Rocket owners average age!

Vinkster said:

Sweet! I'm not the youngest anymore! I feel less like I purchased an old man bike. I think it's more an issue of young people don't know what they want, or figure a used 600cc sport bike is cheaper. I only started on sport bikes because I knew I wouldn't be able to ride them when I got old. I have too many ailments at 31, I couldn't imagine trying to just on something like a 675 daytona in 20+ years.

That said, I'm not sure if I'd buy the R3R again if I was in the market today. I really like that Diavel. Not sure I like that price, though. The R3R is definitly near the top of a very short list of bikes I'd purchase funds notwithstanding. That M109R was a good attempt at trying to take market share of muscle bikes in the states, but it's a Suzuki... Eww.

If I were in the macket to purchase a new 2014 bike, I'd have a tough time deciding between the Diavel (maybe strada version), the Victory Vision Tour, or the Triumph Tiger Explorer. The Rocket needs an update. The non-touring rocket has only had one significant refresh. Any other changes are just changes and inconsequential.

All that being said, I'll likely own the R3R until I'm either as old as you guys or it needs a complete overhaul and it's worth less than the parts.

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Wow I am the youngest on here? I know there were a lot of people in the late 50s/mid 60s, but I am suprized I am the youngest at 29. I never thought the R3 was a "old mans bike" but then again a lot of people my age says a lot of the R3s look to "dated".

I would love to be able to own/ ride a daytona 675 or even most ****** rockets. I am simply too big to fit on them (6'6" 280). I have rode a couple 600s and a couple liter bikes but they are so far from comfortable and are severly under sprung/damped for me. I would love a diavel but once again its not big enough. I wanted a package that had massive power potential, decent handling, and unique. The M109R had awesome looks and ok power for me, however it had beyond a shadow of a doubt a weak engine and trans. I had seen numerous engine failures at 145hp level (let alone above it) and even if the engine was solid the transmission was one missed shift away from being junk under high power (which is pretty easy to do considering every shift seemed to act different then the last, which made it hard to shift consistent). A lot of the m109r guys seem to hate on the rocket 3 and the vrod, both of which (from a high HP and reliability standpoint) are way beyond the 109. I knew the 109 wasn't going to meet the power level I want, and had barely any lean angle to work with for handling, so I knew I had to go to a different platform.

I had read about the R3 in popular mechanics and loved everything they had to say about it, and considering my late father had and raced triumphs back in the day It was a given I would own a rocket 3. It has enough of a lean angle to have some cornering ability, engine can make 155hp for under 2K where is the 109r would need 3 times that, and it was unique. So far its been very reliable and in 2 months when it goes to carpenter I am sure it will be even more of a blast. I still have been eyeing a zx14 (I don't want to own another suzuki ie busa after owning my 109r, although a bking might be good) but I would be lucky to ride for 30 minutes without having comfort problems (my elbows/forearms rest on my knees/quads when I hug the gas tank, which gives a very odd/unsafe feeling).

The yougest that i know is Medic from St Louis Missouri, he is like 25!

Greggry, don't waste your time and money on a new 'busa. After Mr. Carpenter performs his magic (hopefully for you, the full Monty) on your R3, you won't be tempted to even look at the Suzuki, let alone ride it!

TriumPhil said:

Greggry, don't waste your time and money on a new 'busa. After Mr. Carpenter performs his magic (hopefully for you, the full Monty) on your R3, you won't be tempted to even look at the Suzuki, let alone ride it!

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Thats what I keep telling myself. The only platform out there that I know of that can get me at 280 pounds into the 9s and be comfortable is the rocket 3. A stock busa with a rider at my weight would struggle to hit high 9s, so If I can run as fast/slightly faster then a busa/zx14 would with a lighter rider, I would be tickeled pink. Even more so because my bike is actually rideable for distance. Hell the thought alone of 9 second heavyweight cruisers seems outrageous, a 9 second m109r with a rider at my weight had never been done to my knowledge, and vrods would require 14K in mods to get a guy at my weight into the 9s without blowing up after a couple passes.

Every day I have been flipping back and forth on just going out and buying a zx14 and being done, but I know once my bike is pushing big power I will probably forget all about the zx or busa. Hell here in Milwaukee all the roads are complete garbage (and stright lines) and it takes a 40 minute trip to get to decent winding roads (which my rocket does well on btw). So I don't know how much use I really would get out of a tight wound sportbike. Not to mention I wouldn't be able to sucker harley riders in to runs with a zx14 (since they know better).

Vinkster said:

Southern AZ is pretty boring to me. If i had a Tiger XC, I could see going south into the Chiricahua mountans or do some high speed off roading on some old indian routes. Other than that, Payson, Sedona, or anything northern AZ are the only destinations in AZ to ride.

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tucson at 2500 feet elevation. there is kitt peak at 6000 feet, mount lemmon at 9000 feet lots of corners.about 10 miles out of town hwy 83 heads south through the mountains to sonoita just beautiful riding after you get there its good riding 50 miles either way. i love payson and the north country. the abate club that i belong to is holding a TO BROKE FOR STURGIS event at the end of june at Mormon Lake
herman

I never thought the R3 was a "old mans bike" but then again a lot of people my age says a lot of the R3s look to "dated".


Could it be the older guys know what's up and what has power and comfort??? With age comes wisdom I use that lightly around here

dont want there heads getting to big

TURBO200R4 said:

tucson at 2500 feet elevation. there is kitt peak at 6000 feet, mount lemmon at 9000 feet lots of corners.about 10 miles out of town hwy 83 heads south through the mountains to sonoita just beautiful riding after you get there its good riding 50 miles either way. i love payson and the north country. the abate club that i belong to is holding a TO BROKE FOR STURGIS event at the end of june at Mormon Lake
herman

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I used to ride Mt. Lemmon a lot but its to crowded now. The area around Sonoita over to Sierra Vista is nice - just normally need the car when down there.

Watcher, I didn't acquire my mistress for her looks, if you know what I mean!

Watcher said:

I never thought the R3 was a "old mans bike" but then again a lot of people my age says a lot of the R3s look to "dated".


Could it be the older guys know what's up and what has power and comfort??? With age comes wisdom I use that lightly around here

dont want there heads getting to big

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Old Man Bike...If not not when?

RocketRoger said:

Old Man Bike...If not not when?

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not old man bike lol just we are smarter as we age and know what is good