ROCK’n IT
Hold On Tight, It’s Launch Time

By Sam Whitehead, Photos By Mike Quindazzi

I love animals, I really do. I respect them, too. Well, maybe not cats. They’re slinky and can be terribly annoying. But animals that exude true animalism, I definitely dig. Give me a rabid pit bull or an enraged grizzly bear and I’m right in the zone, feeling like a man, infallible, ready to take whatever comes my way. In other words, I like a good fight as much as the next gator.

That said, it’s with deep shame that I must report my miserable defeat at the hooves of a wispy, adorable deer, deep down a side road in the canyons off Southern California’s famed Ortega Highway. I might have been able to topple the doe-eyed beastie had we squared off man-to-man in an agreed-upon location. Instead, the thing ambushed me as I cranked around a corner doing a cool 40 on the beautiful two-wheeled British behemoth you see here. I’d just picked up the bike a couple of hours earlier, and suddenly I was eating dirt. Needless to say, it was an inauspicious beginning to my four-day romance with the world’s biggest production motorcycle.

Bambi banging aside, I can’t tell you what a sensational time I had ripping around California on the Triumph Rocket III Classic. The machine is exactly what it says it is — a classic rocket. It’s also quite a monster. Yet, despite its initially overwhelming presence, the rock-solid Rocket is surprisingly nimble, cozy, and a genuine pleasure to toss around (just not to the ground).

The Rocket’s raw, seemingly limitless power is more than enough to instantly pin your cheeks to your ears, thus prematurely aging anyone who lights into the throttle without a full-face helmet. If I wanted to thunder coast to coast in style and comfort, and not feel as though I were riding a motorized couch, the Rocket would unquestionably be my weapon. Luxurious heft notwithstanding, the mighty machine delivers a visceral motorcycling experience quite unlike anything you may have encountered before. And that’s a great thing.

Introduced in the spring of 2004, the first Rocket III immediately had people snapping their heads, mostly in wonder, occasionally in disbelief. First, there’s the bike’s huge mill, a liquid-cooled, fuel-injected, inline three-cylinder powerhouse that displaces 2294cc to create a claimed 140 hp and an astonishing 147 ft-lbs. of torque.

According to esteemed RoadBike contributor Neale Bayly in his review of the standard Rocket (March ’05 issue), “The Rocket III’s components are so large that a whole new assembly line had to be built [at the Triumph factory] to put the bike together.” Neale then points out that the crankshaft weighs a whopping 39 pounds. “Simply installing each one into its engine case necessitated building a crane system.” Apparently, the same goes for the rear wheel, which is too big to be lifted by mere mortals. Send in the cranes!

Bottom line is, when the Rocket landed on the scene it was clear that Triumph had really thrown down the gauntlet. In fact, to this day, no other manufacturer has yet to pick it up. (Unless one counts Boss Hoss and its mildly ridiculous V-8 powered wildebeests. But we won’t talk about such things in a metric mag.)

Don’t Be Afraid

By now, you probably have a clear understanding that the Rocket is just a bit beyond burly. So, why is it such a carefree pleasure to ride? At first glance, the sheer volume of this singular machine can be overwhelming. But don’t worry. The bike is extremely well balanced. After you toss your leg over the thing, sink into the surprisingly low saddle, throw the sidestand, and hoist the bike up, you’ll be amazed how copacetic the whole arrangement is.

I stand a majestic 5'8" tall, and I could easily touch the ground flat-footed. From a standstill, I could even swing the 704-pound animal from side to side without the grand sensation that I was on the verge of dumping it. However, it’s probably best not to practice that little maneuver if you’re alone. When I actually did dump it, après deer, I was lucky enough to have a friend around to help me hoist the Rocket back to launching position.

Having secured yourself in the cockpit of (why not say it again?) “the world’s biggest production motorcycle,” you’ll no doubt be eager to fire the thing up. When you do, you’ll be rewarded with a nice, growly exhaust note that gets a lot more muscular as you twist the throttle. Grab the light clutch, tap your foot down on the shifter, and go. As you run through the gears, you’ll be knocked out by how smooth the entire operation is.

