ThingKing
Child in Time
I spent many hours on the bike this week, and happened to meet both a Ducati Diavel Carbon, and a new V-Max on the street. Both were ready to compare themselves with a Rocket, so I did have to race both...
Currently, I got about 160+ hp at the rear wheel, using only mild tuning measures (intake, pipe, derestriction and dyno tune).
I have a big OEM windshield and bags on, which is of course a bit of a disadvantage at higher speeds. The new V-Max is 170+ rwhp, and Diavel around 130+ rwhp, both are lighter than a R3R - especially the Diavel, it's like a 100kg's lighter.
The Diavel: I encountered it on the way home after work, and he was up to race, so we did two runs from a complete stop. Both runs until about 120mph were in fact, pretty much a draw.
I was ahead by a bikelength in first gear, kept that advantage in 2nd, but in 3rd he almost came up. I won by inches rather than yards. Exact same thing happened again in the second run. After that, he was very curious with my Rocket. He asked questions about the bike and was impressed with the displacement. It seems that he felt he actually lost the race, because he put it on the difference in displacement. Anyway, to me it felt like a draw. Would have been clearer without windshield and bags, for sure.
The V-Max: I met it on a winding highway through the mountains, last Saturday. He had bags and luggage, just like me. I overtook him with a big speed difference first, and it seems that made him really wake up. He accelerated quickly, and so I found myself in a race with full luggage, going through long and fast highway curves. But here is the deal: I have full Wilbers suspension, front and back! No wobbling until 200+kph, even with luggage. So yes, wringing it out I was finally able to walk away from that V-Max, until it was totally gone from my mirrors ... and it felt great. Conquered the legend! I think with OEM shocks it would have been more difficult though.
So, all in all I cannot complain: the R3R holds it's own even against those badass bikes, with only moderate tuning. A seriously tuned Rocket would really rip them apart, anywhere, anytime.
Currently, I got about 160+ hp at the rear wheel, using only mild tuning measures (intake, pipe, derestriction and dyno tune).
I have a big OEM windshield and bags on, which is of course a bit of a disadvantage at higher speeds. The new V-Max is 170+ rwhp, and Diavel around 130+ rwhp, both are lighter than a R3R - especially the Diavel, it's like a 100kg's lighter.
The Diavel: I encountered it on the way home after work, and he was up to race, so we did two runs from a complete stop. Both runs until about 120mph were in fact, pretty much a draw.
I was ahead by a bikelength in first gear, kept that advantage in 2nd, but in 3rd he almost came up. I won by inches rather than yards. Exact same thing happened again in the second run. After that, he was very curious with my Rocket. He asked questions about the bike and was impressed with the displacement. It seems that he felt he actually lost the race, because he put it on the difference in displacement. Anyway, to me it felt like a draw. Would have been clearer without windshield and bags, for sure.
The V-Max: I met it on a winding highway through the mountains, last Saturday. He had bags and luggage, just like me. I overtook him with a big speed difference first, and it seems that made him really wake up. He accelerated quickly, and so I found myself in a race with full luggage, going through long and fast highway curves. But here is the deal: I have full Wilbers suspension, front and back! No wobbling until 200+kph, even with luggage. So yes, wringing it out I was finally able to walk away from that V-Max, until it was totally gone from my mirrors ... and it felt great. Conquered the legend! I think with OEM shocks it would have been more difficult though.
So, all in all I cannot complain: the R3R holds it's own even against those badass bikes, with only moderate tuning. A seriously tuned Rocket would really rip them apart, anywhere, anytime.