New to Triumph

[thorin]

I deserved that poke!
Twas surely a dirty sucker to clean up the motor as I hit snow twice.
Once in the UT mountains & then Snowqualmie pass in WA was closed and I sat near the summit for two hours, where the pix was taken.
This was why:

that looks like a crowd around a **** good taco truck!
oh yeah....Welcome from Colorado, ya 8-armed cephalopod!

 

[AnthonyD]

Welcome, Octapus, from Chicago! I'm a Triumph newbie, too, having just taken possession of my R3T a couple of weeks ago. Having already learned a TON from this fine forum!

 

[TheKid]

Welcome to the site brother. Where are you from?

 

[TheKid]

Hello Octopus and welcome from Virginia. I have a 2014 R3T and am on my fourth battery. When mine gets cold, say around 27F, it will not turn over properly and throws a code (check engine light on). Oftentimes, it will not start and the GPS (Gear position sensor) goofs up and the neutral light will not illuminate. Therefore, I must raise the kickstand and try again to start it as if it is in gear. When it does start this way, the check engine light stays on for 3 normal starts afterwards before it extinguishes. Or, it goes out after I disconnect and reconnect the battery. The cold temperatures drives me nuts when I can't start the bike because of it.
Another issue I have is that I do not deep clean the bike as often as I should. The battery cables are not up to snuff as it is and when they become dirty or corroded, they make it hard to start, especially in the cold. I have replaced my negative cable with two and that worked for a year and a half, now its time to replace them again and the positive as well. I am also going to upgrade my starter to a Toyota unit. Several others here have done so with great success.
Good luck brother!

In the winter I carried a small jumper pack for my touring. I even bought an expensive Moto Batt. Still jumped it when it was below 35 degrees. I put a jumper that plugs into the jump box. I could fish it from under the seat, so I didn't have to remove the seat... Pretty handy

 

[thorin]

your experience reminds me of mine when i bought my bike last year. on the last leg of the 50 mile ride home, the speedo and tach needles starting swinging all over the place and the engine started sputtering. the engine light came on and i swear a group of flies landed on my windshield spelling "get off me!". the engine died as i exited the highway into a parking lot. (okay maybe the fly thing didn't happen but all the other stuff is darn true.)
visions of all kinds of trouble were going thru my head as i looked at my new purchase, stranded in a parking lot.
long story short, the battery was dead. new battery, all's good. i've never had a bike or car act like that as the battery is dying.

 

[TURBO200R4]

welcome from arizona

 

[JohnsoD]

Welcome from Minn.
Where in Minn. are you? It would be nice to ride with another Rocket my Harley buddies bore me on a ride. They tend to think I'm showing off when I do a normal take off.

 

[English Tim]

Hello everyone. Just bought a Rocket and rode it for the first time. It’s a 2015 and it is by far the biggest machine I’ve ever rode. I noticed the bike didn’t turn over too easy and I had a feeling that the battery was low. I trailered it on a 6 hour drive in 30 degree weather in a snow storm...best timing. I ended up pushing it into my garage when I got home because the battery was so low. I put it on a trickle for a couple hours and even though the charge wasn’t complete, I took it for a spin. Engine light was on. Could this be because the battery isn’t fully charged?

Welcome Octopus from here in the UK. Yes, I’m pretty sure the engine light will go out after a couple of recharge runs. Mine did same after a few weeks off the road during December.

 

[EasTexRIII]

Howdy Octopus! Welcome from East Texas

 

[420ponies]

Welcome to the site Bro. I took mine to Florida bike week,rolled it out of the trailer, no start. Battery needed a jump and all was good. At 11.8 volts , motor does not like it. After that is was "smiles per mile" Something you will get used too!!