Welcome!!!

New to the Rocket 3 Experence

I have happily ridden a 2002 Vulcan 1500 classic for almost 8 years. I guess its true, Ignorance is bliss. I would not have considered a new bike if I dint not lose second gear on the Vulcan, with 35k on the old girl and looking at 3k to fix the trans, I decided to look into other options. The wife liked the idea of a Road King, I on the other hand couldn't bring myself to cross over to the dark side ( black and orange anyway) I also considered a new Vulcan,and remembered seeing a review pitting the new Vulcan against a Triumph Thunderbird. I thought...as some my age would... My Father had a Triumph when I was a kid...My old man really loved that bike. So why not check out this New Triumph Tbird.
Walking into the Scottsdale Dealership all the Bonneville's,the America's and even the Thunderbird's where a blur... There in the middle of the showroom floor was the biggest bad ass Beautiful 2010 Rocket 3 Touring, AND THAT WAS IT... I have had this bike for 3 days and have almost 400 miles on it. I am bringing it back for the break in maintenance on Friday...needless to say I am in love again..Thank you Triumph for a great piece of working art, and the ability to relate to my old man...well lets not get to carried away. But I do love the Rocket!

.... Nothing else compares.
Welcome to the site.

New Rocket Owner in KC, KS

Hello,

I just purchased a 2008 Rocket III. I just returned to riding last year after a 14 year wife imposed hiatus. However after listening to me whine for over a decade about wanting another bike, she gave in and a I bought a 2009 Suzuki Boulevard M90. After a grand total of 7 months, someone rear ended me on the highway, totaling the bike and not doing me a great deal of good either.

So I hobbled on crutches over to the local Triumph dealer and bought a 2008 R3 they still had. I've only put about 1000 miles on it so far, but it is a great ride.

After picking up a nail in the rear tire I'm already considering being led down the darkside path after coughing up over $300 to replace a tire with 700 miles on it.

Anyway, glad to be hear and looking forward to putting some miles on thing thing.

I too got bit by the nail thing right out of the gate, I think they come with nails from the factory. lol
Welcome to the site.

Axelrosebud said:

Hello people!

I'm back from a very worrying visit to another Triumph Thunderbird related forum... I do hope that this here one (forum that is...) is more "serious" then the one that I've just visited...

Click to expand...

Looks like another epiphany based on an unwanted enema administered by Diego on the RAT site!

No worries, Axel... you're in much better company, now!

TriumPhil said:

(...)No worries, Axel... you're in much better company, now!

Click to expand...

Thankx TriumPhil!!! I do hope so... Even though I am not yet a happy owner of a T-Bird... I'd love to though... To be a happy owner of a BB T-Bird BTW... Let's see how it goes from this point on... After test driving the Rocket III though... I wouldn't want to be a Rocket III owner... & this here is a Rocket III owner's forum... So I do hope that I'm not "intruding" &/or "trespassing"...

Hi from Oz

Hi all, just joined yesterday and thought I would say hello.

Currently riding a blade but have reached the age, or at least my body has been telling me that at 6 foot 6 I can no longer bend myself into the shape I require to get on the Blade like I used to.

So still wanting power etc I have been looking for a comfortable ride, that still makes you grin from ear to ear each time you twist the throttle, and not get left behind by my mates on the sports bikes.

Always loved the R3 since its release but looks better by the day.

Bladey is going up for sale to make way for the Rocket.

Anyone want to tell me their thoughts on the original R3 or the new Roadster? Which one they would go for etc.

The new Roadster looks great, the black colours, the two huge exhausts, ABS etc. I am concerned re them movingthe pegs back though. Has that improved the position or taken away?

Which one would you buy and why if you were choosing now?

Thanks for any advise/comments/feedback.

Cheers,

PommieladinOz said:

(...)Always loved the R3 since its release but looks better by the day.(...)

Click to expand...

