Totaled Rocket III Touring

snowbandit said:

Well I got cut off on Thursday and totaled my brand new 2009 Rocket III Touring less than 3000 miles on the bike. Just finished getting all the add-ons put on the bike! I am a little beat up right now and sore.

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I feel you man. July 18th, I hit the pavement head first. I don't remember anything, but best I can deduct from the witness, I must have locked the front break trying to miss a car and highsided. Bike was totaled. Had it 3 days. Man I feel ya.

snowbandit said:

But here is the question do I stick with Triumph with all the BS they gave in getting the accessories to me? Or go Harley this time around..... Would be a 2011 Rocket III touring black and new England white or wait and get all black again. Lucky the 2011 has most of the accessories included already....

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The only advantage the Harley brings is the massive amounts of chrome and performance options that suck the money out of your pocket. You also get the family feel with a Harley. Perfect strangers accept you because of your ride.

That is what I like about the Triumph. You get the feeling you are on the brink of something special. They are not looked at negatively like some of the Japanese bikes, and the odds someone in your neck of the woods has one, much less knows anything about them is slim. Allot of envey is shown because guys forked out the money for a Harley and are left feeling a little slighted. They are not what they are hyped to be. It is merely an image wannabe bikers seek. Real bikers like the function, torq. and smoothness of a bike regardless of the manufacturer. Just my 2 cents.

Having just sold a Harley to get the Rocket I think my answer is clear.

rocketpockets05 said:

still have a Harley because it looks great when parked.

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The good thing about a harley, when the engine breaks,your lawnmower engine is a perfect replacement.

mexican said:

The good thing about a harley, when the engine breaks,your lawnmower engine is a perfect replacement.

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But overpowered.

TriumPhil said:

It looks like snowbandit went off and bought hisself sumpin' more appropriate.
One of these, perhaps?:

http://www.bikemenu.com/photos/weird/062.jpg
http://www.bikemenu.com/photos/weird/048.jpg
http://www.http://www.bikemenu.com/photos/weird/062.jpgbikemenu.com/photos/weird/070.jpg

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No No No Snowbandit was in Sturgis having a little fun, when my knee and back were not acting up from the accident.... Got to see a bunch of Rockets out there too... The rocket turned a lot of heads and triumph missed out on a big chance to introduce the bikes to a big group of people (some are saying 750,000 bikers). Had no problem passing all the HDs going down the highway.... I got asked every where I went what is that bike?? Holy sh-t look at that motor... Is that the rocket III that I saw in a article once? How does it handle? Whats the horse power? That thing must drink gas, no? You only have to run 87 in the bike? Triumph is out of business isn't it? Ummm no this is a 2011.. Maybe one of the first ones on the road! Got to listen to stories of folks that had triumphs in the past, how great they were and how they would love to own one again. I think I was a walking talking salesmen for the company for two weeks. I know of a few people that will be going to their local dealers to try and get a test ride and possibly buy one! I even got to see a rocket III with a side car! I gave the website out so I hope the owner stops in sometime. Rumor is he will be working with a company on a trike conversion that has independent rear suspension and is tricked out pretty much.

Should have some good news shortly for us touring guys if you want a fairing.... Was able to get a company to test fit theirs to my bike and measure up to make brackets! Way better than anything that is currently available for the rocket. I should hear back in less than a month and might have one to install to see if everything fits right. I will keep you guys informed.


So don't think I jumped ship that quickly...

barbagris said:

But overpowered.

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please give those H D riders a little slack most realize soon enough that to really shine they have to spring another 20 000 grand and to really stand out another ?????

I was once one of them , and I understand the never ending competion to outdo the next guy , but to be truly honest I also must also admit that the R3 has a few negatives of its own the most common being the weight .
here in europe you get some very uneven pavement and tight little street where the turning circle of the R3 is too wide and if you put your foot down one inch too low on that uneven pavement or not to find the right angle to balance her when turning around she will be gone , all you can do is slow down the fall .or when parking making **** sure you are not backing uphill cause it is impossible unless a brave soul happens by and pushes you back
that sort of stuff kind of happened to me two night ago I was going to punch the digital code to open a gate to my place so I parked in front of that gate on a very light incline, barely noticeable and kept the engine running so I was in neutral . while I entered the code on the pad four feet away ,the bike started to roll forward folding the kickstand, all I could do was to step back and slow down the fall by holding on the grip .
no damages anywhere thank god , I was so pissed off that in a fit of furry I managed to get her back on her wheels all by myself, and told her not to do that to me ever again .

I am now extra careful on that subject but regardless I do not miss my former ride anyway.

Having owned an Ultra Classic prior to my R3T I can say there are a couple of things that Harley did right:

1. The sidestand (or "jiffy stand" in official Moco parlance). Locks in position with the weight of the bike on it - you park the bike in neutral facing downhill with the engine running with confidence.

2. The hard bag closure mechanism. The Ultra saddlebag latch system seems odd until you realise it doesn't waste any of the internal volume of the bags. Wish Triumph had come up with something similar for the R3T.

3. The sound. Matter of taste, I know, but I loved it.

Things I don't miss include the belt drive (broke 2 belts in 12 months), the flabby rubber-mounted frame, and of course all the obvious stuff about engine performance.

hd ?

rocket daryl is correct.listen to his advice.you've got concussion

I paid my house off fixing H. D.'s When I retired 2 years ago, I bought 2 Triumphs...and sold the H.D's. .......have not had to do anything to the Triumphs but change oil.......
bcbatman

I'm Back...............

Although haven't gotten another Rocket iii Touring, I still want one. I had another crash back in October on my zx14 Ninja. I hate cages!!!!!