R3 as a first Bike ?

karan4010 said:

Hi, I am karan and currently on lookout for my first bike. I have driven the enfields for some years but was like 7 years back and now want to start riding again. I am enclined towards buying the R3 roadster.

When I went to one of the showrooms, the sales guy starting laughing when I told him that I am interested in R3 - as my first bike. This has created some doubt in my mind, if my choice of R3 roadster as my first bike right. although I have ridden in the past but nothing like a R3, but enfields which were like 500cc.

Can someone please suggest, if rocket three can be good candidate for a guy like me. I plan to make a purchase in a months time.

Thanks for the help.

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Hi Karan.
A buddy of mine has a Royal Enfield (500cc), I rode it a little and found it very pleasing to ride...good balance and weight. That single cylinder is a good chugger and not too fast off the mark. The Bonneville with it's two cylinders could be a little scary stepping directly from the Enfield; a little more weight, torque and HP.
The Rocket 3 is miles from the Enfield. Not a little heavier but much heavier and you need to keep this in mind when coming to a full stop at traffic lights and when pulling out at an intersection. Not to mention the throttle control you need to learn with the R3. You don't want it to rip your arms off when pulling away.
I have about 300 miles on my R3 I am getting used to it. Am I confident?...a long way from being so but I am enjoying the learning experience.

I am 5' 11" and 180 lb. I am still working at controlling my bike but I have found the more I ride it the easier it becomes. But I still get tired.
Don't get me wrong...I am having so much fun.

I think that if you are a little shorter and less than 170 lb. This motorcycle would be much more of a handfull, especially without much recent bike experience.
My feeling would be for you to get something like a Triumph Thunderbird, tops. And then move up to the Rocket

All the best. Eric.

echoraven said:

The OP is not a beginner, but going from non riding to a Rocket, I've got mixed feelings.

Had my Rocket for about 3 weeks now. It replaced a Yamaha VStar 1300 that I had for 2 years and it was ridden regularly. Total, I've been back in the saddle for 4 years and probably around 40k miles.

I've questioned my wisdom in getting the Rocket. With the VStar I had reached the point where riding was 2nd nature so the little things like "look where you want to turn" and "cover the brakes" etc I didn't have to think about. With the Rocket my dominating thought is "this beast is big" and those "automatic" things I need to make myself remember. I know it will only be a matter of time before those things fall into the "automatic" category, but I hate that learning process.

If I'm completely honest though, I don't regret getting the Rocket. Like my Bonneville, it's a motorcycle I don't ever see myself getting rid of.

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TIP...
The R3 handle far better with the correct tyre pressures..
There are a few variations between owners but only within a very small margin.

For some reason R3 pressures seem to leak away.. I think it is maybe the care taken by the tyre change fitters with the rim seal or its the valve to rim assy ..

Anyway I check my pressures every time I fill her up, about once a week using the bike every day for work and its often 2UP
I favour Front 38psi and Rear 41psi.

Hope this helps

Thanks. Will check the tire pressure when I get home.

Dennsell said:

TIP...
The R3 handle far better with the correct tyre pressures..
There are a few variations between owners but only within a very small margin.

For some reason R3 pressures seem to leak away.. I think it is maybe the care taken by the tyre change fitters with the rim seal or its the valve to rim assy ..

Anyway I check my pressures every time I fill her up, about once a week using the bike every day for work and its often 2UP
I favour Front 38psi and Rear 41psi.

Hope this helps

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I run 42psi front and rear but I also weigh half a tonne.

Big Marty said:

I run 42psi front and rear but I also weigh half a tonne.

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have to agree with Marty 42psi in the front when I had bike tyre same back thereand I don't weigh half a tonne, only 110kg

42 rear and 36 front for me

I know we are slowly getting off subject.

But the rear tire of my III was kind of flat shaped in the center. Maybe about 3 inches of rubber had this flat on it. At 7,000 miles.
This was unnerving when riding around bends, felt like the rear was wobbling and about to lose it.

Got myself a new tire and all is well back there...what a difference.

Eric.

Iv'e been running 40 front and back easier to remember

TOMCAT said:

Have always run 40psi front and 45psi back ... get fantastic mileage out of my Metzlers and i reckon it's the high tyre pressure ... Oh .. and i don't do burnouts, that helps.

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I'll go to 45psi and see the difference at times my back tyres feels flat even at 42psi.