Hello PommieladinOz!!! I know that I shouldn't say this here, but did U test-ride the R3 already??? I did! & I would not want to be an R3 owner... But that's me!!! I just find that it's a very wide n' clumsy truck-like thingy, that U just can't use in everyday traffic jams of a big city like Paris in France... But maybe U're more lucky then me, & live in a much, much more "reasonable" environment... I like motorcycles too much, to not be able to squeeze through traffic jams between cars...

PommieladinOz said:

(...)Which one would you buy and why if you were choosing now?

Thanks for any advise/comments/feedback.

Cheers,

Click to expand...

I have made my choice! Though I still don't possess it, but I'd love to one day... It is a Triumph, and this here discussion board was "generous" enough, to include this bike among their friends... It's a Triumph Thunderbird in its SE or BB version... I have also test-ridden a T-Bird, & I love all about it!!! Even though it was the basic 1600 cc T-HBird... But from what I have learned, the 1700cc BB version of it, is a blast!!! & I just can't wait to become a very, very lucky owner of that there "wonder"!!!

PommieladinOz said:

Hi all, just joined yesterday and thought I would say hello.

Currently riding a blade but have reached the age, or at least my body has been telling me that at 6 foot 6 I can no longer bend myself into the shape I require to get on the Blade like I used to.

So still wanting power etc I have been looking for a comfortable ride, that still makes you grin from ear to ear each time you twist the throttle, and not get left behind by my mates on the sports bikes.

Always loved the R3 since its release but looks better by the day.

Bladey is going up for sale to make way for the Rocket.

Anyone want to tell me their thoughts on the original R3 or the new Roadster? Which one they would go for etc.

The new Roadster looks great, the black colours, the two huge exhausts, ABS etc. I am concerned re them movingthe pegs back though. Has that improved the position or taken away?

Which one would you buy and why if you were choosing now?

Thanks for any advise/comments/feedback.

Cheers,

Click to expand...

Me personally I prefer a 2008 Standard or Classic over the '09 and Roadster. I thought I'd rather have the Roadster when It was being released, but now that they are out and having listened to the new owners I'm glad I kept the '08 I have. The '09 is still waiting for the PCV and It still is no closer to being released than it was over a year ago. And the Roadster not only needs the PCV, but aftermarket performance parts are nearly non existent. The ABS is nice, but it's location alone has made it incompatible with all previous performance exhaust systems. And the ECM programming they used to squeeze out the extra power numbers makes it harder to dial in on the Dyno. I like the bike and guys with them have overcome some of those difficulties, but for me ... I think I'll wait till it's been out there awhile longer and the kinks have been worked out before I trade the '08. All the work, parts and power results were just too easy on the '08's and earlier models. I'm sure those with the Roadster will say that everything will work out and there will be plenty of aftermarket support soon enough, but soon isn't today. For some taller guys like me, the new peg location doesn't help any. Having my feet up under me only puts me in a cramped position rather than spread out like a cruiser should feel. I like having my feet and legs more forward, and replacing the pegs with floor boards allowed more movement and position choices making longer rides even more comfortable.

It all depends on what YOU want to do, so get one you like and enjoy it.

And Axel ... no you shouldn't say that here. lol

Welcome to a fellow owner in Aus.

For what it's worth I ride my RIII to work in traffic every day and in many ways it's ideal for the job, albeit overkill given the short distance I now have to travel. Very steady at low speeds, the power to slip into any space and when it comes to squeezing through traffic, you really just have to avoid the spaces only a scooter could manage. Plus it's sheer presence adds to the safety. Having said that, the T'Bird also ticks those boxes.

In my opinion the RIII pegs are if anything not forward enough - good for most things but not ideal. If, like me, you don't want boards you could try highway pegs mounted (just using bar clamps) so you can rest your heel on the standard peg and your toe on the highway peg, or just use the highway pegs. 3 positions depending on what your doing. What I think actually is missing is something straight down that you could stand on to lift you weight off your arse once in a while on a trip - not pegs per se but something to take your weight towards the back of the peg rail would be handy.

It's a difficult choice between an RIII, Roadster and T'Bird - which 2 are you going to leave out?