2006 Triumph Rocket III Classic Motorcycle reviews

Just completed a trip from Indiana to the Gulf Coast (Natchez, Miss through Baton Rouge, New Orleans (107 degrees), Mobile, Biloxi, Pensacola, Panama City Gatlinburg) ending back in Indiana - 2500 miles. The R3 performed flawlessly getting 40 miles per gallon of juice and getting a lot of stares. The only thing distracting was the seat - a bit too harsh for my a*#. Will upgrade the seat to gel filled prior to next jaunt. Local upholstery shop can rework for a good price. Thinking of Sturgis next year. Show less

This is an absolute engineering marvel. The H-D riders are suffering from engine envy. What a magnificent machine. Not a bike for the mild or meek. This monster requires constant attention while riding and strength of upper body. Very, very quick. Extremely responsive throttle and very smooth at speed. Large 240 mm rear tire taakes getting used to as it wants to stand back up in the curves but with practice you can overcome that feeling. Worth every cent I paid for it, and more. You will GRIN when you ride this bad boy. Show less

I have had my Rocket for 1 year now, I have put exactly 5500 miles on it to date. I returned it to the dealer once for an idle correction, otherwise it has been problem free. The Rocket is a good fit for big guys. It gets you away from the V-twin norm and has more power than most bikes on the road, definitely the most power in its class. Show less

I found the first few miles a little intimidating but that didn't last long. All I can say is WOW. This bike handles great and with the power, it can only be called, like I said, WOW. I had a few upgrades that I wanted and the guys at the dealership took good care of me. I'm glad I waited for Triumph to build this machine. Show less

Bought my '06 R3 Classic Black/Red in June 2006. My test ride was the ride home. I had made up my mind that this was the bike I wanted. Not one regret. I've thoroughly enjoyed learning how powerful and smooth it is. I can burn up a full tank of gas (180+ miles) with no rest stops and no fatigue. The stock seat on the Classic is very comfortable. It is enjoyable as an everyday ride and as a long distance cruiser. It has enough torque and power to keep me smiling every time I ride. I chose the Classic because the pullback bars are more comfortable, the floorboards and heel-toe shifter are perfect, and the black/red paint job with gold pinstriping is great looking. Countersteering through long sweeping turns at 70-80 mph is effortless. Set it up in the entry and the bike will stay planted. Decreasing radius exit ramps demand respect though. This is where the bike reminds you it weighs 800 lb. You will need considerable countersteering effort to pull through. After riding my friends' Ninja 600, Honda CX-500 and Suzuki GS-750 ES for years, this was the first bike I owned. I wanted a powerful cruiser, but was aprehensive about the 800 lb. weight. Not to worry. A few sessions at the practice lot and it felt very comfortable. As they tell you in the MSF class - - Do NOT use that front brake if the front wheel is not straight. The front shocks are soft and the dive will try to flop the bike over very easily. Had a few scary moments keeping the bike from dropping. Adrenaline is a good thing. This bike is just plain good for your ego. Folks roll up to the stop light and gawk at the size. The stock pipes are wimpy, so it is a real sleeper. Twist the throttle and you will get an instant grin (and instant respect) as you hang on against 1.2 G's of pull. Your butt is going to get very firmly planted into that seat during hard acceleration. I'm barely getting through 3rd gear and the thing is showing 110 mph. Hey where did everybody go? A few seconds later, the Screamin' Eagle Road King and the 750 Katana show up at the next light. None of them believe this big cruiser had so much. Be prepared for the following questions and reactions as a Rocket Captain: 1. What is that? [Ohh. It's a Triumph. I thought they stopped making those]. 2. How many cc's [No wayyy! That thing is all engine!] 3. Is that a V-6? 4. How much horsepower and how fast will it go? [Insert your own expletive]. It's a thrill having a very powerful unique looking bike that doesn't fit the HD mold. Only a few minor complaints. Stop and go traffic in 100F Houston weather is very hot. When the radiator fan kicks in, it is like a Jen-Aire oven on your legs. The price of having 1/3 of a Viper engine between your legs. There is a tremendous amount of buffeting at 65-70 mph. I have the roadster screen and have had it at every height and angle. At 5ft. 9in., the buffeting is directly in my face. A full face helmet is mandatory. I hear the lowers will help reduce the buffeting. Surprisingly, the wind is smoother at 80 mph. All Rocket riders learn the neutral to 1st shift routine. There are two ways I do it. One is to let the bike idle in neutral, then do a quick clutch+kick down to get in 1st. The other is to apply pressure to the shifter and slowly feather out the clutch until it drops into gear. Getting into neutral before starting sometimes requires rolling the bike to find the sweet spot. 2900-3200 rpm is the only area of vibration on an otherwise smooth-as-butter engine. This works out to about 70-85 mph in 5th gear. This thing has mountains of torque! It will pull in 1st gear at idle speed. A roll-on at highway speed is effortless. I find myself driving with a point-and-shoot attitude. If there is a gap in traffic, a flick of the wrist will get you there in an instant. For everyday driving 3000 rpm is my normal shift point. For hard acceleration, I've found 5000-5500 rpm to be the sweet spot. You also get a nice growl from the pipes at that rpm. If you want a confortable highway cruiser with the ability to earn the respect of some very powerful street bikes, this is your ride. Show less

Of all the bikes I have ridden or owned, I have to say that with out a doubt, this is the best, smoothest and the most comfortable bike I have ever owned. It fits me like a glove. The acceleration is second to none (140 horsepower) and the Harley drivers just can't stand it. I love the sound that it makes and not to mention all the heads that turn when you drive by. This is my first Cruiser and I must say, I couldn't have picked a better bike. I would, without hesitation, recommend this bike to my best friend or a family member. Show less