Still, you’ll probably approach your first corner or two on the Rocket with a hint of trepidation. After all, you’re not exactly piloting a scooter. However, after a few turns you’ll be reveling in the Rocket’s marvelously tight suspension and (totally unexpected) precision handling. An hour later, you may even find yourself hanging off the seat, really digging into the twisties. And when you suddenly remember that you’re dominating a 700-pound steed, it’s an absolutely incredible feeling.

Blasting Off

The Rocket may very well be a cruiser, but it boasts some sporty features, including the hooligan-inspired twin headlights and the 43mm inverted front forks. Then there are the brakes, a key component on a sled of this size packing such power. The twin 320mm floating discs with four-piston calipers up front and single 316mm disc with a two-piston caliper out back do an awesome job of quickly and safely bringing the Rocket back down to earth. It also doesn’t hurt that the bike is skinned with a 150 tire in the bow and a 240 in the stern. In this case, having that much rubber on the road is a real bonus.

By now, you might well be asking, “What’s the difference between the Rocket III and the Rocket III Classic?” The answer: not much. While the standard Rocket is fairly naked, the Classic has been outfitted with relaxed pullback handlebars, a wider, plusher seat (particularly for the passenger), roomy driver floorboards, and an elegant two-tone paint scheme. However, the bags, sissy bar, rack, and windshield can also be thrown on the standard version. So, the difference mainly concerns a few comfort features.

Finally, you’re probably wondering how anyone can keep scribbling on about the Rocket and not really address its brute force. Rather than bore you with gear ratios and the like, I’ll simply say that the bike is extremely fast. I’ll even illustrate the point by relating a tiny incident I had with a couple of California’s finest.

It all unfolded on a slightly twisty stretch of two-lane running up into the Northern Sierras. I left town a minute too late and found myself stuck behind a dozen cars. Naturally, I did what any self-respecting rider would do — I began leap frogging my way to the front of the pack.

Eventually, I came upon my final car. The hill was steep, and there was a sweeper ahead. There was also a white dot on the horizon. Fully confident in the Rocket’s ability to blast off, I whacked the throttle and went for it, tucking back in seconds before the white dot revealed itself to be a Calaveras County cop. Knowing I was cooked, I simply found the next place to pull over and await my fate.

“What the @#$& were you thinking?” Johnny Law cried. “Passing uphill on a double yellow near a corner!?!” When I began to explain myself, he stopped me short. “Don’t worry,” he said. “I understand. I ride, too.” Then he cut into a series of questions about the Rocket. Seconds later, we were joined by a statey. It was turning into a real roadside bash. It didn’t seem to matter that I’d just broken a number of laws. All both cops wanted to know was how fast my strange-looking bike went. After assuring me that my response would be off the record, I hit them with a seriously felonious number that left them stunned. They begged me to be careful and sent me on my way, free of any extra paperwork. Talk about California dreaming.

When I eventually pulled back into LA to return the Rocket, I did so with a heavy heart. After 1,500 miles, one deer attack, and one brush with the law, the monster and I had been through a lot together. Enjoying a last look at my old British friend, I had only one thought: I can’t wait to launch the Rocket again. RB

TECH SHEET

LIST PRICE $16,299

ENGINE Liquid-cooled inline three

VALVETRAIN DOHC, four valves per cylinder

DISPLACEMENT 2294cc

BORE X STROKE 101.6 x 94.3mm

COMPRESSION 8.7:1

FUEL SYSTEM Multipoint sequential EFI

MFR HP RATING 140 at 6000 rpm

MFR TORQUE RATING 147 ft-lbs. at 2500 rpm

TRANSMISSION Five-speed

FINAL DRIVE Shaft

OVERALL LENGTH 98.4"

WHEELBASE 66.7"

RAKE/TRAIL 32 degrees/6"

SEAT HEIGHT 29.1"

FUEL CAPACITY 6.3 gallons

DRY WEIGHT 704 pounds

2006 COLORS Cherry Red/New England White, Jet Black/Sunset Red