Allan S
Simple African lad with a Rocket
I cant understand why Triumph doesn't fit shocks that work like Hagon Nitro's onto the Rocket as original equipment. It would elevate the Rocket from a good bike to a great bike, even a fantastic bike.
Last week I installed a 20mm over stock length pair of Hagon Nitros to my 2016 Roadster. Being the cynic that I am who doesn't believe a lot of what I hear or read until I see for myself, I have to admit that I expected to see an improvement but also that I was stunned at result.
We rode 700 km (just under 450 miles) on Sunday with a group about 25 riders from Toronto up to Algonquin and back through some twisty roads, curvy road, poorly surfaced roads (even 5km of gravel). Country roads with potholes (filled and unfilled- not sure which is worse) highway both concrete (grooved and flat) and regular tarmac. Almost every road condition Canada has to offer other than mountain twisties, ( Ontario is notoriously flat).
It rained on and off so some roads were wet and some were baking hot. Suffice to say a really good mix.
Those shocks changed my R3R from straight line monster that the sport bike guys could catch in the corners, into a foot-peg dragging athlete that had them scratching their heads. From a Kodiak bear into a cheetah if you will. That guy who rides with our group whose name I can never remember but we all have seen before. He ( could be a she) wears a green and black power ranger outfit with matching boots and helmet on the matching Kawasaki 1100 "some Japanese word" with a windshield covered in "race day" stickers that used to give me a hard time on anything other a straight-ish road, really had his work cut out for him/her.
Point the bike into a corner, pick your line and lean it over as much as you need to.. that's it, no more adjusting for squirely back tire or wallowy bounce halfway through the bend, If you are going a little fast simply lean more and just steer your line - the wheels do what they are told and viola! you are ready to straighten up in an instant ready to flick this 700 pound machine in the other direction- amazing!... astounding is also a word that comes to mind.
I have them set on the lightest rebound damping and the ride is taught but not harsh.
We all know that feeling you have when you are following a couple of hundred feet behind bikes going down a long straight hill and the guys in front go over a bump or bridge joint or something like that. You see them bump and then spring up a bit and you know its coming so you tense a bit for bump and spring rebound to follow.......nothing. You think maybe you found a smooth spot until it happens again and you realize that the rear wheel is just soaking it up and they tire is staying level on the ground.
Sorry if I'm going on a bit but I truly believe that the the $500 or so dollar upgrade increase not only your confidence in the machine, but make you exponentially quicker through twists and bends because the wheel spends less time off the road.
If Triumph continues the Rocket or replaces it with something new, they MUST put on a rear suspension at least similar to this. You have to spend a lot to get a more horsepower in order to get a little more speed but by improving the handling you can make much better use of the power that's already in there! Ask any power ranger after they try you out.
Last week I installed a 20mm over stock length pair of Hagon Nitros to my 2016 Roadster. Being the cynic that I am who doesn't believe a lot of what I hear or read until I see for myself, I have to admit that I expected to see an improvement but also that I was stunned at result.
We rode 700 km (just under 450 miles) on Sunday with a group about 25 riders from Toronto up to Algonquin and back through some twisty roads, curvy road, poorly surfaced roads (even 5km of gravel). Country roads with potholes (filled and unfilled- not sure which is worse) highway both concrete (grooved and flat) and regular tarmac. Almost every road condition Canada has to offer other than mountain twisties, ( Ontario is notoriously flat).
It rained on and off so some roads were wet and some were baking hot. Suffice to say a really good mix.
Those shocks changed my R3R from straight line monster that the sport bike guys could catch in the corners, into a foot-peg dragging athlete that had them scratching their heads. From a Kodiak bear into a cheetah if you will. That guy who rides with our group whose name I can never remember but we all have seen before. He ( could be a she) wears a green and black power ranger outfit with matching boots and helmet on the matching Kawasaki 1100 "some Japanese word" with a windshield covered in "race day" stickers that used to give me a hard time on anything other a straight-ish road, really had his work cut out for him/her.
Point the bike into a corner, pick your line and lean it over as much as you need to.. that's it, no more adjusting for squirely back tire or wallowy bounce halfway through the bend, If you are going a little fast simply lean more and just steer your line - the wheels do what they are told and viola! you are ready to straighten up in an instant ready to flick this 700 pound machine in the other direction- amazing!... astounding is also a word that comes to mind.
I have them set on the lightest rebound damping and the ride is taught but not harsh.
We all know that feeling you have when you are following a couple of hundred feet behind bikes going down a long straight hill and the guys in front go over a bump or bridge joint or something like that. You see them bump and then spring up a bit and you know its coming so you tense a bit for bump and spring rebound to follow.......nothing. You think maybe you found a smooth spot until it happens again and you realize that the rear wheel is just soaking it up and they tire is staying level on the ground.
Sorry if I'm going on a bit but I truly believe that the the $500 or so dollar upgrade increase not only your confidence in the machine, but make you exponentially quicker through twists and bends because the wheel spends less time off the road.
If Triumph continues the Rocket or replaces it with something new, they MUST put on a rear suspension at least similar to this. You have to spend a lot to get a more horsepower in order to get a little more speed but by improving the handling you can make much better use of the power that's already in there! Ask any power ranger after they try you out.
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