Why are people selling their Rockets?

tgessner

.040 Over
Joined
Sep 8, 2020
Messages
56
Location
Munich, Germany
Ride
Rocket 3R
Ok, I get it: We buy toys, own them for a while and sell them again. I used to do that with the bikes I owned: Bought a shiny new ride, rode it for a year or two and then sold it again. Because a new, more shiny toy came along. The Rocket, I thought, is a different thing altogether. Certainly nor a toy. For me, it represents the pinnacle of my 35 year motorcylcle career and - approaching the age of 60 - probably is the last bike I bought. Afer all: What could possibly surpass a Rocket?

I was surprised to learn that quite a few owners of the new Rocket 3 are selling their bikes after a short while. Some just after a few weeks of ownership. Why is that?

When you buy a Rocket, you know what your are about to get yourself into, don't you? It should be a well-known fact that the bike is very heavy, very powerful and very demanding as far as the rider and his/her skills are concerned. It is not that this bike pretends to be a docile Honda CB500.

When I was waiting for my rocket 3R to arrive, I watched every single YT video from early owners. One could feel the prospective owners anticipation for the machine and the impatience in the waiting time. But after taking delivery, some owners seemed to be disappointed quickly. The reasons seemed to be excuses: The design did not appeal, the fuel consumption seemed too high. Not very credible, if you ask me. Even my T dealer tells me that he sees a pattern. He is guessing the bike is just too much for some.

I have ridden my R3r a lot this fall, a couple of longer trips of 250 to 400+ kms, mostly mountain roads and a few alpine passes. The whole time I am either (a) super chilled, (b) giggling like a lunatic or (c) going "****, yeah!" I have yet to discover a flaw. What did I miss?
 
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I can't speak for others but I've been on a journey to find a good match. I went through a number of bikes and enjoyed every one of them but, along the way, I found that it wasn't so much about the virtues of any given motorcycle as it is about defining who I am as a motorcyclist. Gladly monogamy does not apply to motorcycle love.

Perhaps a bad example but like to cook well. So, how many different kinds of pans, or knives do you figure I ought to have?

The BMW K1600 GT was one of those 'lust at first sight' motorcycles. 40K miles it took to decide it was too "automotive" for me, I sold it and moved on. On the other hand my '14 KTM 1290r is one that will have my asking the undertaker to build my casket a little roomier, it's coming with me wherever I go: It will prove a worthy companion in Heaven. Alternatively, it can outrun the flames of Hell. ....

And so it goes.
 
I can certainly see selling a new model Rocket.

To buy an old one.
Here's a guy who hasn't had the pleasure yet!

Having had 3 including a new R3GT (and the ability to compare both a 2014 Roadster and the R3GT) I can assure you it is a very much a superior machine to the old ones.
 
I have a 2010 Touring, it's a great bike. But cruisers aren't really my style, if I didn't have a gazillion dollars into it, and wasn't retired and poor, I think I'd probably like the new ones better. Sport touring is more my style, if anyone wants to trade for a new one, I'm in. ;)
 
I like the Rocket 3R The first gen ones look like John Deere collaborations to me, they never earned a second glance. However i bought a Street Triple R a couple of months after buying the R3R and found myself picking it over the R3 most of the time when going for a ride.
Now i sold both R3 and Street Triple and got myself a 2020 Aprilia Tuono, the (for me) perfect morph of the agile Street triple and the butt clenching power of the R3.
Wasn't disappointed in the R3 but to me it's really like comparing a Clydesdale to a race horse :)

tuono02.jpg
 
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