Why I bought a Rocket III

T Evans

Supercharged
Joined
Jun 23, 2009
Messages
394
Location
North Central Oklahoma
Thought it might be interesting to see what everybody's reasons was for purchasing a Rocket. Weather it is because you are British or you have always ridin a Triumph or whatever your personal reason is. What ever it is, it might be interesting to hear.

I like the fact that I am the only guy I know that rides one around here, the fact that it will smoke most HD's, the fact that the chrome is real and not plastic, the fact that I can have a bagger with a fairing and be able to run 150 mph and all for under 12k. I also like it because a guy like me that recently had to close his business down and take the big BR, can afford a good used one. I like the fact that they are big and a big guy doesn't look out of place on it. But probably most of all is the fun factor that it has. To be able to just crank the throttle and bring the front tire skyward or do a big ol burn out and leave the parking lot full of smoke. You know, the fun factor.

Thats just some of the reasons I own a Rocket. Now, why did you buy a Rocket?

Big T
 
Been a long time owner of Triumph's. Started buying them in the early 70's. Bought my first Hinkley in 96, an Adventurer. Loved the bike, after around 20k miles the timing gear went and it blew up. Triumph backed up thier bike, even though it was out of warranty they gave me the full value trade in to buy another bike. Bought a Trophy 1200 in 2000, loved the HP and speed. I saw the Rocket in 04 when they first came out and drooled. After avoiding, or out running, several speeding tickets on my Trophy I decided if I got a "cruiser styled" bike I'd slow down a little. Ok, ok I got one thing wrong. Bought my Classic Tourer in 06. I love the friggin thing....unfortunately it didn't slow me down much. But man it sure is fun blowing by sport bikes on my "barka lounger". Don't think I'd trade it in for anything. It's fun freaking out all riders, be it "****** rockets" or "fat cruisers" the power and grace of this Bomemith of a bike we are riding!
 
First, it's a Triumph. Nothing like 'em. Then, it's a massive beast that flys and handles well enough. And , as you know, are NOT a dime a dozen. I love the fact that the R3 is most always the only one in a crowd (except our RAT rides). The fact that it blows the Harley's away does not hurt either.

I was a bit unsure of the look at first but after a test ride I knew I'd buy one ASAP-that lasted about two weeks!
 
I was at the dealership to buy a Vulcan 1700 Nomad, but at the last second decided I didn't want to disappear into the crowd of Harley clones.

Plus it was one of the few bikes that fit 5'10" me and my 6'3" wife without her legs getting stuffed into either her armpits or my elbows. And it was fun to go to my folks place where my Dad was polishing his new Goldwing and say, "Hey Dad, cute little bike you've got there."
 
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This is my second triumph. My first was a 97 adventurer that i rode from Santa Ana , CA to Youngstown, OH. and back. i loved that bike but sold it sept 2008. I bought a Royal Enfield but wanted the rocket. I couldn't afford it at the time and i wanted a bike again. then in July of 08 my wife passed away and i had a little insurance money left over after paying bills. So i went to the dealer sat on the bike and said she is mine now. He looks at me and said but you just got the enfield two months ago. So i told him what happened and wrote him out the check. The next day i went to pick it up and rode it to Youngstown ,OH from Jacksonville ,NC I took it slow to break it in. After 600 miles my wrist hurt from the heave throttle so i got a throttle lock for the ride back.
So that is how i got my 08 touring. It's sad and happy at the same time.
 
This is my second Rocket III. A few months after getting my R3 Classic, my wife convinced me to get an HD Ultra Classic Electra Glide. Big Mistake! As a passenger, she loved it. As a rider, I hated it! Slow, unresponsive and just downright not that fun to ride. Finally after 14 months and 15,000 miles of pain, I got by Tourer. The Harley is still in the garage but I'm hoping to be rid of it once and for all this spring! I Love the Rocket III because it goes as fast as you let it!
 
Because it's BIG and NOT a Hardly!
(mostly because it's not a hardly)
 
"Blows a Harley away"

What kind of reason is that? Is there anything that WON'T beat a Hardley?

"I like the fact that they are big and a big guy doesn't look out of place on it."

That was the reason for me. When you're a monster of a man like I am, you HAVE to have a bike that fits.
 
I owe my owning a Rocket to all the local Harley dealerships. I went into three dealerships that I would have had to knock a bike over to get anyone to talk to me. Went to the Triumph dealer and was test driving an America within 20 min. Four months later it didn't want to start because of cold weather so I traded it in on a Rocket. I'm glad things worked out the way they did.
 
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