potential R3 owner

[wildchild]

Hello all! I'm looking at a '13 R3 roadster and would like some input as to the common issue(s), if there are any, that the R3 has and/or the pluses. I love the looks of this beast. I haven't rode one yet, but I'm heading up Monday to see if I can't get a ride in. I currently ride a Kawasaki Vulcan 2000, so I'm not new to big power. The R3 looks to be at the top of the food chain and, well, I'm hungry if ya know what I mean. Thanks to each and everyone who takes the time and effort to put in your 2 cents.

 

[joey fletcher]

May I say welcome to the site here

If you haven't rode a Rocket III you do not have a clue to what you are in for

Not that I am putting your bike down,,,,,,But

Once you ride a Rocket...there is a side affect.....The Stupid Grin syndrome

Let us know something about you....and again welcome

 

[CanberraR3]

Another member on here has a V2K as well. I'm sure he'll be along shortly.
Well a Rocket uses fuel and tyres, needs servicing and occasionally has mechanical issues. OK. Apart from that it's the best thing on 2 wheels. Seriously, what did you expect me to say?
Welcome by the way.

 

[ponters]

Gday from Aus Wildchild,

One serious problem with owning a Rocket that "we aficionados" forget to mention and warn people about. Almost every purchaser of a Rocket ends up with a medical condition known as 'Dual atypical hemifacial syndrome'. This is not as big a medical problem for us as it is for the poor innocent people that suffer from the standard neuromuscular Hemifacial Spasm.

Ironically where normal people have no cure we have discovered a cure for our problem. All we have to do is get off our bike and rest for 30-45 minutes and we are all back to normal.

I have cut and pasted a description of this real medical condition below for your understanding.

Hemifacil- Hemifacial spasm (HFS) is a rare neuromuscular disease characterized by irregular, involuntary muscle contractions (spasms) on one side (hemi-) of the face (-facial).[1] The facial muscles are controlled by the facial nerve (seventh cranial nerve), which originates at the brainstem and exits the skull below the ear where it separates into five main branches.
/I]

 

[Mittzy]

Hi mate and welcome from Brisbane Australia
Love the bike. Ride one, you will know power.
May the torque be with you!

 

[mully95]

The only complaint I have is when I was looking to buy a Roadster it took 4 months but that was back in 2010. If you can physically put your hand on a Roadster I would go ahead and buy it. You will love the torque most of all. The bike doesn't need that much gear changing while you ride it. You can take off in third gear .... ride that out for awhile and go to fifth gear and be done. lol
Seriously most of the time I take off in second if I'm not on a hill.
The ABS has saved my hide more that once.

Complaint number two was they had a relay call on 2010 model only and I had a electrical gremlin for awhile until they fixed it.... long story. The problem has since been took care of on 2011 to present models.

Make sure you get the TORS exhaust instead of the standard if you can.

 

[TOMCAT]

Ignore them .. poor souls are G-Force affected. Symptoms include going the long way to everywhere you go and then spending evenings down in the shed staring at their motorcycle. Once the Americans wake up they will make more sense. Welcome from another G-Force affected Aussie

 

[mr hunt]

First time I rode Rocket my face peeled right off.....

 

[xhdskip]

First off, Hi and welcome to the site.
Second off, take your check book with you when you go for that test ride....
It'll save you a trip home miserable to get it
while you're hoping no one else sits on YOUR bike.....
issues, none that haven't been worked out,
unless of course you count the need for new tires fairly often,
some of us have alleviated that problem by going to the Dark Side...
Other than that the only advice I can give before your test ride is,
HANG ON, it ain't no hardly potato bike...

 

[TxRIIIRider]

Welcome.. My Rocket has a problem. This morning it wanted to do 100MPH in long stretches on the way to work! It doesn't do that all the time, only on occaision or when a ZX14 is spotted.. or a Corvette needs tending to.

Seriously, there have been very few complaints about Roadster problems. Earlier Rockets had a few bugs, but I dont remember too many complaints affecting the Roadster or Touring models.