Rocket 3 Upgrades - Queensland, Australia

[Nashvegas]

Hi all, I'm Rob, back on a bike after 10 years without... feels like coming home. Last bike was a 2008 ZX-14R I purchased new... this time I wanted a cruiser... and found a 2020 Rocket 3 GT with 513km on it... the original owner had injuries that prevented him from riding it pretty much straight away, but he kept it in the garage for years before letting it go... I'm riding around Brisbane area, based northern suburbs, loving the mountain roads...

From stock, I have swapped out the exhaust for a Werkes competition slip on, altered the suspension per old mates Col & Zig as they inform us all of their wisdom (thanks guys!)... put in a DNA air filter and had a custom tune... went not bad... picture of dyno output attached... but here is the vid of the bike on the dyno from the tuner:

13 Reaktionen · 12 Mal geteilt | 2020 Triumph Rocket 3 GT Custom mapping of the ECU WERKS mufflers with baffles Software @woolich_racing Bike started with 144hp and factory restrictions Finished with 181hp no restrictions #onestopshop #brendal

2020 Triumph Rocket 3 GT Custom mapping of the ECU WERKS mufflers with baffles Software @woolich_racing Bike started with 144hp and factory restrictions Finished with 181hp no restrictions...

www.facebook.com

What I am wanting some advice on, is:

1. Headlights - want to upgrade. Out of all the options I have found here, and around, they are all unable to deliver to my location... which is pretty much Brisbane, Australia... has anyone in Australia got any recommendations regarding a headlight upgrade?

2. Seat - Been looking at the Corin seats - ~US$1000. Anyone have any experience with them able to give a testimony?

3. Suspension - After watching Col and Zig, I adjusted the settings to my weight @82kg - FR 2 1/4 turns out ; FL 2 7/8 turns out ; Rear compression 14 clicks out... and it is a lot nicer... but I would never have known how to do that... not something I have a feel of I'm afraid, at least, without advice... But moving on regarding the suspension... as I noticed an improvement in road feel with a little tweak, has anyone swapped out their suspension for something upgraded which made a world of difference? Would love to hear some testimonies... it is so hard considering to do it without first trying it...

4. Windshield - first bike I have had sitting so upright, the sitting position cops a fair bit on a windy day. Anyone swapped out stock for a larger front windshield - something that bolts straight on?

5. Any recommendations other than the above before I start looking for more power?

6. What are the options for next stage power upgrade? Would love to hear what people have done, and what output they are getting!

Headlights- I have a ‘22GT and the headlights are pretty darn good. I have read that some people overseas have a different switch than we have here in the US. Running lights? Ours are on low beam all the time and then we can switch to high beam. Those are the only choices and they work very well. They are very easy to adjust, mine were off. Maybe somebody with that running light switch can comment.

Seating- I have a Corbin heated seat and I like it better than the stock one. It’s weird because it feels firmer but on longer trips, it is much more comfortable. One of my best purchases was heated gear. Gloves, socks, pants liner and undershirt. It is somewhat expensive but worth it to me because I added 2-3 months of riding to the year and riding very comfortably. I do not ride any more when the temp dips below 40°F. Long story but six broken ribs, lacerated spleen and a cracked vertebrae made me set some parameters.

Suspension- The front forks are fine, no issues whatsoever. That rear shock is a problem. It should have been the first thing that I changed out. I got a very good deal from EPM Performance on a Wilbers 643 COMPETITION QS shock because they were having problems sourcing parts on a cheaper shock and offered the upgrade because I had been patiently waiting. A big bump is still a big bump. It is not going to turn our bikes into a Goldwing. But it doesn’t float after that bump and corners are where it really shines. Especially rough, bumpy corners. Huge difference.

Can’t help on the windshield, I can cruise around 80mph and it doesn’t bother me.

For power, the headers are undersized because of Euro 5 restrictions. I am waiting on a Paul Bryant/Viking exhaust system with 2 inch pipes. I will be selling my Vandemon slip-ons. Penner dynoed tune.

I trust some of this helps.

 

[Journeyman]

Awesome info, thankyou... . the site I was referring to about being outside the delivery zone:

The 5 Best LED Headlights for Triumph Rocket 3: Brighten Your Ride in Style - The Seasoned Wrench

Astonish your night rides with the top five LED headlights for Triumph Rocket 3 that promise unmatched brightness and style—discover which one reigns supreme!

theseasonedwrench.com

None of the above links, or any of the products are available in Australia... but, I found similar globes available in Australia since posting - another branded LED bulb replacement on Amazon, actually quite a bit cheaper than the above link...

