What Kind of Man/Woman Rides a Rocket?

The kind of person I think rides a Rocket is a guy who likes powerful bikes, a guy who thinks for himself, a guy who has a good eye for looks and quality, and loves the value when compared to what the masses seem to go for. I have two bikes with V8 engines with over 400 hp each, I'm pretty used to raw power. In my mind the Rocket is also a powerhouse and with some mods is capable of beating my fastest V8. (CARPENRTER) I like the comfort, looks, and the way it handles. I'm another old guy at 73 and been riding bikes for 59 years, like many of you I've ridden about everything, these Rockets are great.
 
My Dad and Uncle brought home to my cousin and I a red and a blue Trail 50 back in 1970. Since then its been every make of dirt, trail, street, cruiser, and touring out there. I grew up in the 70s & 80s with Fire Birds, Camaros & Big Block Chevelles. My first registered street bike was a 1974 CB360. I have owned H-D, Yamaha, Triumph, Honda, mostly Kawasaki street bikes. I rode a Rocket that a friend had a few years ago and I was blown away with the power and handling of such a big bike. I found my 2011 R3R last year. The bike was in a barn and the guy that owned it was as big as Ted Johnson (my favorite Pats player) and the guy said it scared him. I put over 10K miles on that bike since dragging out of that barn in 5 feet of snow back in March. I still have a Springer & Ninja that have not seen 500 miles this year due to the Rocket in the garage. I love this friggin Rocket.
 
This summer I had met up with a couple from Arizona. They were on a tour across the states. We met for breakfast in my home town on Cape Cod as part of their tour. They booth had Rockets. She was a small woman but a very capable rider. My wife and I rode with them in the rain and she was not concerned one bit about the weather.
 
I works my way up from a Yamaha 650 to a Suzuki 800 to a Honda 1100 to a Honda 1300 to a Honda 1800 to the beast. Where am I supposed to go from here?

The first time I saw a Rocket was at a show in Toronto. I had sat on it for all of 30 seconds when I decided that, one day, I would own one. Two years later I bought my Classic. I love the fact that it is so different from anything else. It doesn't hurt that it's bigger and badder than anything else. I have a tendency not to go with the crowd, hence there is no HD on my list
 
I'm 45yo, 6'2" and about 225#. I have an 06 Classic, though I don't really fit the typical cruiser mold.

My preferred bike style is big bore naked sport bikes or standards, since I love the power and handling of sport bikes, but can't stand the riding position. I owned a Honda 919 for 10 years that fit the bill quite well. My first wife was never keen on riding with me, but my second wife (since 2014) is. Unfortunately I binned the 919's stock controls and passenger pegs (they mounted to the same large brackets) a long time ago in favor of adjustable rear sets. So at my wife's insistence (she's a keeper), a new bike was in order.

R3's weren't really on my radar. Oh, I knew about them of course. I'd read the reviews over the years, and thought they might be fun for a lark, but never really considered owning one. I was looking for something a bit more...I dunno...FJR-ish, I suppose. However one day while out bike shopping, we happened upon a nearly new '14 R3 Roadster and just fell in love with the thing. It had power. It had prestige. It had presence. Unfortunately, what it didn't have was a price tag within my 5-10k budget.

However, a few days later I found a pristine '06 classic at a different shop. Not a Roadster like I would have preferred, but similar enough in feel, and with all the extras I would have put on the Roadster anyway already installed (backrest, rack and windshield). Called my wife, she met me at the shop, and we pulled the trigger. We've had it for a little over a month now, and ride it every chance we get.

(I'm still on the lookout for a good deal on a CB1000R or Speed Triple just for me though )
 
 

Liz and her husband just rode cross country. They both have Rockets and she's only about 5'2". Handling a Rocket is as much about attitude as size ;-)
 
Pegasus said:
Liz and her husband just rode cross country. They both have Rockets and she's only about 5'2". Handling a Rocket is as much about attitude as size ;-)
Click to expand...

Curious here.
I don't see how at 5-2, she can stop and control the bike?
Either elevator boots or the fender is slammed onto rear tire.
 
1olbull I think you just stepped in it. I worked in a Harley dealer in the Poconos many years ago and the owner, a small woman rode a big dresser. DON'Y JUDGE THE RIDER BY THEIR SIZE.
 
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