Traded in my Indian Challenger touring bike and was looking at options . Me and the wife saw the new Rocket 3 GT. We are considering it but its a heavy bike and would rather have something more nimble.
I’ve not ridden the rocket 3 but i sat on a mates that is new and it seems very well balanced for the size of it, my thoughts were confirmed when I read that geometry changes were made by Triumph to the latest incarnation. I’m out on a ride tomoz with him and will ask him some questions for u. I will be taking him on a mixed route of undulating country roads some twisty and some straight. Also couple of dual carriageways.
Just reflect on the type of roads and riding you'll be doing. Yes, the R3 is a heavy bike with a long wheelbase so nimble it will not be. It may well feel well balanced for a "bike it's size" but it is still a bike of considerable size. The engine power and torque is obviously the selling point of the big R so I guess it depends if you're prepared to sacrifice light weight and agility for straight line speed. There are some bikes with both of course. Only a test ride will help you decide.
Hi and welcome. I’ve not had or ridden the R3. If the size and weight are a concern you could look at the thunderbird lt or Storm. Cruisers and less weight than the R3 with great performance.
Hi there! Welcome to the forum! It is a big bike, but there are lots of heavier bikes on the street. I tested a BMW K1600B a few weeks ago. It is slightly heavier then the Rocket, but it was an interesting ride. The performance of the Rocket would be even more then the BMW. Try to get a testride with it before you decide!
@RiverNorth Welcome to the family. Why not test ride the bike. When there test and compare the storm and thunderbird. Joe
Hi Back from the ride out. We did some really tight roads, with some mini roundabouts, undulating roads with an adverse camber. Couldn’t really pick worse roads. At several stop offs we had a chat about our bikes. My friend said his R3 handled the challenges very well, especially on the straighter roads where it was uneven. I personally hate the straights on my Thruxton R. I asked him how heavy his bike felt on the tighter bends he advised it is very well balanced and easy to ride at slow speeds. Sounds like he loves it, the only niggle was the initial pairing of a wireless headset but all good now. I’ve not heard him say anything negative about it since he got it last year. I prefer my fuel economy of my Thruxton v his and not needing a crane to lift it off the ground for maintenance! One thing I would say is that I am by no means a fast rider but he does ride a lot slower than me so whilst the bike sounds very well balanced it will all be relative if pushing it a bit harder. Like others have said take one for a test ride. Yesterday amd today there is a Triumph event on at Webbs Peterborough they had the new R3 there.
Hi Back from the ride out. We did some really tight roads, with some mini roundabouts, undulating roads with an adverse camber. Couldn’t really pick worse roads. At several stop offs we had a chat about our bikes. My friend said his R3 handled the challenges very well, especially on the straighter roads where it was uneven. I personally hate the straights on my Thruxton R. I asked him how heavy his bike felt on the tighter bends he advised it is very well balanced and easy to ride at slow speeds. Sounds like he loves it, the only niggle was the initial pairing of a wireless headset but all good now. I’ve not heard him say anything negative about it since he got it last year. I prefer my fuel economy of my Thruxton v his and not needing a crane to lift it off the ground for maintenance! One thing I would say is that I am by no means a fast rider but he does ride a lot slower than me so whilst the bike sounds very well balanced it will all be relative if pushing it a bit harder. Like others have said take one for a test ride. Yesterday and today there is a Triumph event on at Webbs Peterborough they had the new R3 storm there in a gun metal colour and a blue one. The wheels on the latest are slightly different. I’m not sure what else has changed since the 2023 chrome edition. My friend has the R version. Unless there are significant changes between 2023 and 2024 there have been some really good brand new deals on the 2023 R3 I saw the R and GT fetching around 18K which is a significant saving leaving plenty of spare cash. Apologies just realised some of what I said is only applicable to the UK and you are in Canada, ignore what I said about the event unless there is one coming near you.
A Speedmaster is worth considering. The 1200 engine is a peach and it is more nimble than it looks. In my opinion in is let down by a poor rear shock but that can be fixed using an aftermarket one. It is cheaper than a Rocket 3, leaving you with spare money to customise it for your needs. Aftermarket seats, screens, luggage, bars etc, Plus lots of bling are all readily available.
I'm not sure how heavy the Rocket is, but my Trophy SE is 662 lbs wet, which makes my 590 lb Sprint GT feel like a sport bike! My son's Speed Triple feels like a bicycle at 460lbs! Low speed maneuverability is not great on the Trophy, made worse by riding 2-up. That said, it is wonderful on rural roads and motorways, with the massive electrically adjustable windscreen. I think that the Rocket has exaggerated one feature of the bike: the engine. Depending on your riding locations, a bike with more "balanced" capabilities might be a consideration. PS. Used bikes in the US save a pile of cash! My 2013 Trophy SE with 25k miles was about US$5,000.
We test drove a lot of bikes. My wife and I decided on the 2025 Triumph Rocket 3 Storm GT blue/black. Order some bags, bag mounts and rear luggage. Ordered a gps mount that's designed for the 2020 - hope it works. I'll need a good GPS unit as well to boot. I don't like having my phone in my view but may change my mind.
The latest incarnation of the R3 is 317Kg/713lbs wet. It also has a very long wheelbase giving it a turning circle in the Supertanker class so, as you point out, you have to really get your rocks off purely on straight line performance to even consider one IMO. A R3 makes my ZZR look and feel quite sporty!
It sounds like RiverNorth is going to take the R3 on a tour. The weight and power will be great on the straighter sections, and a little caution will get it around the corners just fine. This past summer, I was in Croatia in one of the [amazing] national parks, where touring bikes were everywhere. I even saw a Hyabusa set up for touring: full hard cases and a top box! The driver was in the usual steep lean forward (it looks like they are laying on the gas tank!), and the pillion was bolt upright against the backrest, fully exposed to the wind! Strangest this that I ever saw! Most tourers were on Sport Tourers or Dual Sports. Here's one exception!
Im retiring from my bagger big tour rides . From my HD softail to my Indian roadmaster and Indian challenger. Most of the time im on my own now but the wife still likes the occasional short trip in our area. Still have Victory hammer and my 2008 honda cbr