Seeking opinions on touring "upgrades"

Hi all and thanks in advance for providing your input and helping me out.

I am in the process of selecting a bagger because I'm engaging in longer rides than I have in the past and my back isn't what it used to be. I'm currently riding a Honda VTX1800c and don't want to give up performance for comfort. I'm left with the decision to go with a R3 Touring and installing some aftermarket enhancements for comfort or a Victory Cross Country and installing some aftermarket enhancements for performance increases.

I'm leaning toward the Triumph, otherwise, I wouldn't be here.

Can anyone provide some input regarding these aftermarket add ons?

I'm looking to add a full fairing like this one: http://www.tsukayu.com/QuickDetachableFairing.html
How does this effect the handling of the bike at highway speed and low speed? Does the added weight to the front end make it more unwieldy?

I'm looking at several model years (2012 - 2014), any major differences besides ABS? How's the breaking on models without ABS?

There don't appear to be a lot of options for electronic cruise control other than this: http://www.mccruise.com/products/39 and that's a little steep. Any other options out there? can anyone comment on this product?

In the grand scheme of accessories, heated grips are pretty cheap: http://www.pure-triumph.com/p-1966-triumph-rocket-iii-touring-heated-grip-kit-a9638027.aspx You guys like these?

I realize that this is a monster bike that weighs in around a half ton loaded. Would anyone like to comment on how their transition went when moving from a bike that's a little lighter? My current ride comes in around 800 pounds wet.

Finally, I realize that folks on this forum LOVE their Triumphs. In terms of creature comforts and long distance riding, anyone have any regrets? Do you feel that the comfort of the R3 is comparable to other baggers / touring bikes?

Thanks again for your input!

Best 'upgrade' for a Touring model would be ... buy a Roadster and fit bags and a screen to it .. in my humble opinion anyway.

Ok here I go.
I have 2013 R3T
I do not have a fairing
I do not have abs and the rear brake can and will lock up if you push to hard but I have learned to live with it.
Triumph heated grips no good, go aftermarket or with heated gloves.
My bike weighs in at 906 pounds wet, and coming from a 550lb bike to this has a bit of a learning curve. Mostly low speed in parking lot once your on your way the weight disappears.
I also put D&D slip on pipes for a little more sound and drop in a new tune that adds 30hp and 10lbs of tourqe.
Really wakes the bike up!!
It's a great bike and the best bike I have ever owned you will enjoy it their is nothing else quite like it.
Hope this helps and happy motoring.

I don't know much about the tourers, but every item you mentioned is owned by some on here!
As for comfort, yes! Handling, like a bike about 2/3 it's weight! Torque, unequaled!
ABS, recommended; the back locks pretty easily without, but it's always a matter of personal preference.
You can dress a rocket for the ball, but you can't make any other bike be a rocket

Jag said:

Ok here I go.
I have 2013 R3T
I do not have a fairing
I do not have abs and the rear brake can and will lock up if you push to hard but I have learned to live with it.
Triumph heated grips no good, go aftermarket or with heated gloves.
My bike weighs in at 906 pounds wet, and coming from a 550lb bike to this has a bit of a learning curve. Mostly low speed in parking lot once your on your way the weight disappears.
I also put D&D slip on pipes for a little more sound and drop in a new tune that adds 30hp and 10lbs of tourqe.
Really wakes the bike up!!
It's a great bike and the best bike I have ever owned you will enjoy it their is nothing else quite like it.
Hope this helps and happy motoring.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the comments! Did adding the slip ons require any other additional tuning? I would likely change out an exhaust on any bike I got... **** OEM stuff just sounds neutered.

Also, thanks again to all for helping out a long time rider but a Triumph noob!

Tracker557 said:

Thanks for the comments! Did adding the slip ons require any other additional tuning? I would likely change out an exhaust on any bike I got... **** OEM stuff just sounds neutered.

Click to expand...

Yes you do need a new tune. Free software on line called tune ECU a $20 cable and a new tune to down load that you can get on this site. Search this site it's loaded with info. Good luck making up your mind on which bike to choose!!

