Semi-new member.....hello.

Hi,
Technically I am not a new member, I enrolled here when it first was created but I have not been active. A week or so ago I stopped by and took a closer look and I saw a lot of interesting posts and a lot of nice people. So I wanted to introduce myself and say hello.

Three years ago I went to the International Motorcycle show here in Atlanta. That was the last time Triumph had a display there (a very sore subject with me). I was there with my wife and another couple. We walked around the show for a long time looking at the bikes. My wife did not know that I was there trying to decide on a new bike and not just window shopping. I kept going back to the Rocket II display. I loved the way the bike looked sitting up on its rotating pedestal. After about the 6th time I went back to take a look at the R3 my wife said to me to not even consider such a big and not very pretty bike. I told her I was just looking. The next day I gave my dealer a thousand dollar deposit and struggled with anticipation for 9 months until the Rocket hit the states.

Those 9 months seemed like 9 years. It was kind of funny how much of a big deal it was when a new picture of the bike or rumors about the release date found its way to the Internet. I have to say that I have not regretted my purchase and that I have never had a vehicle before that I don't intend to replace at some time. I have a Street Triple on order to go along with my Rocket.

By the way, the R3 has grown on my wife and she loves it now. She brags all the time how comfortable and cool she thinks it is.

Take care,
Ken

Welcome to the site. Since you posted a pic, now you have to give the details about your bags and tourpack.

Hi,
Sorry, I don't know the manufacturer of the bags. I bought them a while back off of eBay from a Honda dealer service tech. They had been sitting in a store room at the dealership for years and years. This guy had 5 or 6 sets. I am guessing they are at least 20 years old or more. They were a faded white almost yellow fiberglass and I painted them black to match the bike. I also replaced the 4 reflectors that came with the bag with working LED stop lights and turn signal lights. I found the lights on a site that sold accessories for tractor trailer rigs.

The top bag is Givi Speedpack. I also found it on eBay and according to the manufacturer has been discontinued. I really like the design of the Speedpack. It is expandable and lockable. I almost bought a few different top bags in the past but always changed my mind because of the boxy look to them. The Speedpack's aerodynamic looks belongs on a bike called a Rocket. Plus I like the fact that it has a backrest built into it!


Ken

The vintage bags seem right at home on your R3. Looks tremendous.

Nice bike, very unique

Dog

Ya know a rear hump like that added 1/1/2 mph to the busas top end so you better be careful..Kool bike Dog..Tell us about the beads on the seat.Really work??? Crazy Jack

Ken,

How did you go about mountint your bags? Did you make use of the Triumph mount frames?

I would appraciate any details you could supply about fitting them to your Rocket.

Also, what did you do to mount your Zumo?

Thanks!

My Rocket III

Busajack,
Hi Jack. We have something in common. I just sold my Busa to make room for a Street Triple that I hope will be here soon. I miss the Hayabusa but because of some disc problems in my neck I needed to get something with a more upright riding position. I did love my Busa though! By the way I got a little over 3.68 more MPH out of the hump if I applied a fresh coat of Turtle Wax first.

I was very skeptical about the beaded seat cover until I tried it about a month ago. It really is comfortable. Plus, it offers air flow below your butt (even my fat butt) that you can honestly feel. I have only had it about a month and it has been cold weather but you can definitely feel the air flow which I am positive will help keep things cooler down there during the hot summer months.






RoadVenture,
Hi Dave. I mounted the bags with Easy Brackets which are portable and lockable. Quick story about Easy Brackets. I bought them about a year ago and only got around to mounting them a couple of weekends ago. I found that I was missing one of the posts that bolt onto the bike to accept the bracket. For some reason I thought that there were Ghost brackets and not Easy Brackets (two different companies). I called Ghost Brackets and told them I had lost a post and how much would it cost me to replace it. They said I had to buy the whole hardware kit for $70. They would not budge on selling me just the one post I needed. I didn't buy it at that time. I then somehow realized I had Easy Brackets instead. I called Easy Brackets and they said no problem they would send me the post and bolt. When I asked them how much I owed them they said not to worry about it, it was on them. I did not even pay for postage. What a great company! I promised them that I would pass along that story to everyone who asked me about saddlebag brackets.

The posts mount on the rear fender trim, two on each side. I'm pretty sure that triumph uses this as their mounting points for their bags too. The brackets bolt to the saddlebags (either hard or soft will do). Then you slide the bags onto the posts and secure them with a keyed lock and you are ready to roll. In my case I have a wiring harness going through a hole I drilled in the bracket and bad for the LED running light and turn signal. It was pretty easy. I removed the old turn signals without having to cut any wires so if I ever need to put them back on all I have to do is plug them back in the harness. The connection and harness is behind the cover under the seat on the right side of the bike. If needed, I can take pictures and post them for you. Happy to help.

The Zumo is mounted to the handlebars with a RAM mount (Link Removed). The only thing different I did there was notch out the mount a little bit so that it allowed me to adjust it to more positions. This way I can move the Zumo while I drive as far as I need to in case the sun causes glare problems. I am also going to make a little fabric hood for the Zumo to help with glare problems.


Sorry this has gotten so long, Let me know if I can answer anything else for you,
Ken

Dog

Dog, know what you mean about backs an necks and every thing else but Im gona try and ride this thing till it cripples me. Then the Rocket will take over. So what do ya think about the power band differance bettwen the rocket and the busa. God If we colud only join the two, low end torque and high end HP. Iam to old for this kind of power but trying to hang on. Get It Ha OK bye Crazy Jack

This was fun with the cops chasing a yellow busa that turned around and was a black and blue busa. I know, my wife tells me Iam a child at least once a day...BJC