Rocket 3

Spec Showdown: Triumph Rocket 3 Vs. Yamaha VMax

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by Sabrina Giacomini from https://www.rideapart.com Power cruisers punch out. For 2019, Triumph upped the ante on the Rocket 3 with the introduction of an entirely new generation. The upgrades included a new look and also a bigger engine which is no small feat considering the Rocket 3 already rocked the biggest production motorcycle engine on the market. Just like that, a new benchmark was set in the power cruiser segment.  While the definition of power cruisers is rather broad, there’s only handful of 1,500cc-plusmodels the Rocket 3 can measure up to. Considering the Triumph sits at the top of the category with a higher price tag, we thought we’d take a look at how it compares to one of its more affordable competitors, its Japanese counterpart, theYamaha VMax. Let’s have a look at how the two models compare on paper.  2020 Triumph Rocket 3R 2020 Yamaha VMax Engine: 2,458cc, water-cooled, inline-three cylinder 1,679cc, liquid-cooled, 65-degree V4 Bore, Stroke, Compression: 110.2mm x 85.9mm, 10.8:1 90mm x 66mm, 11.3:1 Transmission and Final Drive: 6 gears, shaft 5 gears, shaft Performance: 165 hp/163 lb-ft -/123 lb-ft Weight:  641.5 pounds (dry) 683 pounds (wet) Price: $21,900  $17,999 Performance  Of course, we can’t talk power cruisers without discussing their performance. The Rocket 3 boasts the biggest production motorcycle engine of the industry which gives it an undeniable appeal versus the Yamaha. That being said, though its engine is almost half the size of the Rocket (displacement wise), the VMax can pull its own weight and give the Triumph a run for its money.  While the Rocket 3 produces more torque than the Vmax (163 versus 143), there’s a possibility that the Japanese power cruiser outperforms its British counterpart on the pony front.  While Yamaha doesn’t disclose any horsepower figures, several sources suggest it produces “over 170 horsepower”, possibly even 200, according to some. That’s easily between 5 to as much as 35 hp more than the Rocket. Because the numbers aren’t from Yamaha, however, we […]

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Riding Triumph’s Rocket 3

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by Dries Van der Walt from https://www.wheels24.co.za As promised during the local launch of the new Triumph Rocket 3, Triumph South Africa allowed me to ride the beast on Wednesday, March 25, beating the national coronavirus lockdown by just two days. It was a bitter-sweet experience because while riding the open (and already noticeably quieter) roads in the Hekpoort area of Gauteng, I was keenly aware of the fact that this would be my last leisure ride on a bike for quite a while. I was joined on the trip by Triumph South Africa CEO Bruce Allen and a colleague from another publication, and the conversation over brunch was predictably dominated by our shared concern about the effects that the looming lockdown, as undeniably necessary as it was, would have on the country’s already brittle economy. But all of that did nothing to distract from the experience of riding the world’s biggest-capacity production bike. At 2500cm³, the Rocket 3’s engine capacity exceeds that of most cars – almost double that of the popular B-segment hatchbacks that are ubiquitous on South African roads. Housing an engine of that size dictates the design approach, and the Rocket 3 presents a squat motorcycle that is not likely to be mistaken for anything else. Intimidating at first Despite being not very tall, the sheer bulk of the bike is somewhat intimidating at first sight. This feeling is not dispelled once you swing a leg over, because that’s when you realise how wide the frame actually is. That said, as soon as the wheels start rolling and your feet are on the pegs, the intimidation factor dissipates with the realisation that, despite its bulk, the Rocket is really well-balanced. It carries its weight low in the frame, and the size seems to melt away as

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The Rocket 3 Is Apparently Faster Than Triumph Claims

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The Rocket 3 gets from zero to sixty faster than most sport bikes. The trend of heavyweight, high displacement motorcycles has seen a noticeable decline in the past years. Manufacturers seem to be shifting their attention towards lighter weight, low capacity, and even electric motorcycles. Not only does this make motorcycling friendlier to beginners, it also puts motorcycles as a more accessible means of transport. Triumph Motorcycles, despite making moves to penetrate the aforementioned segment, have retained—and updated—a motorcycle that can be considered a dinosaur to some. Still the holder of the title of largest displacement motorcycle in the world, the outgoing Triumph Rocket 3 boasts an excessive 2,294cc in-line three engine. This machine is by no means a featherweight. Tipping the scales at nearly 800 lbs (that’s twice the weight of most naked bikes out there), the Rocket 3 is intimidating, and rightfully so. As to why Triumph decided to increase the Rocket 3’s already gargantuan displacement to 2,500cc for the 2020 model year, is perhaps simply because they can. Churning out a whopping 147 ft/lbs of torque, and 145 horsepower, the Rocket 3 propels itself, well, like a rocket. It’s claimed to go from 0-60 miles per hour in around 3.2 seconds. Or does it? Apparently, a Triumph test rider smashed Triumph’s internal 0-60 record during a track event in Spain in October of last year. The unnamed pilot was able to commandeer the Rocket 3 from 0-60 miles per hour in a blistering 2.73 seconds. 2.73 seconds on an 800 pound cruiser is definitely a performance to brag about. However, the Rocket 3 isn’t impressive solely because of its 0-60 time. Triumph test riders and Rocket 3 owners alike have praised the bike’s cornering ability. Of course, it’s no sport bike, and it wasn’t designed to carve

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