this kind, the dealership doesn't have one available ever to test ride and the one I want is in another country.
What I'm trying to find is if this could be a good choice for someone with only few thousand miles riding experience on a gsr600. I'm 6'2 and I don't have many other options as I don't really like adventure/enduro bikes and I need (in this case I want ) a bigger bike. I know it's heavy, powerful and relatively hard to handle but I'm not an aggressive rider, I like to pull the gas sometimes tough. I usually ride in the city, mostly commuting and the few long trips I did weren't to comfortable as I felt to cramped up on my current bike so I kept them to a minimum, but I intend to do longer rides more often.
So I'm tapping into this community experience to learn as many things as possible regarding owning and riding this bike (I got my sights on a '23 Rocket 3 R)
Many thanks!

Jagster · Nov 1, 2024

I have had my 2020 Rocket 3R for two years. The more I ride it, the more I love it.
I ride it on every type of road/landscape (but..obviously not off road) and it takes them all in it's stride.
It's a very easy bike to ride but you can't ride it safely without reading the road ahead......It's not a bike you can flick around, like a lightweight bike with 'sharp geometry'.
That said, it handles extremely well. It's a very rewarding bike to ride. I ride the twisty mountain roads on it and it's so much fun. Highway & city riding is enjoyable on this bike.
I've had all different types of bikes over the years. Off road, trail tourers, classic, sports, and also what might be considered a road racer. However, the Rocket is my only bike now.

It's very unlikely that I will be changing it for anything other than another Rocket.

Only negative about the bike is that it's unpleasant to ride on poor road surfaces.....It doesn't like pot holes......I don't like pot holes.
Also, it's a bit wide, so filtering in traffic isn't as easy as some bikes.

Chris141 · Nov 1, 2024

Jagster said:
I have had my 2020 Rocket 3R for two years. The more I ride it, the more I love it.
I ride it on every type of road/landscape (but..obviously not off road) and it takes them all in it's stride.
It's a very easy bike to ride but you can't ride it safely without reading the road ahead......It's not a bike you can flick around, like a lightweight bike with 'sharp geometry'.
That said, it handles extremely well. It's a very rewarding bike to ride. I ride the twisty mountain roads on it and it's so much fun. Highway & city riding is enjoyable on this bike.
I've had all different types of bikes over the years. Off road, trail tourers, classic, sports, and also what might be considered a road racer. However, the Rocket is my only bike now.

It's very unlikely that I will be changing it for anything other than another Rocket.

Only negative about the bike is that it's unpleasant to ride on poor road surfaces.....It doesn't like pot holes......I don't like pot holes.
Also, it's a bit wide, so filtering in traffic isn't as easy as some bikes.

Thanks. It's helpful to know as much as possible

Chris141 · Nov 1, 2024

There is someone here that got a rocket with limited riding experience like I'm about to? Any advice would be much appreciated

Mongler07 · Nov 1, 2024

Chris141 said:
There is someone here that got a rocket with limited riding experience like I'm about to? Any advice would be much appreciated

When i started riding i was used to small bikes. the rocket was the 1st motorcycle i had that was over 400 lbs! a bit intimidating at first and i almost died from some bald a$$ tires on a test drive when i got her running but IMo if you have the skills to make a motorcycle do what you tell it at low speeds, around tight cones, or on the highway speeds trying to avoid a crash, a rocket is no big deal. just trust the input you have and the rocket to do the rest. if you are uneasy, go do a MSF course or skills 1 course and learn how to ride correctly. anyone can get on and go on the highway, but being able to rely on a set of skills you may not have... is a BIG DEAL.

Journeyman · Nov 1, 2024

I wouldn't recommend it for most people as a first bike, but if you feel comfortable now on the gsr600, and respect the size and power of the Rocket, you'll do just fine. It is very possible to ride it slowly and smoothly, at least at first . It doesn't "need" to be run hard, but if you pull back on it's ears it will reveal the beast within.

As @Mongler07 said, good general riding skills and training will go a long way toward your ability to get proficient on this bike. It handles great on twisties and once it's rolling it doesn't feel so big and heavy at all. It's a very unique and fantastic machine.

Dr.D · Nov 1, 2024

Second bike? After a few hundred mile the other bike will be the second bike. You will need a respect for that mass and torque. Take it easy till you know how it performs.

Eric Ray · Nov 2, 2024

Also remember, if you don't have a dealer nearby, maintenance becomes your responsibility. And finding parts can be an issue.

Chris141 · Nov 2, 2024

Mongler07 said:
When i started riding i was used to small bikes. the rocket was the 1st motorcycle i had that was over 400 lbs! a bit intimidating at first and i almost died from some bald a$$ tires on a test drive when i got her running but IMo if you have the skills to make a motorcycle do what you tell it at low speeds, around tight cones, or on the highway speeds trying to avoid a crash, a rocket is no big deal. just trust the input you have and the rocket to do the rest. if you are uneasy, go do a MSF course or skills 1 course and learn how to ride correctly. anyone can get on and go on the highway, but being able to rely on a set of skills you may not have... is a BIG DEAL.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I know I have a lot to learn and I'm trying to improve everyday, but I think I do ok at lower speeds because most of my trips require lots of filtering through heavy traffic. I will enlist into an advanced skills course next spring as well.

Chris141 · Nov 2, 2024

Journeyman said:
I wouldn't recommend it for most people as a first bike, but if you feel comfortable now on the gsr600, and respect the size and power of the Rocket, you'll do just fine. It is very possible to ride it slowly and smoothly, at least at first . It doesn't "need" to be run hard, but if you pull back on it's ears it will reveal the beast within.

As @Mongler07 said, good general riding skills and training will go a long way toward your ability to get proficient on this bike. It handles great on twisties and once it's rolling it doesn't feel so big and heavy at all. It's a very unique and fantastic machine.

All the advices are deeply appreciated. Thanks

It's R3 R a good option as a second bike?

Chris141

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