First Triumph gets you addicted, then they cut you off!

[Douglas]

I wont drone on about the Rocket, we are all here for the same reason...it is the love of a big cruiser matched up with oh-so-much fun torque and horsepower that forms the addiction. I just wish that, like my Honda Valkyrie, every time I punched the starter it just lit up.

History: 2010 Rocket, only mod is Jardine exhaust and K & N lifetime filter. 26K. Second owner starting at 14K and since ownership have had to replace the Stator and the typical cam shaft gasket. Last summer I put 7K trouble free miles on, always lights up on the first punch. End of last season began only starting on the second punch, then eventually the third, then the 4th, and eventually not at all.

Fast forward to February and I take advantage of my local shops (only one for almost 3 thousand miles) winter deal of free pickup/delivery to put new tires on the girl and to have them check out the starting issue. They report that despite my keeping it on a tender and even a trickle charger that it just needed some time on the charger and it started for them...they return it.

I try to start it-no go. Off we go in the MC hauler. Tech sez we think its the rectifier/regulator and they replace and claim it starts...this time when they drop it off I get smart and start it before they leave, it lights on 2nd or 3rd punch. OK. 2 week go by, its been on the tender and the snow/ice gone so its time to feed my long suffering addiction...no go. This time there is some insinuation from the service manager that I am unaware of how to start a motorcycle and well...we will come get it again.

A call from the shop sez we think it may be the starter...it is sent out for bench testing and comes back clean as whistle good starter. The bike starts for them. I go to pick it up and while chatting with the manager the tech rolls it out and starts it up. I drive away and make about a 40 mile run and return to my garage...2 days later I get excited for a ride and no start. Clocks work fine, they sweep, lights are bright, battery is solid.

I just finished scouring the archives for threads related to "Eastern Beaver Ignition Switch Relay" to see if that is the direction I need to go in. The one and only dealer is beginning to get that look like "I wish he would stop coming in our door"

 

[DodahMan]

I wont drone on about the Rocket, we are all here for the same reason...it is the love of a big cruiser matched up with oh-so-much fun torque and horsepower that forms the addiction. I just wish that, like my Honda Valkyrie, every time I punched the starter it just lit up.

History: 2010 Rocket, only mod is Jardine exhaust and K & N lifetime filter. 26K. Second owner starting at 14K and since ownership have had to replace the Stator and the typical cam shaft gasket. Last summer I put 7K trouble free miles on, always lights up on the first punch. End of last season began only starting on the second punch, then eventually the third, then the 4th, and eventually not at all.

Fast forward to February and I take advantage of my local shops (only one for almost 3 thousand miles) winter deal of free pickup/delivery to put new tires on the girl and to have them check out the starting issue. They report that despite my keeping it on a tender and even a trickle charger that it just needed some time on the charger and it started for them...they return it.

I try to start it-no go. Off we go in the MC hauler. Tech sez we think its the rectifier/regulator and they replace and claim it starts...this time when they drop it off I get smart and start it before they leave, it lights on 2nd or 3rd punch. OK. 2 week go by, its been on the tender and the snow/ice gone so its time to feed my long suffering addiction...no go. This time there is some insinuation from the service manager that I am unaware of how to start a motorcycle and well...we will come get it again.

A call from the shop sez we think it may be the starter...it is sent out for bench testing and comes back clean as whistle good starter. The bike starts for them. I go to pick it up and while chatting with the manager the tech rolls it out and starts it up. I drive away and make about a 40 mile run and return to my garage...2 days later I get excited for a ride and no start. Clocks work fine, they sweep, lights are bright, battery is solid.

I just finished scouring the archives for threads related to "Eastern Beaver Ignition Switch Relay" to see if that is the direction I need to go in. The one and only dealer is beginning to get that look like "I wish he would stop coming in our door"

Good grief. That has to be frustrating. These kind of stories creep me out about the rocket3. Considering getting one and that ignition bypass is no big deal but the Britts have long had a reputation for bad electrics and convoluted engine design. You have to be passionate about these bikes to own one.

 

[stollydriver]

On a previous bike - I had the bypass relay fitted - it made the start up much better. My R3 SPECIAL ( classic) does not have the relay and sometimes the start is sluggish but it does start.

 

[scot in exile]

Good grief. That has to be frustrating. These kind of stories creep me out about the rocket3. Considering getting one and that ignition bypass is no big deal but the Britts have long had a reputation for bad electrics and convoluted engine design. You have to be passionate about these bikes to own one.

Yes they should have stayed with the vtwin formation like everybody else and be as boring as the rest, shame on Triumph for thinking outside the box.

 

[sonny]

Never had a problem. Bike has over 38,000 miles and runs and handles great. By far the best bike i have ever owned. Starts every time no matter how cold it is. Has never left me out in the cold. With just a few mods engine and suspension wise very impressed. #amn glad i bought it. Do like the way Yamaha's and Harley's look in my rear view mirrors.(2015 ROCKET X original owner) No. 74.

 

[Navigator]

Good grief. That has to be frustrating. These kind of stories creep me out about the rocket3. Considering getting one and that ignition bypass is no big deal but the Britts have long had a reputation for bad electrics and convoluted engine design. You have to be passionate about these bikes to own one.

They creep out all of us but over the years I've been on several forums for the bikes I've owned and each one has its share of nightmare stories; Harley, Vulcan Nomad, VStrom, BMW etc.. Harley seems to be the worst with complete engine self destructions over cam chain tensioner problems. Of all the reports of problems, I believe the stator/regulator-rectifier going out on my 650 Strom was the only failure I've had that left me stranded. And I know guys who had over 100k on a VStrom with nary a problem.

Well I'm hoping my 09T stays well and gives me years of good service. My 07 Classic certainly did.

 

[Douglas]

Here is a very disturbing update on my electrical issue...just off the phone with the dealer and the service manager actually told me, and I do not kid you these were his exact words..."these electrical issues with triumph motorcycles are known and when after considerable attempts to solve them go unresolved the motorcycle is JUST DONE"

Thats right, he actually said they are just done. So like, I am supposed to throw the motorcycle in the landfill? I get the big joke about how the Brits cant figure out how to do the electrical and all but at some point you think "Really"? Other manufactures have done a reasonable job, so when does a group of execs sit down and come up with a brilliant idea like "hey why dont we see how they do it"? I guess my next move is track down one of these beaver tail relay gizmos and see if that will solve my problem. I was hoping by the 2010 model I would have has a free pass on that issue. Thanks for everyone's support...I really do love this motorcycle and that of course is what make it all the more painful to watch it sit in my garage. -Doug

 

[Steel]

I had a similar issue with my Roadster. It was getting slower and slower to start. One day all of the gauges swept and click, no start. I checked the battery, and the terminals were tight. I tried jumping it, and it acted the same. Swapped starters with no luck. Finally I went back to basics. Disconnected the leads from the battery on both ends, cleaned and retightened connections. Pulled all of the relays from under both side covers, cleaned and greased them. Didn't see anything that looked like it could be the problem. But it starts like new. All it takes is a very little bit of corrosion to interrut the circuit.

 

[Douglas]

I like your idea steel as while i am fairly handy I am not terribly experienced with motors but I can a least expose everything and check it out for corrosion and worn wires...I am very isolated here in Alaska with limited local resources. -Doug

 

[breeze]

I like your idea steel as while i am fairly handy I am not terribly experienced with motors but I can a least expose everything and check it out for corrosion and worn wires...I am very isolated here in Alaska with limited local resources. -Doug

isolated in alaska I would agree with,limited resources on this forum,with the exp. these people have?thats worth arguing about