Featured Rocket Or R18?

Discussion in 'Triumph General Discussion' started by Flashp, May 7, 2020.

  1. Alatamoc

    Alatamoc Senior Member

    Mar 29, 2019
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    Aesthetics are subjective... I happen to think that the Triumph triple engine is truly ugly but it doesn't stop me owning a triple.
    My Tiger 955i has all the grace and beauty of a saggy balloon but it's still a good bike.
    I can see what BMW are trying to portray....the essence of all those early and post war twins.....one either likes the look or not.
    I'm in the ' like it' camp... others clearly differ.
     
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  2. SleepyOwl

    SleepyOwl Crème de la Crème

    Jul 26, 2019
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    #22 SleepyOwl, May 8, 2020
    Last edited: May 8, 2020
    Looks great from the side but I’m not a fan from any other angle.
    Not a patch on the Rocket (but I may be biased! :joy:)

    956F4093-273A-463C-A0E3-A517A5273C68.png
     
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  3. Helmut Visor

    Helmut Visor Only dead fish go with the flow
    Subscriber

    Oct 3, 2018
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    I think it looks even worse from the front, you can change the cans but that front profile :poop:
     
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  4. SleepyOwl

    SleepyOwl Crème de la Crème

    Jul 26, 2019
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    Agree. The R18 is firmly aimed at US Harley sales I think while the Diavel and Rocket are firm competitors.
     
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  5. Kenbro

    Kenbro Noble Member

    Jul 9, 2019
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    Looking from an engineering point of view, a Boxer style engine is very attractive, after all, Porche did very well with them. Also, lotsa aeroplanes still use them, but you won’t find many with Triumph engines in. ;).
    Ken.
     
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  6. Doc Strange

    Doc Strange Senior Member

    Aug 8, 2019
    717
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    Had a few GSs and feel that they have a certain Brutalist charm, but can see that it is not for everybody.

    However, on the Rocket v R18, it'd be the Rocket every time! Don't think the R18 is ugly, but from what I've read, the Rocket seems the better bike if you want to do more than just look good on it.

    DS
     
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  7. neilbaker99

    neilbaker99 Member

    Aug 17, 2017
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    #27 neilbaker99, May 11, 2020
    Last edited: May 11, 2020
    o_Oo_Oo_Oo_Oo_Oo_Oo_Oo_Oo_O
    I have triumph and bmw, I’m happy with both. I quite like the look of the R18 and it doesn’t look a bulky and heavy as the Rocket. Also being a short arse, I could touch the ground flat footed on ito_O
     
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  8. Kenbro

    Kenbro Noble Member

    Jul 9, 2019
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    It seems to have an exceptionally long wheel base.
    Ken.
     
  9. neilbaker99

    neilbaker99 Member

    Aug 17, 2017
    32
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    Coventry
    Wow, I’d never have thought it was heavier looking at it! It’s actually 6” longer than my bmw K1300s when I looked it up
     
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  10. Jet City

    Jet City Noble Member

    Sep 24, 2018
    522
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    I quite like the look of the R18. In the cruiser tradition it is shockingly heavy though.

    In this world of exotic materials and $20,000 price tags, who decided that cruisers have to weigh 350 kg? The R18 has a stripped down aesthetic even. What do they make the frames out of, depleted uranium?


    As for R18 versus Rocket, they seem like two different kinds of motorbike. The Rocket has a lot more motor with 145 hp (R18 has 97 hp as claimed by BMW).
     
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  11. Junksmith

    Junksmith Active Member

    As a Tiger rider I wouldn't buy either because BMWs are boring and Rockets scare the bejesus out of me. That probably says more about my ability as a rider than the bikes but you did ask.
     
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  12. Dartplayer

    Dartplayer Crème de la Crème

    Aug 8, 2018
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    Cruiser fan, but hard to get past that front view. Different bars and cans help

    317249CF-6A75-40E0-886D-CFBD42428604.jpeg
     
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  13. Tiglet

    Tiglet Vintage Member

    Mar 28, 2016
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    BMWs boring :laughing::laughing::laughing:

     
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  14. Jet City

    Jet City Noble Member

    Sep 24, 2018
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    One of the great things about the interweb is you can quote yourself! :p

    “In this world of exotic materials and $20,000 price tags, who decided that cruisers have to weigh 350 kg? The R18 has a stripped down aesthetic even. What do they make the frames out of, depleted uranium?

    It took me a day to remember it, but the latest Rocket went on a diet. No more pizza and soda, it weighs a whopping 40 kg less than the previous version!

    That is the difference between the design thinking of the R18, where style means more than performance, and the Rocket, where Triumph engineers clearly see performance as a primary goal. 40 kg!!!

    That said I very much like the way the R18 looks—check out the exposed shaft drive. How cool is that?

    But it’s not competition for the Rocket.
     
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  15. Winglad

    Winglad Crème de la Crème

    Dec 21, 2016
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    Offizielle Verlautbarung des Lagerkommandanten: Es ist ein wunderschönes Motorrad.
    Es gilt keine andere Meinung. Wir bauen die absolut und fraglos besten Maschinen der Welt.
    Jegliche andere Meinung wird unter Zuwiderhandlung unverzüglich und epochal ohne Rücksichtnahme bestraft.
    Ein dreifach schallendes: HURRA! HURRA! HURRA!

    :eek:

    Did I just write this? No way!
    There must be some way out of here... Said the Jokel to the Pissed...
     
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  16. Wire-Wheels

    Wire-Wheels Elite Member

    Apr 26, 2019
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    Are you.asking us, or yourself ? ...J.D.
     
  17. heartlander

    heartlander Member

    Agree!!
     
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  18. Wire-Wheels

    Wire-Wheels Elite Member

    Apr 26, 2019
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    Huge ! Wierd ! and only 97h.p. Kind of looses something along the way. But that is the way I feel about most things BMW makes anyhow. ...J.D.
     
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  19. Traveller

    Traveller Active Member

    Mar 16, 2020
    85
    28
    New Jersey
    It is a good looking bike BUT, I could not handle the foot controls. With the BMW motor you could never move the controls forward to a better riding position. For that reason alone I would not want a BMW cruiser.
     
  20. JtC

    JtC Elite Member

    Apr 20, 2020
    2,720
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    Aesthetically, I like the Beemer. But I like the Rocket for the YUGE motor.
     
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