Popular Mechanics Road Test

talltxguy

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Looked at the power cruiser competition in the May '07 edition. The writer mentioned that the times would have been quicker had the tests been run at an altitude closer to sea level. The tests were run at +2800 ft.

Here are some 0 - 60 & 1/4 mile times:
Rocket III: 3.66 / 11.99 @ 111
M109R: 3.89 / 12.08 @ 110.53
Night Rod: 4.26 / 12.47 @ 108.86
VTX 1800F: 4.45 / 12.9 @ 102.17
Warrior: 4.56 / 13.01 @ 100.63
Hammer S: 4.53 / 13.17 @ 99.34
Vulcan 2000 Classic: 4.98 / 13.3 @ 100.51

Some things the writer said about the Rock:
"Be warned: This is not for the novice."
"The Rocket III isn't forgiving and it doesn't coddle."
"Quickly cranking the throttle wide open in just about any gear results in an accelerative force that is downright frightening."
"...the Rocket III exudes quality, and it feels much more expensive than its price tag suggests."

The only bike beating the Rocket in any speed category was the 109 - they said it edged the Rock in the 0 - 30 by .03 of a second.
 
I am assuming that these were all stock bikes. If the writer thinks a stock R3 is frightening he should try one with just mild alterations, such a cat delete, pipes and
Tune boy map with secondaries open. He may just pass out!!!
 
Another interesting way to look at it also is that the Rocket has been around going in it's 4th model year. Most of the other bikes are new models or newly revamped models.
 
I didn't know Popular Mechanics was still around. It used to be throne room material for me when I was a kid.

I always liked the projects in there. You know, the ones you never had time or money to build.

There was a big fat guy with a stoogie that always did the car report thingie. He's probably push'in up daisy's by now.

I suspect you are right. The tester was apprehensive of the Rocket's performance.

Lets see, you had Popular Mechanics, Popular Science and Boys Life....:)
 
I went from zero to 30 sideways in front of the dealership today... I could hear people cheering :D...

The PigMan did the same thing a few weeks ago in front of two Harley dudes and left about 200 miles of rubber from his back tire on the street in a 30 foot long black mark.

See... zero to 30 times ARE important!!
 
Had a couple of goofs step out in front of me the other day. Sometimes 30 to 0 times are more important. :eek:
 
Another interesting way to look at it also is that the Rocket has been around going in it's 4th model year. Most of the other bikes are new models or newly revamped models.

That IS interesting. Even Triumph is satisfied because they didn't engineer additional speed over the 4 year span. American models actually got slower when they made a full cat box mandatory for 2007,......or was it 2006?
 
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