Rocket 3 - How reliable....

[OldBiker72]

I'm curious to know on average how reliable the Rocket 3 is (when maintained of course). What does one need to be aware of? I see the vast majority of used Rockets sold with low milage (why). I've always used Motul full synthetic (7100 10W50) - will it also be good for the Rocket? Do you ride your tires inflated 2.9 bar front and back (always solo)? Regards!

 

[atomsplitter]

When IDK was posting here regularly his RIII had over 250,000 miles on it. The motor is way over built, so it's everything else that will get you. I had over 50K miles on my RIII when I traded it in 2021. My GT still has <1000 miles (barely) but I've been riding other bikes when I get on one this summer.

 

[vsteel]

I'm curious to know on average how reliable the Rocket 3 is (when maintained of course). What does one need to be aware of? I see the vast majority of used Rockets sold with low milage (why). I've always used Motul full synthetic (7100 10W50) - will it also be good for the Rocket? Do you ride your tires inflated 2.9 bar front and back (always solo)? Regards!

They are very solid machines and I wouldn't worry about issues.

I think you see the low miles because the Rockets are polarizing, meaning a person gets one and then decides they are not for me or they love it and don't trade it. So all you are seeing are the Rockets which someone thought they wanted the bike but didn't. All bikes have that but the Rockets are ones which seem like most don't trade them out often.

I know my dealership said for all of the Rockets they sell they never get them in again. People just hold on to them other than one recent exception where a person traded it right in after getting it because they thought the Rocket 3 GT was going to be more of a touring machine than it is. Basically they didn't look into researching what they were buying. They traded it in for a full dress touring machine.

 

[Jagster]

.....Yep.
And also, these Rocket 3's are not cheap, so many folks can't afford to keep them as a second or third bike, so they need to sell in order to buy a different bike.