REAL New Model news

Actually Harley has gone the mile on the New Milwaukee Eight. The Twin Cam can not pass the new standards. Numerous upgrades in suspension and a lot of improvements that should appeal to the younger generation has been implemented. Problem is old school Harley riders know better than to buy a bike with a new motor design. They wait a few years and give Harley time to work the bugs out. Mean time sells drop and plants close. Yes you can sell to the younger generation and to those who must have the latest and greatest from Harley. (status symbol) The bulk of there consumers are much like myself. Tired of riding Chinese made junk and disguised with the new design. Indian is benefiting from all this. A well proven engine and a nice bike. As much as i dislike Harley's i would not like to see them kicked to the curb. Growing up that was the bike we all wished we could afford to own. Got old and wise (at least motorcycle wise) and got over the mid-life crisis so now we are back to Truimph. The Rocket is not everybody's cup of tea. To big and ugly. Not a bike that appeals to most folks. First time i saw a Rocket was in 05 at the dealership in Bethany Oklahoma. Bought a Bonneville instead (American) Main reason was that the Rocket was to big. Years later and fed up with Harley's was looking at bikes on the net and saw a ad for what was called the ROCKET X. Just sat there in aw and watched the video several times. Had a few more beers and around the twenty or so times finally broke down in tears. The rest is HISTORY

sonny said:

The Rocket is not everybody's cup of tea. To big and ugly. Not a bike that appeals to most folks. First time i saw a Rocket was in 05 at the dealership in Bethany Oklahoma

Click to expand...

I think the beauty of the Rocket is an aquired taste

Bob R said:

I wonder just how gutless the HDs will become when they meet Euro4 emission standards, if they already don't. Isn't that is what is driving a stake into the heart of the Rocket, European emission standards?

If HD had tried to lure new riders with decent models* instead of trotting out the old, tired GeezerGlides** there is a possibility they may have been able to avoid declining sales to a certain extent. I find it hard to believe they sell enough bikes in Europe to justify putting a plant there, but what do I know?

bob

* Look at all of the old farts that ride a Rocket

** GeezerGlide buyers are becoming very scarce as they drop like flies. Why do you think HD makes a factory trike? Gotta try to keep the geezers buying. My 2 cents worth. I guess that makes them TriGeezerGlides.

Click to expand...

I prefer to refer to them as Tricycles in front of the owners, I know two. Embarrassing day was getting jump started by one of them in a paddock of mud, then watching them have no trouble leaving said paddock

Bob R said:

I wonder just how gutless the HDs will become when they meet Euro4 emission standards, if they already don't. Isn't that is what is driving a stake into the heart of the Rocket, European emission standards?

Click to expand...

That was the final nail but before that (according to my sources) falling sales. A engine that has had almost 13 years in production - time to move on (commercially).

The rocket in its present design has run its course, it was never a big seller(wonder why) and as for those who are going to keep it for ever and ever and give it a valentine card every Febuary well good luck the rocket will never be worth a fortune, is it a bike worth keeping sure if you are going to ride it, as we all know the resale value of Rockets are pish poor.

Scot, it will take awhile. Say 20 or 30 years! I can visualize a you tube "barn find" video, where some guy pry's the doors open to an old abandoned barn, (like mine), and finds 3 Triumph Rockets, all covered in dust and cob webs. What a find, and the price would be much more than today. My problem with that scenario, is I won't be around to see/profit from it!

In Europe (exc. UK), you can not get an RIII below say 8.5k euros. Most of them are 10k+ irrelevant of age and miles/km. It already is rare bike. In long term projection (decades), rarity is what defines price. In UK and U.S., RIIIs are much cheaper, but it is complicated or/and expensive to import. Also, you can not import into EU anything older than 8 years if I am correct. So, it is just question of time. Example - 6 years ago, you could find NRX1800 Rune for about 12-13k Euros with almost no miles. Now: 22-25k Euros and miles are irrelevant. You can not import Rune legally from U.S. or Russia or any big market and the price simply reflects the situation.

Stopped at my Triumph dealership today afternoon. They say they no longer can place an order on Thunderbird either. No stock and no orders accepted. So it looks like Rocket III and 1700 Thunderbird as we know them are both history now.

I always hated history in school..........

They're dirt cheap here, I see 05s and 06s here on Craigslist for $4000-4500, not necessarily high miles, either.

Tripps said:

They're dirt cheap here, I see 05s and 06s here on Craigslist for $4000-4500, not necessarily high miles, either.

Click to expand...

I got my 2006 standard 1-2 yrs ago having <4K miles for $5300. Looked like it had never been in rain. I watched it on Craigslist for about 3 months. Starting price was $6500.