ThatGuy
.020 Over
Hey All,
Recently purchased a 2014 Rocket III Touring with 5600 miles on it. Found a great deal out in New Hampshire. Borrowed a trailer and headed out. 32 hours later I was busy reorganizing the garage trying to figure out where to put this 860 lbs chunk of ridiculousness.
So I've owned a few bikes in the past - 1982 CB750, 2006 Vmax, 2007 Road Star 1700. I also own a 1977 Yamaha XS650 Standard that I rebuilt into a light cafe style - gotta have something that you can whip around the twisties.
A little on why I bought this thing...
The wife and I were looking for something that we could both enjoy doing together. We live in Traverse City which offers beautiful scenery on the road and amazing amounts of trail riding. I had been eye balling a Rocket since I heard they were 3/10's faster 0-60 than my Vmax back in 2007. when the rockets first came out i thought they were ugly as sin, but when i sat on one it just seemed to fit right. Of course, that was before they blacked out the engines. Since then the styling has grown on me and I find them to be a great looking machine.
Anyways, so i propose to the wife that either we get a rocket touring (she's owned bikes in the past, no longer keen on being the pilot) or a True Sport side by side like the Yamaha YXZ 1000RR. Like i said, amazing trail riding up here. We test drive the Yamaha SxS. We mention to the sales person our predicament and he says "Bring the Rocket by when you buy it." Being a former Triumph sales rep he knew what he was up against.
So then we head down Detroit way and test drive a Rocket Roadster. Even coming from a Vmax I was amazed. It was the wife's decision on which machine we purchased and she was sold on the Rocket. We were a little dismayed at finding out they no longer make the Touring model and that it would cost a couple thousand to turn a Roadster into a decent two-up machine. then we realized these things depreciate something fierce and it dawned on us that we could save $11,000+ if we hold out for a deal buying used. And we did.
so I've put about 500 miles on it so far, and I like it. it handles way better than it should and the wife is enjoying the pillion pad - keep in mind the last bike she sat on the back of was a Vmax. Next year I'll run the TuneECU remap to get the power back up to Roadster levels. I've never ridden a bike this heavy, so I'm happy to take this season getting a handle on the weight.
If I got one complaint, its that the stock seat on this thing really is an atrocity. i did 150 miles on it a couple days ago and 120 miles yesterday. i couldn't wait to get off the thing in both cases. To compare, I was in Tennessee last month and rented a HD Soft Tail Heritage, spent two 8 hour days on that thing and my ass only got sore towards the end of the day. Then after i buy this thing I hear the Touring seat is thinner than the Roadster's.... So we're already thinking a Russell Day-Long might be a thing next season.
So I've been lurking around the forum anonymously, reading all of your posts, and figuring out if this was the bike for the wife and I. So thank you for your unknowing contributions.
I've rebuilt two bikes from the crank up. I have a good handle on the mechanical aspects of motorcycles. This is the first bike i've owned that is EFI. Whole new ballgame for me, so I may have a few questions.
And if there are any XS650 owners out there, i'm also on XS650.com - handle PA23Driver.
I look forward to contributing to this niche community. These bikes are something.
Dan
Recently purchased a 2014 Rocket III Touring with 5600 miles on it. Found a great deal out in New Hampshire. Borrowed a trailer and headed out. 32 hours later I was busy reorganizing the garage trying to figure out where to put this 860 lbs chunk of ridiculousness.
So I've owned a few bikes in the past - 1982 CB750, 2006 Vmax, 2007 Road Star 1700. I also own a 1977 Yamaha XS650 Standard that I rebuilt into a light cafe style - gotta have something that you can whip around the twisties.
A little on why I bought this thing...
The wife and I were looking for something that we could both enjoy doing together. We live in Traverse City which offers beautiful scenery on the road and amazing amounts of trail riding. I had been eye balling a Rocket since I heard they were 3/10's faster 0-60 than my Vmax back in 2007. when the rockets first came out i thought they were ugly as sin, but when i sat on one it just seemed to fit right. Of course, that was before they blacked out the engines. Since then the styling has grown on me and I find them to be a great looking machine.
Anyways, so i propose to the wife that either we get a rocket touring (she's owned bikes in the past, no longer keen on being the pilot) or a True Sport side by side like the Yamaha YXZ 1000RR. Like i said, amazing trail riding up here. We test drive the Yamaha SxS. We mention to the sales person our predicament and he says "Bring the Rocket by when you buy it." Being a former Triumph sales rep he knew what he was up against.
So then we head down Detroit way and test drive a Rocket Roadster. Even coming from a Vmax I was amazed. It was the wife's decision on which machine we purchased and she was sold on the Rocket. We were a little dismayed at finding out they no longer make the Touring model and that it would cost a couple thousand to turn a Roadster into a decent two-up machine. then we realized these things depreciate something fierce and it dawned on us that we could save $11,000+ if we hold out for a deal buying used. And we did.
so I've put about 500 miles on it so far, and I like it. it handles way better than it should and the wife is enjoying the pillion pad - keep in mind the last bike she sat on the back of was a Vmax. Next year I'll run the TuneECU remap to get the power back up to Roadster levels. I've never ridden a bike this heavy, so I'm happy to take this season getting a handle on the weight.
If I got one complaint, its that the stock seat on this thing really is an atrocity. i did 150 miles on it a couple days ago and 120 miles yesterday. i couldn't wait to get off the thing in both cases. To compare, I was in Tennessee last month and rented a HD Soft Tail Heritage, spent two 8 hour days on that thing and my ass only got sore towards the end of the day. Then after i buy this thing I hear the Touring seat is thinner than the Roadster's.... So we're already thinking a Russell Day-Long might be a thing next season.
So I've been lurking around the forum anonymously, reading all of your posts, and figuring out if this was the bike for the wife and I. So thank you for your unknowing contributions.
I've rebuilt two bikes from the crank up. I have a good handle on the mechanical aspects of motorcycles. This is the first bike i've owned that is EFI. Whole new ballgame for me, so I may have a few questions.
And if there are any XS650 owners out there, i'm also on XS650.com - handle PA23Driver.
I look forward to contributing to this niche community. These bikes are something.
Dan
). I know live in Spring Lake. Welcome ! We ride up that way sometimes ! They've turned the old psychiatric hospital into a pretty neat place !
