Tumi Laamanen wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:10:I suppose you are referring to Motorcyclist Magazine comparison? I also saw it online but I don't completely trust their performance data. I don't think they even use datalogging or GPS when measuring the bikes. Performance Bikes magazine data is one of the few sources which I trust completely (that's why I mentioned 'the first reliable performance data' for the Trump) and the quick scan is
here.
Rocket III is able to run with V-Max so it's not slow, but on the other hand it really has to, having nearly twice the displacement. You should also remember that V-Max was the production bike power king 19 years ago but today it's left behind by 600s in quarter mile and top speeds. Rocket III certainly isn't slow as such, but it's precisely the hyped pre launch press material quoted in Rider Report article (
'it will accelerate faster than just about any production motorcycle..') which we've now found out to be unrealistic that disappoints me. Triumph usually doesn't write checks they can't cash.
Another Rocket III article worth checking can be found
here.
Well, you gotta believe what ya gotta believe. I listed the magazine title above. It was that one and Cruising Rider that did the tests. Both with high praise for the bike. All that I could find this morning online was an intro article (the publicity hype stuff). However there are even better articles on the bike that I cannot find right now.
The bike isn't intended to compare with 600 or 1000 sportbikes and it weighs heavily on the sidestand as well at nearly 800 ibs. However the comparisons were made with the V-Max which still claims production bike 1/4 mile times after all these years....and the V-Max is a 1200 and much lighter. Still the Rocket, in both mag tests, was about a 1/2 second faster than the V-Max (Have you seen the new anniversary version V-Max?)
The bike was also compared with the Vulcan 2000, a new Harley and a couple others. Bikes that actually weigh more, so the Rocket isn't all dinosaur either.
Now, don't get me wrong, the Rocket scrapes footpegs before even getting close to a 600 sportbike, but that isn't because of the engine either....you know there is much more too it than that.
The Rocket was simply tested for handling for what it is designed to do, and at the same time it returned dyno and 1/4 mile results that blow all others away. You can't sneeze at that torque and power, and I personally can't wait to pull up behind a bike with 3 mufflers 'cause I'll be looking....
It's all about weight and power. If you need more weight to contain the power go for it. The Rocket comes on it's peak torque at 2K, how fast you got to wind up a sportbike to do the same?
BTW - my last bike was a Yamaha 850 triple, so I'm partial to singles and triples