Rocket III as a first bike?

[HenryBraxton]

I´m absolutely in love with the Rocket III roadster, I´ve been in love for over a year now, and my chance to get one is getting closer. But I´ve never ridden a bike. I dont want to buy another bike before the rocket, mainly because i dont have the money to get 2 bikes.

So the question is: is it a little insane to learn how to ride on a Rocket III or am I good to go?
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[R-III-R Turbo]

If you're very talented, disciplined and careful type, it is possible you and the bike will survive

Otherwise... no. Just no

 

[hoopla]

NO,NO,NO buy something used, a mid sized bike, but not the Rocket. You'll have plenty of time to get a Rocket. You've been warned.

Hoopla

 

[Jag]

You could but you probably should not!
Start off with a smaller, low powered bike like a Harley! Then upgrade to a rocket a year or two from now!

 

[dandiego]

If you do end up getting an R3 as your first bike...it may very well be your last!

 

[Old N' Grumpy]

PROCEED WITH CAUTION - RIDE AT YOUR OWN RISK - COULD PROVE FATAL!

 

[Jvheli]

I´m absolutely in love with the Rocket III roadster, I´ve been in love for over a year now, and my chance to get one is getting closer. But I´ve never ridden a bike. I dont want to buy another bike before the rocket, mainly because i dont have the money to get 2 bikes.

So the question is: is it a little insane to learn how to ride on a Rocket III or am I good to go?

Not to discourage you, but here is what I suggest.

Buy a cheap mid size that runs. Ride it. Then buy the Rocket.

You can certainly learn on the Rocket. However it is unforgiving of errors. Its heavy, fast and loads of power.

Every new rider has a learning curve. Some take to it quickly and others longer. Its just safer to learn on a bike that's a little forgiving of small errors.

Good luck! Ride safe!

 

[RevRoss]

If you have a death wish - yes.
If you value your own life and care about your family - no.

There is no substitute for experience mate - the R3 can be an insanely unforgiving beast in the hands of the novice rider.

It's not the power, speed or torque that'll bite you - it's the sudden stop at the end. Remember there are only two types of motorcycle riders - those that have survived a major incident and those that haven't yet been in that predicament. An R3 is not a good place to start.

 

[3Katz]

A Rocket is no faster or more powerful than just about any sports bike and plenty of people buy those as a first bike (I'm sure plenty grind pavement as well). The big difference is the weight, I believe most people would be better off learning on a lighter, more agile bike and probably be a better rider for it in the long term as well. I wouldn't recommend a Rocket as a learner bike personally.

 

[PaddyO]

I am 5’ 10” y’all and about 190 lbs. my first bike was a 2007 Suzuki C50, an 800 cc cruiser that I bought new. I, too, did not have the money to start small and work my way up. Looking back, that was a mistake. I dropped it many times and had a get off which ended in cracked ribs. I survived all of this and am now on my third bike, a 2014 R3T. I had the C50 for three years before getting a 2009 Kawasaki Nomad 1700 in 2010. I had it for 8 years before another get off which ended in cracked ribs and totaling the bike.

I have had the R3T for a year and am really enjoy it. I agree with the others about it not being a good first bike. I would think a smaller bike, 500-750 cc, would be a better place to start. Probably at the lower end of that range. Get used to the weight, handling, braking, etc. for a minimum of a year. Take the beginning MSF class before getting the bike. Take the follow up class after a year. After the second year, move up to something larger, 1,200-1,700 cc, to get used to the weight and power. After two years on that, depending on your comfort level, then consider a Rocket. I would consider this to be the shortest timeline that would be reasonable depending on ability.

Best wishes with your decision.