The 2300cc Triumph Rocket 111
Sunday, September 5th, 2010There’s nothing like the thought of a biking holiday to inspire one to change ones bike! When some friends suggested a tour around Europe, this became reality as I looked to change my reliable but old BMWR100RS.
After being disappointed with the BMW dealership I visited, who sell their bikes alongside their cars now and didn’t really seem interested as to whether I bought one of their bikes or not, I went to my local Triumph dealer.
I have owned quite a few of the latter day Triumphs, but as I get older I want something comfortable rather than sporty.
The Triumph dealership was everything that the BMW dealer was not – friendly, knowledgeable and a biker! I found that I actually wanted to buy from them, whatever the machine!
I settled on a bright shiny Rocket 3.
I have been riding bikes for many years and have had a good number of modern Triumphs, and have always been fascinated by the Rocket.
When you first get on board it feels as big as it looks. With the high and wide handlebars and low, comfortable seat, one feels like one is in the thing rather than marsupial like on top of it!
But there was something about it that made me feel “good”. The blue and silver polished paintwork, the chrome and crinkle black engine casings and the layout of the four dials on the handlebars, (I had a clock and fuel gauge fitted) made this machine something else, to me at least. This was to be reinforced when at my first ever stop on it for fuel resulted in 2 conversations and someone wanting their picture taken with it!
The 2.3 litre engine burbled into life. I engaged first gear, noticed the shift was surprisingly light, and gently let out the clutch.
Just on tick over, the bike rolls away quite happily and I was amazed at the low speed stability. The centre of gravity is low and the balance is amazing.
Part of the design was that Triumph wanted the bike to vibrate a bit, which it does, but not irritatingly so. It’s just not as smooth, and some would say soulless, as an in line four.
Instead, we have a machine that is both happy to potter around back lanes, or jump to light speed if one twists the throttle more than a few millimetres. But you never feel that you have to ride it fast.
Obviously this is a very heavy bike, but that works to its advantage in that it feels incredibly stable at speed, and once the tyres are scrubbed in it corners well and eagerly.
Cornering is good, but if you try and corner like it’s a GP bike you are going to have a problem.
The Rocket has been great fun so far, and I’m looking forward to our 2,000 mile trip to Spain – even the hairpins!
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