Sinoparcel Upgraded H4/9003 LED High Beam and Low Beam Headlight Bulb,20000LM/Set 6500K White with cooling fan 400% Brighter Replacement for Halogen, Pack of 2​

I have 2 sets of these babies on order for AU$100 (AU$$50 each)... 20,000 lumen a set.

Sinoparcel Upgraded H4/9003 LED High Beam and Low Beam Headlight Bulb,20000LM/Set 6500K White with cooling fan 400% Brighter Replacement for Halogen, Pack of 2 : Amazon.com.au: Automotive

Sinoparcel Upgraded H4/9003 LED High Beam and Low Beam Headlight Bulb,20000LM/Set 6500K White with cooling fan 400% Brighter Replacement for Halogen, Pack of 2 : Amazon.com.au: Automotive

www.amazon.com.au

I believe that those Eagles only fit the older Rocket IIIs. I had some on my Roadster and they were a big improvement.
There are a lot more parts for the older Rockets out there that have yet to be manufactured for the newer models, so always check to make sure which model they are referring to.

I think the 2.5s have sealed units. I hope I'm wrong, as changing the bulbs would be an easy way to make an improvement, but let us know....

 

[rick danger]

I got a very good deal from EPM Performance on a Wilbers 643 COMPETITION QS shock

Did you get the hydraulic pre load adjuster? Does it look like there is room on our bikes for the hook wrench, if you get the manually adjustable pre load?....Also, does that shock have high and low speed compression adjustment? If so, did you try to take out all the high speed compression to see how that effected the big, sharp, square edge, hard hits? Which is my only real complaint with the rear suspension on this bike. Just wondering since you said "big bump is still a big bump"

 

[Nashvegas]

Did you get the hydraulic pre load adjuster? Does it look like there is room on our bikes for the hook wrench, if you get the manually adjustable pre load?....Also, does that shock have high and low speed compression adjustment? If so, did you try to take out all the high speed compression to see how that effected the big, sharp, square edge, hard hits? Which is my only real complaint with the rear suspension on this bike. Just wondering since you said "big bump is still a big bump"

Yes, there seems to be room for the hook wrench. They asked a bunch of questions to gauge what they thought were good settings and I have not changed that factory setting. High/Low compression and rebound all feel like they are spot on. A big bump is not nearly as sharp as stock and the “floating” feeling is much less pronounced. I will try taking out the high speed compression and see how it reacts. I know where to find some pretty big bumps around here.

 

[rick danger]

Yes, there seems to be room for the hook wrench. They asked a bunch of questions to gauge what they thought were good settings and I have not changed that factory setting. High/Low compression and rebound all feel like they are spot on. A big bump is not nearly as sharp as stock and the “floating” feeling is much less pronounced. I will try taking out the high speed compression and see how it reacts. I know where to find some pretty big bumps around here.

Cool, thanks. It 'll be a while before I have the money for a shock anyway. I just picked up my Vandemon manifold from Cerakote.

 

[Nashvegas]

Did you get the hydraulic pre load adjuster? Does it look like there is room on our bikes for the hook wrench, if you get the manually adjustable pre load?....Also, does that shock have high and low speed compression adjustment? If so, did you try to take out all the high speed compression to see how that effected the big, sharp, square edge, hard hits? Which is my only real complaint with the rear suspension on this bike. Just wondering since you said "big bump is still a big bump"

Yes, there seems to be room for the hook wrench. They asked a bunch of questions to gauge what they thought were good settings and I have not changed that factory setting. High/Low compression and rebound all feel like they are spot on. A big bump is not nearly as sharp as stock and the “floating” feeling is much less pronounced.

Cool, thanks. It 'll be a while before I have the money for a shock anyway. I just picked up my Vandemon manifold from Cerakote.

Those look really nice! I like the sound of my Vandemons. I rode 165 miles today. I took out 6 clicks of high-compression and it made a big difference on softening up the big bumps, in fact, the front started feeling more harsh than I had ever noticed. 6 clicks is a large adjustment. It felt pretty good in corners, maybe a little “squishy/squatty” and a bit disconnected from the front but if I wasn’t such a hooligan I could probably adjust the front for a nice, comfy ride. After about 50 miles I had the brilliant idea that 6 clicks off of the low-compression might be interesting. It was, and not in a good way. I don’t think that I ever bottomed out but it was bad. The front end just said, “I don’t know what you guys are doing back there but I want nothing to do with it.” I didn’t even go 5 miles before I added that 6 back on.

