Thunderbird?

[nate]

Paint and chrome fix that Nate .. bonus is you get an individual bike .. lot to be said for different. At our first RDU we had 26 Rockets (and 1 Touring ) .. they were all different , every one of them had been personalised by it's owner. Was excellent checking out all the things guys had made, had made for them or bits they'd modified.

That's just what I want to do buy a new bike for 15k and then fix it up? no

 

[cusso ken]

Paint and chrome fix that Nate .. bonus is you get an individual bike .. lot to be said for different. At our first RDU we had 26 Rockets (and 1 Touring ) .. they were all different , every one of them had been personalised by it's owner. Was excellent checking out all the things guys had made, had made for them or bits they'd modified.

A derestricted Touring will fry that 180 rear tyre like a barbeque gone wrong,

 

[ponters]

buy one of each, do whatever the fun tickles your fancy, love them, ride them, don't compare, just admire what others have done, appreciate them as different if not to your taste and be happy in the knowledge that we know & experience something that most others never will let alone understand.

oh and at the risk of being offensive which I do not mean, but for *** sake, it's gotta be said, don't use AMG and Carpenter in the same sentence mate. I get your point but in my opinion sending a Triumph to Carpenter is like Sending a Merc to NISMO for tuning. Surely Triumph could come up with a hot version I agree. And thats nothing personal toward the carp boys, they seem like nice lads and contribute some beaut advice, but like all tuning Im certain they have flaws as do most.

 

[steve59]

As long as I get a warning when triumph discontinues the rocket so I can sell everything else I own to get one I'll be O.K. The bike is unique and we are getting more market saturation here with the 2 new dealers so I see a Rocket every day this year!!! who knows, enough new R3's sell maybe Triumph will change their strategy. Rockethead is doing a great job turning his r3r into an all out touring using aftermarket and his own craftmanship the bike's the s h i t.

 

[cr0ft]

Yeah, the R3R comes with issues the previous ones didn't. I'm not a fan of the blacked out aesthetic either, and I understand moving the pegs back and down wasn't uncontroversial.

The R3T ticks all the boxes for me. I'm not even sure I'd trade it in for a fully laden Touring Touring with a fairing and more doo-dads... I like that it's chrome and steel and (badly coated) billet wheels, nothing overly fancy.

 

[cusso ken]

Yeah, the R3R comes with issues the previous ones didn't. I'm not a fan of the blacked out aesthetic either, and I understand moving the pegs back and down wasn't uncontroversial.

The R3T ticks all the boxes for me. I'm not even sure I'd trade it in for a fully laden Touring Touring with a fairing and more doo-dads... I like that it's chrome and steel and (badly coated) billet wheels, nothing overly fancy.

Each to his own, some like the R3 in different formats that's what makes them so unique ,nothing more sad than going to a bike orientated roadhouse/café and seeing 20 or so HOG Members with their designer jackets, belts, wallets on little chains, I have even seen leather railway beenies, with their power parked shiney new Harleys ,the first bike they have owned since the 125 Honda 30 years ago, all trying to be born to be wild clones , I like being the only Rocket Man amongst the gaggle of geese,
for me the R3T is what I want ,now that I have taken all the shackles off it I love it even more.

 

[JoseyR3Wales]

Since I now own both I would agree that the Rocket is THE BEAST but I like some aspects that the Storm brings to.my riding life. Each bike is unique and I appeciate the nuances of each. The velvet hammered Storm and the wrecking ball at full on power of the Rocket. Now I want a Thruxton or a Victory. During my endurance run yesterday I saw numerous Vtwinkies broken down, H-D support vehicles and trailers. The Storm has a different sound and feel that I enjoy. I may opt for Emgo cocktail shakers without baffles. Still love my Rocket. Both better than an H-D.

 

[ksquared]

I went into my Triumph dealer to buy a Thunderbird with the 1700 cc kit installed.

I walked out with my R3T and never looked back.

No motorcycle has ever spoken to me on a visceral level like the Rocket. That man - machine connection is why I've ridden over 250,000 miles on 2 wheels.

Some motorcycles are faster, some handle better, some carry moRE stuff and are better cross-country touring platforms. But none of that matters to me . . . . .

THERE'S ONLY ONE ROCKET.

 

[Boog]

What can a humble grey beard add to this conversation that the you guys haven't said already? Nothing really. I am taking a business degree online right now and from that point of view, it would seem the Rocket is not going to cut it. Companies must turn a profit and not worry about the little sales. The guys who try and make an extreme product that only a few will buy are doomed. All of us here who tout that mighty Rocket love it and are in essence preaching to the choir. If more people bought the Rocket, it would continue.
Almost all my riding buddies are too concerned to ride the beast. They admire it but only one has even asked about riding it. Many of the others say they wouldn’t give it a try for fear of crashing or just dropping it for being too heavy. Most of these guys ride HD and Stars and are not on tiny bikes but the size goes against their comfort level. I think that is the issue with many folks. I have read on R3 for sale advertisements many times that the seller was parting with it because it was too big, or too powerful and scares them. That was one of the reasons I had to try one but not everyone feel like we do brothers.
I hope to have mine till the end. While at the dealer in Manassas the other day, the owner Ken asked when I was going to trade in my bike for a newer one. I know he was partially kidding but I told him it ain’t happening. I may buy another bike for other uses but my R3T is a keeper.

 

[CanberraR3]

Pretty spot on @Boog. All the things that we love about the bike; the size, the power, the scarcity/uniqueness; are the same things that will spell the end of the Rocket. Irony for sure. I don't think I could part with mine either. Sure as hel wouldn't want someone else to have it.