Hello from Switzerland

Dreamcruiser

Standard Bore
Joined
Sep 7, 2010
Messages
5
Hi everyone,

i'm 30 years and living in Switzerland. I ride and love motorcycles since i was 16 and just last year i bought a brandnew Honda CB1000R. I customized it nicely and thought it would be perfect for me now, BUT...

Last week i got lucky enough to ride a 2004 Rocket III for a few days and what can i say - i didn't want to get off anymore. My girlfriend rides along most of the time and she also fell in love with the RIII instantly. Now i'm preparing to do the inevitable: sell my Honda and get a RIII instead.

I'm really glad i found this forum, as i hope you guys can help me with your experience to get the right bike. Ideally i'm looking for a low mileage used one at a good price.

I did as much research as possible in the past few days and came to find that my perfect RIII would be a matte black Roadster with some extras. These include:

gel benchseat (the one that has driver and passenger together)
teardrop mirrors
fly screen
short rear fender
clear LED taillight
LED blinker
exhaust (not sure yet which one - but LOUD)

I'm slightly favoring the Roadster as i like to ride fast and prefer a sportier riding position. Also i dig the blacked out look and other details it has.

Even though i read that the Roadster has a lower starting price than the "normal" RIII when new, it is obviously sold more expensively on the used bike market. For example i have been offered a 2008 RIII with just 3500km for 9500,- Euros. While the cheapest Roadster i could find is well over 13.500,- Euros.

Now i'd like to know what makes the RIII more expensive when new. Are there any advantages the RIII has over the Roadster? From what i know the Roadster has more power, better gauges, a different handlebar, different footpegs, different seats, a different tank, exhaust and rear suspension. Plus it has ABS and a better shifting gearbox (please correct me if i forgot something essential). So it seems the Roadster is an improvement over the older RIII in almost every aspect. Correct?

What i don't like about the Roadster is the slightly higher stance in the rear due to seemingly longer shocks. Also the seat and exhaust would get changed anyway.

So in case i get a "normal" RIII i would have to change the foot position to that of the Roadster, the handlebar and eventually the gauges (in addition to the planned upgrades above). And i would paint it in Roadster matte black, but that's no big deal as my good friend owns a paintshop.

What probably can't be changed so easily is the power advantage of the Roadster and the ABS. In fact the "normal" RIII sure didn't feel as if it would lack power. But maybe i would perceive that differently after owning it for some time. So what is your opinion here? For those of you who have ridden both: How does the Roadster feel and perform compared to the older RIIIs?

Every feedback and bit of advice is more than welcome!

Cheers,
Ralph
 
Hi everyone,

i'm 30 years and living in Switzerland. I ride and love motorcycles since i was 16 and just last year i bought a brandnew Honda CB1000R. I customized it nicely and thought it would be perfect for me now, BUT...

Last week i got lucky enough to ride a 2004 Rocket III for a few days and what can i say - i didn't want to get off anymore. My girlfriend rides along most of the time and she also fell in love with the RIII instantly. Now i'm preparing to do the inevitable: sell my Honda and get a RIII instead.

I'm really glad i found this forum, as i hope you guys can help me with your experience to get the right bike. Ideally i'm looking for a low mileage used one at a good price.

I did as much research as possible in the past few days and came to find that my perfect RIII would be a matte black Roadster with some extras. These include:

gel benchseat (the one that has driver and passenger together)
teardrop mirrors
fly screen
short rear fender
clear LED taillight
LED blinker
exhaust (not sure yet which one - but LOUD)

I'm slightly favoring the Roadster as i like to ride fast and prefer a sportier riding position. Also i dig the blacked out look and other details it has.

Even though i read that the Roadster has a lower starting price than the "normal" RIII when new, it is obviously sold more expensively on the used bike market. For example i have been offered a 2008 RIII with just 3500km for 9500,- Euros. While the cheapest Roadster i could find is well over 13.500,- Euros.

Now i'd like to know what makes the RIII more expensive when new. Are there any advantages the RIII has over the Roadster? From what i know the Roadster has more power, better gauges, a different handlebar, different footpegs, different seats, a different tank, exhaust and rear suspension. Plus it has ABS and a better shifting gearbox (please correct me if i forgot something essential). So it seems the Roadster is an improvement over the older RIII in almost every aspect. Correct?

