Harley owner, future Rocket 3 owner

[LakeDrunk]

Hello my name is Victor, I've been a long time motorcycle owner and other than some dirt bikes as a kid they've all been Harley Davidsons. I've had quite a few softails, a full custom from the frame up, a Heritage Springer, a V-Rod, and my past two bikes have been CVO Ultra Classics. My current 2009 CVO Ultra Classic is for sale and when it sells, I will be buying a Rocket 3.

Coming from ultra classics, I figured I would go with the R3 Touring, but I can't get passed how much I like the tank on the Roadster! So, I'll be getting a roadster and adding a windshield (or possibly one of Corbins fairings if I get a good deal on the bike) and saddlebags.

My only worry is the size of the R3, I'm a big guy that needs a big bike! The Vrod I had was fun but the size of it made it not a good fit for me. I've only seen one R3 in person and it wasn't a friend of mine so I didn't ask to sit on it. My brother rides a Ducati Diavel and it's got to be the most uncomfortable bike for a large man ever made! But the speed of the bike is a whole lotta fun!

Anyway, I'll be lurking around here looking over all the info and making sure it's a bike that will be a good fit for me. Any advise would be appreciated!

 

[JRock]

The Rocket should be big enough.
You should be able to find one to sit on at a dealer somewhere.
Better yet, get a test ride and you will not wait to sell the Harley, you'll trade it in.

 

[LakeDrunk]

The Rocket should be big enough.
You should be able to find one to sit on at a dealer somewhere.
Better yet, get a test ride and you will not wait to sell the Harley, you'll trade it in.

I'll get to a dealership soon to check one out in person. That's also another thing that worries me, is the nearest Triumph dealership is nearly 2 hours away from me and shops around here probably won't want to change a tire on a Triumph anything. I've got my CVO on ebay and the bidding is really looking promising. Thats a good thing about Harley, I've never had a hard time selling one, as long as I have a reasonable price.

 

[LakeDrunk]

I didn't mention where I'm from in my first post. I've lived at the Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri for 38 years. It's beautiful here, but we are limited on bike shops near us.

 

[BigNorm]

I traded my 2011 Road Glide in for my 2014 touring I ride now. The seat was the first thing I had to address. It was real uncomfortable on a long ride. I miss all the Harley gizmos but they are quickly forgotten when I twist the throttle and a stupid grin appears on my face. Getting rid of the cat and adding a free flowing exhaust and air filter or filters (I run triple K&Ns) ran with a tune from our good friend Hanso is good enough for most of us. The throttle bodies on the r3s are 64mm and there is one per cylinder. I think Harley runs one 58mm on their CVOs. In our TBs there are 2 butterfly valves. One controlled by the rider, the other by the ECU. Ran stock the 2nd TB will only open 30% in first through 3rd gear. Hanso's tune opens them up 100%. If you were smiling before now you've got a stupid grin that won't go away. At this point you are making about 140 up on your new 140 cubic inch bike. The touring has a longer frame with a 180 rear tire. The Roadster has a 240 rear tire. I run a 205 car tire on mine. The stock Metzlers are crap and had to be replaced on mine at 4000 miles. Avon Cobras are a favorite here for performance. Many go to a 140 front tire to lighten up the steering. I'm a weirdo and put a 170 rear Excedra Max on my front. Excedra Max is the tire of choice if you want longevity out of your tires. If you have got to go faster Carpenter racing sells kits up to 260 hp naturally asperated. Then there are the forced induction options. I loved my Harley and like all motorcycles and appreciate them for what they are. The rocket is a rocket. Welcome to the board brother from Minden Nevada.

 

[Jag]

Welcome, try to test ride both models before you make a decision!

 

[LakeDrunk]

I traded my 2011 Road Glide in for my 2014 touring I ride now. The seat was the first thing I had to address. It was real uncomfortable on a long ride. I miss all the Harley gizmos but they are quickly forgotten when I twist the throttle and a stupid grin appears on my face. Getting rid of the cat and adding a free flowing exhaust and air filter or filters (I run triple K&Ns) ran with a tune from our good friend Hanso is good enough for most of us. The throttle bodies on the r3s are 64mm and there is one per cylinder. I think Harley runs one 58mm on their CVOs. In our TBs there are 2 butterfly valves. One controlled by the rider, the other by the ECU. Ran stock the 2nd TB will only open 30% in first through 3rd gear. Hanso's tune opens them up 100%. If you were smiling before now you've got a stupid grin that won't go away. At this point you are making about 140 up on your new 140 cubic inch bike. The touring has a longer frame with a 180 rear tire. The Roadster has a 240 rear tire. I run a 205 car tire on mine. The stock Metzlers are crap and had to be replaced on mine at 4000 miles. Avon Cobras are a favorite here for performance. Many go to a 140 front tire to lighten up the steering. I'm a weirdo and put a 170 rear Excedra Max on my front. Excedra Max is the tire of choice if you want longevity out of your tires. If you have got to go faster Carpenter racing sells kits up to 260 hp naturally asperated. Then there are the forced induction options. I loved my Harley and like all motorcycles and appreciate them for what they are. The rocket is a rocket. Welcome to the board brother from Minden Nevada.

Thanks, some great tips there! I'm sure if you can step from a Road Glide to a Rocket, I can leave my Ultra for one!

 

[SockIt2Me]

Welcome from Cleveland, Ohio! I am 6' 5" and weigh 330 pounds. My Rocket 3 Roadster fits me like a glove and makes my old Vulcan VN1500 feel small.

 

[Boog]

Hello Victor and welcome from Virginia. Good luck on the sale and looking forward to hearing your first Rocket experiences...

 

[BigNorm]

One of the things that impressed me most was the tune. TUNE ECU downloaded to laptop or $12 from the app store, Hanso tune: free. PCV for the Harley: 400, Dynotyne: 1000. I'm not saying there aren't lots of ways to spend your fun tickets. There are.