Hello Tracker and welcome from Virginia.
My 2014 R3T is the 28th bike I’ve ridden over 35 years. I have 23K miles on it now. Its highway manners are great for long trips and eats up the miles at 85 MPH (indicated which is roughly 80 MPH). I have pushed it 192 miles between gas stops at that speed.
I have used the ABS a couple of times but the most dramatic was at dusk on I-95 north. A car directly in front of me changed lanes too soon and hit the car next to me. We were at 80 MPH or so and both cars spun out. I could not maneuver much as they were spinning every which way. Luckily no one was directly behind me and I got on the binders with a full dose of adrenalin. I stopped in a very controlled fashion, no lock-up and avoided becoming part of the twisted metal. I had my first aid bag out and calling 911 from my helmet before I reached the mishap on the run. ABS rocks!
I ride year round and decided not to put on heated grips just yet. I have not heard much good about the Triumph offering but I did read one rider here has over 30K miles since he added his. Everyone else seems to not fare so well and either abandon the idea or go with an aftermarket brand. For cold weather, I ride with Tourmaster heated liner and gloves. Their ‘one’ year warranty might not expire. I called them with an issue on my 4 year old gloves and they sent me a new pair after I returned the old ones; I am most pleased with their service.
I also installed a pair of Hippo Hands on the grips. These do not look pretty but are maybe the best bit of cold weather kit I have ever used. They block the wind wonderfully at 85 and keep my hands dry. I rode without my heated gloves for awhile and even on 22F degree mornings, on 2 hour rides to an offsite work place before the sun comes up, my hands were perfectly fine with plane old bike gloves. Once warmer weather arrives, they come off easily.
I do not like most fairings but I do love the idea of being able to pull my wind screen off of the R3T if I wish too. It has blocked thousands of bugs and small rocks and even a few birds so far and keeps enough wind off of me to ride from the DC area to Denver in 35 Hours, (I took and 8 hour break in Kansas, evidently something I ate in St. Louis was not happy being inside me). That equates to 1700 miles in 27 hours, I am well pleased with the Touring’s wind screen.
As for the change coming from riding other bikes, the last two bikes I rode were a VMAX followed by an FZ1. I totaled the VMAX in the Rockies chasing two buddies of Sport-Touring rigs and hit a young deer on the FZ1 two years afterwards. Both bikes weight about 300-400 pounds less than the R3T. My kids told me I am getting older and needed to go the ‘cruiser’ route as the last two bikes were too fast they think, so I followed their advice. I had no real issue once I fired up the Rocket for the first time. I do notice that I drag the rear brake a lot more in the slow speed environment, but other than that, balance is awesome even when two-up or loaded down.
I added TORs exhaust and a new tune soon after buying the bike and think they are great for keeping my neighbors happy when I leave the house around 5am. The difference is noticeable and fun. People who ride behind me say that they really open up when I twist the go stick though I do not seem to hear much of that inside my helmet. I like them a lot.
Regrets you ask? I sometimes wish for a little more range between fill ups when I am on the road but that is not a big deal as I need to get off the bike once in awhile to stretch my legs and so on. It is tough when I have to push the beast uphill backwards, but that also is not a big deal as it keeps me in the gym for just such a situation.
The Rocket is also no good in deep sand; just take my word for this one.
I may want to add another bike (or 10) to my stable and they are all somewhat smaller; like a Scrambler, another VMAX or maybe something vintage. I just won’t be trading the Rocket for any of them.

TOMCAT said:

Best 'upgrade' for a Touring model would be ... buy a Roadster and fit bags and a screen to it .. in my humble opinion anyway.

Click to expand...

Well, with a quick ECU tweak the Touring only lags by some 5 hp, so performance-wise it's a wash (if you do the tweak). And with the 180 rear, the Touring will handle better in the twisties because you're no longer fighting the 240 behemoth of a tire back there. Plus that it looks more traditional and (subjectively speaking) better than the unorthodox Roadsters, especially once you put Avon Cobra whitewalls on it. There's also the creature comforts, like super-comfortable floorboards out of the gates.

So needless to say, I disagree. The Roadster is a great bike, but it's not traditional looking at all. And the only bags I could stand to look at on it would be Corbins, which would mean I'd have to carve out a kidney and sell it just to be able to afford said bags on top of the cost of the bike.

As for actual upgrades to the Touring... I'd say a taller screen (see Clearview Shields), Rivco risers to get the bars up one and back two inches, replacing the reflectors in the headlights with new LED ones like the JW Speaker 8700 Evo 2 I got and some 6045's to replace the fog lights (this is fairly optional, the original 7-incher is by no means a disaster, unlike what I hear about the Roadster 5.75 inchers... but I digress.

Maybe the new Mustang seat and a tank bib from them, I tend to slide forward a little on the stock seat. And having a solo seat would just plain look better.

I have no regrets on the purchase. The bike does what I want and does it with style. I'm a little annoyed at the nickle and diming with bargain basement parts that Triumph ocasionally falls into, like the cheesy heated grip that routinely breaks for people or the fact that some custom parts for it are already "obsoleted" and not available but mostly I just love this thing.

Tracker557 said:

Hi all and thanks in advance for providing your input and helping me out.

I am in the process of selecting a bagger because I'm engaging in longer rides than I have in the past and my back isn't what it used to be. I'm currently riding a Honda VTX1800c and don't want to give up performance for comfort. I'm left with the decision to go with a R3 Touring and installing some aftermarket enhancements for comfort or a Victory Cross Country and installing some aftermarket enhancements for performance increases.

I'm leaning toward the Triumph, otherwise, I wouldn't be here.

Can anyone provide some input regarding these aftermarket add ons?

I'm looking to add a full fairing like this one: http://www.tsukayu.com/QuickDetachableFairing.html
How does this effect the handling of the bike at highway speed and low speed? Does the added weight to the front end make it more unwieldy?

I'm looking at several model years (2012 - 2014), any major differences besides ABS? How's the breaking on models without ABS?

There don't appear to be a lot of options for electronic cruise control other than this: http://www.mccruise.com/products/39 and that's a little steep. Any other options out there? can anyone comment on this product?

In the grand scheme of accessories, heated grips are pretty cheap: http://www.pure-triumph.com/p-1966-triumph-rocket-iii-touring-heated-grip-kit-a9638027.aspx You guys like these?

I realize that this is a monster bike that weighs in around a half ton loaded. Would anyone like to comment on how their transition went when moving from a bike that's a little lighter? My current ride comes in around 800 pounds wet.

Finally, I realize that folks on this forum LOVE their Triumphs. In terms of creature comforts and long distance riding, anyone have any regrets? Do you feel that the comfort of the R3 is comparable to other baggers / touring bikes?

Thanks again for your input!

Click to expand...

According to Chris Kunes from Triumph, they will be announcing a touring platform in October for 2016 that includes a fairing and trunk. It will either be the R3 or the Thunderbird. I am hoping for the R3, the trike companies are already advertising Rocket trikes for May 15' with fairings and trunks.