What i don't like about the Roadster is the slightly higher stance in the rear due to seemingly longer shocks. Also the seat and exhaust would get changed anyway.

So in case i get a "normal" RIII i would have to change the foot position to that of the Roadster, the handlebar and eventually the gauges (in addition to the planned upgrades above). And i would paint it in Roadster matte black, but that's no big deal as my good friend owns a paintshop.

What probably can't be changed so easily is the power advantage of the Roadster and the ABS. In fact the "normal" RIII sure didn't feel as if it would lack power. But maybe i would perceive that differently after owning it for some time. So what is your opinion here? For those of you who have ridden both: How does the Roadster feel and perform compared to the older RIIIs?

Every feedback and bit of advice is more than welcome!

Cheers,
Ralph
hello ralph

I am currently in southern france and if you read and write as well in french there is a R3 from 2006 with low kms for sale on a site called" le bon coin" check it out might be just what you need
 
Hello,

unfortunately i speak no French, just English and German. Could you send me the link to that RIII in France? That would be great!

Also how complicated is it to bring the RIII power output, footpegs and gauges on Roadtser level?

Thanks,
Ralph
 
Salut! Hoi! Salve!

To most of us, Rocker III pioneers (I had bought mine in Oct. 2004, the 6th one ever imported into Switz), the "old" Rocket standard looked much better ;) than the current "Roadster" rendition: chrome or polished parts versus blacked-out ones, 3 pipes versus the current 2, etc. This being said, the "Roadster" reportedly shows none of the relatively minor teething problems that affected some of the earlier issues and it has both more universally acceptable ergonomics (versus the "feet forward/stretched arms/slippery saddle" than mine had) and... a more palatable price tag.

Seat-of-the-pants-wise, the power difference is truly marginal, BTW

In terms of exhaust systems, the optional Triumph TOR's are excellent: not obnoxiously loud, dealer-installed with the specific e:tune (mapping) and not too conspicuously "different" when questioned by the Swiss police.

For other mods, suggest you first peruse this forum's enormous archives. I might be of help (via PM) on specific mods, as I spent an ordinate anount of time and... money customizing mine before eventually parting with it in Aug. 2009. If you are fluent in either French or Italian, I could also direct you to relevant forums I contributed to.

Jamie:cool:
 
Hello,

unfortunately i speak no French, just English and German. Could you send me the link to that RIII in France? That would be great!

Also how complicated is it to bring the RIII power output, footpegs and gauges on Roadtser level?

Thanks,
Ralph

I will translate
R3 2006 18000kms avon tires, gipro kentucky saddle bags ,back rest, luggage rack ,fiamm horns, summer windscreen jardine exhausts, yellow with ghost flames,
16000kms check done , 148 bhp for the picture try this link www.leboncoin.fr it is a great bike because it is mine it is registered in canada and has full power my idea was originally to keep it here in europe rather than flying it back
for peg I do not know how, short of chanching the arm, I have not seen the roadster gauges so I cannot comment and as power let me tell you I smoked a 911 from 160 to230 and left him dead on the spot on the hyway you can call me on my french cellphone 33 06 21 67 62 14

albertaduke
 
Welcome and howdieeee!

And so very glad to see Jamie chime in!

Im thinking...cause I dare not drive one...that the Roadster runs like a scalded raptor as does a 04 with a fresh tune. My 07 Tourer is enough to bring tears to my wife:D If a 2011 Roadster were any better I wouldnt need Viagra during the rainy days:D
 
to Dreamcruiser

if you look at the www.leboncoin .fr make sure you also go to the region alps cotes d'azur on the french map. you can see the pictures and the ad.
cheers
 
Since this season is already almost over, i guess the best is i dig some more through the archive to find infos on customizations (as Jamie suggested), while keeping my eyes open for good offers. No hurry.

albertaduke: yours is surely fair priced and i trust well maintained, but chances are i might go for the new Roadster istead. Thanks anyway and i wish you good luck with the sale.
 
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