At about 100 miles I added 4 clicks back to the high and that’s where I left it. It feels pretty good. I might play with the rebound a bit and see where that gets me. It has the same 0-22 click range as the high-low and I don’t know where EPM set it.

 

[rick danger]

Yes, there seems to be room for the hook wrench. They asked a bunch of questions to gauge what they thought were good settings and I have not changed that factory setting. High/Low compression and rebound all feel like they are spot on. A big bump is not nearly as sharp as stock and the “floating” feeling is much less pronounced.

Those look really nice! I like the sound of my Vandemons. I rode 165 miles today. I took out 6 clicks of high-compression and it made a big difference on softening up the big bumps, in fact, the front started feeling more harsh than I had ever noticed. 6 clicks is a large adjustment. It felt pretty good in corners, maybe a little “squishy/squatty” and a bit disconnected from the front but if I wasn’t such a hooligan I could probably adjust the front for a nice, comfy ride. After about 50 miles I had the brilliant idea that 6 clicks off of the low-compression might be interesting. It was, and not in a good way. I don’t think that I ever bottomed out but it was bad. The front end just said, “I don’t know what you guys are doing back there but I want nothing to do with it.” I didn’t even go 5 miles before I added that 6 back on.

At about 100 miles I added 4 clicks back to the high and that’s where I left it. It feels pretty good. I might play with the rebound a bit and see where that gets me. It has the same 0-22 click range as the high-low and I don’t know where EPM set it.

Nice. doesn't cost anything to click away and experiment. I think I'll try that shock when the finances can stand it. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

 

[Cruizn]

Headlights- I have a ‘22GT and the headlights are pretty darn good. I have read that some people overseas have a different switch than we have here in the US. Running lights? Ours are on low beam all the time and then we can switch to high beam. Those are the only choices and they work very well. They are very easy to adjust, mine were off. Maybe somebody with that running light switch can comment.

Seating- I have a Corbin heated seat and I like it better than the stock one. It’s weird because it feels firmer but on longer trips, it is much more comfortable. One of my best purchases was heated gear. Gloves, socks, pants liner and undershirt. It is somewhat expensive but worth it to me because I added 2-3 months of riding to the year and riding very comfortably. I do not ride any more when the temp dips below 40°F. Long story but six broken ribs, lacerated spleen and a cracked vertebrae made me set some parameters.

Suspension- The front forks are fine, no issues whatsoever. That rear shock is a problem. It should have been the first thing that I changed out. I got a very good deal from EPM Performance on a Wilbers 643 COMPETITION QS shock because they were having problems sourcing parts on a cheaper shock and offered the upgrade because I had been patiently waiting. A big bump is still a big bump. It is not going to turn our bikes into a Goldwing. But it doesn’t float after that bump and corners are where it really shines. Especially rough, bumpy corners. Huge difference.

Can’t help on the windshield, I can cruise around 80mph and it doesn’t bother me.

For power, the headers are undersized because of Euro 5 restrictions. I am waiting on a Paul Bryant/Viking exhaust system with 2 inch pipes. I will be selling my Vandemon slip-ons. Penner dynoed tune.

I trust some of this helps.

Awesome details @Nashvegas - helps a lot.

Don't like the sound of your incident...

I've looked into the Wilbers 643 in Australia: with additional external preload adjustment it comes in at AU$3136 - AU$2,480 without (preload adjustment via shifter only)...

Have to chew on that one a little... but he gave me another option:

A Nitron Race Pro shock, coming in at AU$2390 with the preload, AU$1,895 without...

The guy told me Wilbers are pretty much top of the line, but suggests the Nitron is pretty similar. People buy about 50/50 between the two. Similar except in warranty: Wilbers offers unlimited miles, Nitron limited to 25,000km (~15,600 miles).. both are 5 years.
Anyone hear anything on the Nitron?

 

[Cruizn]

The vandemon headers and werks tip make a great combo

Those Vandemon headers look great - got two choices here - S/Steel @AU$990, and Titanium at AU$1,490...

@AshMan333 - have you got a set of these along with the Werkes slip on?
Assuming you got it tuned and dyno'd - what sort of outputs are you getting with that set up?