Rocket Thinking About It

OK, It will have to be a serious diet! he will need to lose about 5 stone large is about a 42" chest

 

No you're Dozersdad

 

That'll be 2 more after youze then

 

Never ridden one myself, but a couple of Rocket III owners and their pillions at our m/c swear by the big shiny beasts. Uber comfortable and easy to ride, they say. Powerful as feck of course.

Downside from this shortarse arthritic old ale-swiller is the weight when pushing them around - bloomin' heavy, but at least a low centre of gravity compared to something like an Explorer say. And if you don't look after the chrome they soon begin to look untidy. So wash, polish and wax often is a must.

I was talking to another short-arsed old-ish geezer on Tuesday. He used to ride an RIII. Loved it to death. He said you get used to the weight so long as you have enough room to swing it around. He did 24,000 miles in two years. Chopped it in a year ago for a Newchurch cos since a kid he always lusted after a Bonnie. He's done 1,000 miles since then on the Bonnie. Just no enthusiasm to get out and ride it like he felt for his old RIII. His wife's told him he bought the wrong bike and to go get another RIII.

I also know a 75-yr old guy rides one round and about London. Again he swears by the comfort and easy rideability.

 

I had a Rocket 3 for about 3 months. Massive power, it could pull away in top gear. Very comfortable to ride but a nightmare in traffic. It's two big to filter and if you sat in the jam the heat from the exhaust manifold tried to burn your leg. On clear open roads which it was designed for i.e. the states it's fantastic.

 

It depends what your main use of it will be.
Motorway type cruising I imagine it would be great.
Country roads and town use not so great.
Too big and too heavy for a 'normal' sized person to feel confident with.
Best having a good ride on all road types and be honest with yourself, it's you that is going be riding it.

 

I own a 2013 Roadster and have had bikes all my life. This is the only bike I will not sell. As stated the torque is fantastic fun and I still find myself laughing when I really wind it on. It weighs a ton and you have to be really careful about where you park it. It is embarrassing as f*ck when you have to ask a passing stranger to help pull it up a slight incline because you parked it facing down, like a kn*b.
When you get moving essentially the weight becomes a lot less noticeable but you can't sling it about even though the weight is low down. Everything needs planned.
As far as I am concerned at the very least a small fly screen is essential. It does make a big difference to the wind blast against your chest. The seat is comfy.
Tyres cost an arm and a leg, tank range is only about 160 miles (maybe because it is such a hoot to roll it on) and servicing isn't cheap either.
I do not care. It is a point of conversation when you pull up somewhere. It makes me laugh my boll*cks off and I just adore it. By the way, I am 17 st, 6' tall and it is perfect for me.
I am off to Ireland next month for 10 days and I cannot wait.

 

Just as an aside, took mine in for it's annual service about 4 weeks ago. The dealer offered me cash in hand there and then to sell it to him. He said that he simply couldn't get enough second hand to sell on.

 

I'm only 5.8" and same wide lol with a R3T and the comments about if i wanted a car blah blah blah and others is each to their own (if i wanted a small bike I'd have yours lol).

They are awesome bikes and like anything new need a few miles to get used to how they ride (like any other bloody bike). The ease of riding them and the power to do anything at any time in any gear beats anything negative.......... smile every time oh yes.

Oh and I'm off to Prague on mine next month then back through Alps and over Stelvio into Black forest to Nurburgring ......... bring it on

 

I have a 2015 R3R. I traded up from an Explorer and before that a BMW GS. I no longer commute to work and thought "f*ck it" you only live once.

Since I had it I've been to France a few times leading my local club on battlefield tours on the Somme on N and D roads. Never felt that I was holding anyone up on the twistier bumpy sections. Suspension can be rather bouncy over rippled tarmac.

Last August I went to visit friends in Brno (where I used to live) and go to the Czech MotoGP. Half on motorway and half on ordinary roads on the Burgenstrasse in Germany and S23 in Czech.

If you are a person that checks mpg and worry about the consumption, then get a Honda 50. With mixed riding I get about 43 to the gallon.

Last week riding into London for "Ride to Work Week" I got it down to a fraction over 40. This was mixed riding on the M20/A2 then solid traffic for 12 miles to the Blackwall Tunnel and to work in Islington. It took me 10 minutes more than when I did it every day on the Tex/GS. You can filter on the wider sections of road until you can see the O2 Dome and then the lanes narrow making it harder. Pull over and let the twats on scooters pass it the rule.

 

thats a meaty looking bike there, lovely

 

Does take some cleaning if you have a lot of chrome. Sadly, some of the chrome is rubbish quality. Even the oil filter is chromed but it looks like rust with a little silver specks....

 

Is the first picture the 36th Ulster Division Memorial Tower on the Somme?

 

Yes it's the Ulster Tower just down the way from the Thiepval Memorial. We went in 2015 for a look about and visit the museum and some of my local club were there for the Somme 100 memorial last year. My wife and I have relatives from Irish regiments that are buried nearby so that's why we went.

 

I did have one for two years and I'm only 5ft 6 now. I had the seat sculpted to lower and narrow it a bit but it's hardly a solution, or wasn't for me.
On the test ride I was impressed with it and found myself filtering on the A127.
It has a beautiful engine, one I could live with forever, it would probably last that long. Lovely motorway bike, but who wants to spend their life on a motorway? (rhetorical).
However as someone said I did find it expensive eventually and almost did my my back in one day wheeling it out of the garage. Ridiculously heavy and frankly too big for me. You only need someone to poke you in the arm with their finger and it's over.
I traded it in for a little Guzzi V7 (other end of the spectrum), then a Speedmaster and now a Thunderbird. If you want a big heavy bike that is beautifully balanced that you can throw around a bit and inspires confidence, rather than scaring you shitless every time you stop, the Thunderbird is the one to go for IMHO.