Triumph Rocket 3 Review

Overall Rating

Runs well, great acceleration, looks amazing. Looks pure muscle, but has a lot better handling than you may think for a bike it's size. I've had bicycles more difficult to ride, at speed is very, very easy to ride, have to watch what you do at low speed, ...of course.

Few finishing bit's that frankly triumph should have known better, tricky speedo to read, dodgy fuel gauge. Chrome quality not that great.

I saw the Triumph Rocket 3 and thought "yep, that will do nicely". It's not a monster to ride, indeed very easy to ride. It is very well balanced and rides a lot better than a lot of the reviews I've read. I'm not the biggest bloke and was concerned that it might be too much of a handful. Test ride put me at ease. One up, two up, makes no difference, huge grunt, goes well. The looks are great, but you will love it or hate it - me, I love it! Pure muscle, distinctive looks. Is it the best bike? I don't think so. I think it's a good bike, a great bike, but not the best. A few poor points let the bike down, and for the kind of money you have to pay, frankly some of them are just not right for the money. Don't get me wrong very happy with the bike, but things could be better (guess that's always the case) Don't believe all the hype, it's not a monster, it does handle well, it is easier to ride than most people realise. Power...great, looks the dogs, great engine, but bit let down by quality of finish. I had a few minor but non the less few problems that annoyed me when I bought it. Frankly all sorted fairly quickly, but just stuff that should not have been wrong in the first place. Triumph have been going long enough and should know better. Pity because it has all the makings of an amazing bike. If you buy this bike to ride 7 days come rain or whatever, I don't think it would look too pretty after a while. It is not a bike to rain-ride, without 100% attention to cleaning drying, polishing etc. Requires fastidious attention to keep looking good. But then, don't they all? Mine has a few chrome toys, and despite what triumph say, the chrome quality is not that clever. I think other bikes thrash it in terms of quality of finish. But, it does look the business. Don't be put off, it is a good bike, 2.3 fuel injected, it's got it all, but not, but not, 100% percent. Frankly for the money it could be better. Buy it, you can't help but love it, but some things might just annoy you a bit, based mostly on quality of finish. Pure grunt, pure go, not a lot can touch it. However, for most people it's not just getting there, it's also how you get there.