Spy shots new rocket

[Triple Trouble]

Years ago (many,many)When My Norton Commando(Norton's are great and I don't need one of those Jap scrap things) was my touring/commuting/weekend ride I was behind a 1,000cc Honda on a curvy road I knew well and was giving it a bit of stick slowly closing the gap between us. As I got on his tail he glanced in his mirror and realised I was right there. He gave it a bit of throttle and .............he was gone.
In 1994 I took a test ride on a new to Canada Triumph Daytona 1200. 147 hp and slightly quicker and smoother than my trusty beast. After as I rode home on the Norton I was actually laughing at how antiquated the old gal felt and knew I had to get a modern bike to stay in the game. I thought about how things had changed in 20 years. Then I thought about 20 years before the Commando, bikes had only just started to use rear suspension and horsepower had doubled and how inevitable progress is.
First brisk ride on my brand new Rocket III in 2004 was a bit of a disappointment at how awful the Suspension was! My '94 Sprint was far superior. Why did it have to copy the twin shock Harley Upgrading the front springs and putting on Hagon Nitros helped.
It will be 16 years since the introduction of the RIII and I hope that huge ground has been covered technically. The single sided swingarm gives hope that she will handle well and be a smoother ride. Electronic aids such as ABS, cruise and traction control etc. will surely be a good thing.
Let's wait and see what the new Rocket is like before slagging it off. Someone even mentioned unsightly wires hanging off the bike!!!! It's a ferkin prototype for goodness sake and probably has many sensors to gauge how things are working. I can't wait to test ride one.

 

[Idaho Red Rocket 3]

I think really they are making a Scrambler version

Oh Yeah ! I remember back in 1974 when I first purchased my new 1974 CB750 Honda. I had a sobering realization that really hurt. I could no longer go ride my favorite dirt trails anymore that I used to take my Honda CL350 Scrambler to. Well I had to try it anyway. It didn't go so well. I even went back a tried a second time. I didn't crash, but had to go slow and it just wasn't any fun.

 

[IMFASTTOO]

Years ago (many,many)When My Norton Commando(Norton's are great and I don't need one of those *** scrap things) was my touring/commuting/weekend ride I was behind a 1,000cc Honda on a curvy road I knew well and was giving it a bit of stick slowly closing the gap between us. As I got on his tail he glanced in his mirror and realised I was right there. He gave it a bit of throttle and .............he was gone.
In 1994 I took a test ride on a new to Canada Triumph Daytona 1200. 147 hp and slightly quicker and smoother than my trusty beast. After as I rode home on the Norton I was actually laughing at how antiquated the old gal felt and knew I had to get a modern bike to stay in the game. I thought about how things had changed in 20 years. Then I thought about 20 years before the Commando, bikes had only just started to use rear suspension and horsepower had doubled and how inevitable progress is.
First brisk ride on my brand new Rocket III in 2004 was a bit of a disappointment at how awful the Suspension was! My '94 Sprint was far superior. Why did it have to copy the twin shock Harley Upgrading the front springs and putting on Hagon Nitros helped.
It will be 16 years since the introduction of the RIII and I hope that huge ground has been covered technically. The single sided swingarm gives hope that she will handle well and be a smoother ride. Electronic aids such as ABS, cruise and traction control etc. will surely be a good thing.
Let's wait and see what the new Rocket is like before slagging it off. Someone even mentioned unsightly wires hanging off the bike!!!! It's a ferkin prototype for goodness sake and probably has many sensors to gauge how things are working. I can't wait to test ride one.

YEP just a prototype its gonna look a lot better

 

[Boony]

I agree with Triple Trouble.
Some people here sound like the Harley guys who want an update as long as nothing is changed!
I don't like the rear end of the new model much, but most of the changes will be welcome improvements. At least a few details will change before it is released.

 

[Blackthou]

I purchased the black Triumph tear drop mirrors years ago. After installation the vibration on the mirrors was so bad I could not use them. I tried different type of methods to totally remove the vibration or reduce it. Nothing I did would work. So I decided to purchase bar end mirrors. NO VIBRATION and now have mirrors I can use. I was paranoid that the vibration was going to be worse with the bar end mirrors but that was not the case. Funny how that worked out.

Captain Mully, funny how things differ. I took a Rocket out for a test ride which had tear drop triumph mirrors. I was prepared for them to be rubbish but found the shape gave vision beyond my elbow. They didn't vibrate at all. After my test ride I bought a Roadster and ordered a pair of teardrop mirrors for it. 4 years later they're still vibration free happily. I may add that others have posted the same findings as you but just wanted to add they do work sometimes. At least you found a solution.

 

[Paul Bryant]

I have the Oval Triumph mirrors in Black, no problems with vibrations at all and far superior to the original Micky Mouse ones.
These have a slightly convex lens so give a broader view.

 

[Jag]

I have the Oval Triumph mirrors in Black, no problems with vibrations at all and far superior to the original Micky Mouse ones.
These have a slightly convex lens so give a broader view.

I also have the black triumph oval mirrors and they are high quality and very heavy.

 

[Gregger]

Go back to what I posted earlier... the Bobber was unveiled with no pillion seat and that unique rear end. Many hated it but it was one of Triumphs best selling bikes after the initial unveil. Within a few months, the Speedmaster based on the Bobber roles off the line with pillion seat, bags etc etc etc. The naysayers are now happy.

I believe this will happen with the Rocket......

 

[Chris Kelley]

Go back to what I posted earlier... the Bobber was unveiled with no pillion seat and that unique rear end. Many hated it but it was one of Triumphs best selling bikes after the initial unveil. Within a few months, the Speedmaster based on the Bobber roles off the line with pillion seat, bags etc etc etc. The naysayers are now happy.

I believe this will happen with the Rocket......

That's what I'm hoping as well (even though I like the single seat on the test mule). Hopefully the R3 motor ends up in two or three different models, just like the parallel twin in the bonnie.

 

[Tal]

Those mirrors on the prototype will easily come off by the looks should you want...anti vibration grips and end weights will go straight on...the mirrors can then be put on the bars...just an observation...