Rocket 3-thoughts?
Discussion
I’ve owned three Tigers: 2002, 2006 and I’ve still got my 2009 Sport. I have an urge to get a Rocket 3 because it looks like a lot of fun.
Does anyone here own one? What has been your experience with it and any thought about the R vs the GT? I like the idea of the relaxed position of the GT but have heard all the bumps go though your back.
Thanks for sharing
Does anyone here own one? What has been your experience with it and any thought about the R vs the GT? I like the idea of the relaxed position of the GT but have heard all the bumps go though your back.
Thanks for sharing
Timmy, I’m in the middle of watching the excellent video review you sent me (great presentation style btw) but just in case there are any other interested parties listening: with your height, how did the riding position feel?
Was there enough space between the seat and footpegs to avoid leg cramp? What about the handle bar position? Even though I’m lanky, because of the setup on the Tiger I always feel like I have to hunch my shoulders and reach forward to the handlebars and this causes some back ache on long journeys.
Ps replied with my Hotmail address
Was there enough space between the seat and footpegs to avoid leg cramp? What about the handle bar position? Even though I’m lanky, because of the setup on the Tiger I always feel like I have to hunch my shoulders and reach forward to the handlebars and this causes some back ache on long journeys.
Ps replied with my Hotmail address
Edited by Driller on Sunday 6th June 10:40
foxsasha said:
My Black Edition R was delivered yesterday. Haven't ridden it yet but test rode the GT. Great fun bike but didn't particularly like the feet forward position. Love the cartoonish nature of them, they're just so daft. And fast, they do go well.
Sorry must have crossed posts. Congratulations! You must be itching to get out on it. Can you let us know how it compares to the GT when you do?Thanks for the valuable feedback chaps. Took a GT out today for 2 hours.
Loads of fun, the engine is just brilliant, monstrous, although not at all as much of a handfull I thought it would be. Love the bellow on acceleration and deep bubbling on over run. Took a while to get used to the weight especially for example some tram-lining on a rough road, filtering at low speed. Otherwise the handling was perfectly civilised for such a heavy bike.
If really felt like something special riding it. A real event and lots of positive attention from other road users fwiw.
I'm 6'3 and I found the bars and foward positioned foot pegs very comfortable for my arms and legs. Unfortunately the same can't be said for my back
The combination of relatively hard suspension, low profile rear tyre, short travel rear shock and lack of under body foot support meant that after 30 minutes or so I started to get a decidedly achey back. From then on every bump sent a jarring feeling up my spine and when I got off at the end I had shooting pains down both legs
Sodding back, made me feel old and I'm not fifty yet...
I read with interest on another form that its potentially possible to keep the forward footpegs in place even after fitting R style mid-placed ones and you can turn the springs round so they default to the up position so best of both worlds.
I have a test of the R with the mid foot pegs on Wednesday so I'll let you know it goes.
Loads of fun, the engine is just brilliant, monstrous, although not at all as much of a handfull I thought it would be. Love the bellow on acceleration and deep bubbling on over run. Took a while to get used to the weight especially for example some tram-lining on a rough road, filtering at low speed. Otherwise the handling was perfectly civilised for such a heavy bike.
If really felt like something special riding it. A real event and lots of positive attention from other road users fwiw.
I'm 6'3 and I found the bars and foward positioned foot pegs very comfortable for my arms and legs. Unfortunately the same can't be said for my back
The combination of relatively hard suspension, low profile rear tyre, short travel rear shock and lack of under body foot support meant that after 30 minutes or so I started to get a decidedly achey back. From then on every bump sent a jarring feeling up my spine and when I got off at the end I had shooting pains down both legs Sodding back, made me feel old and I'm not fifty yet...
I read with interest on another form that its potentially possible to keep the forward footpegs in place even after fitting R style mid-placed ones and you can turn the springs round so they default to the up position so best of both worlds.
I have a test of the R with the mid foot pegs on Wednesday so I'll let you know it goes.
foxsasha said:
Did another few hours on my R today. Im now perfectly comfortable with the riding position and the more I ride the bike the more I like it. Was a mix of all types of riding. Fast, slow, bumpy, traffic, town, straight, lots of bends, filtering, over takes etc. You name it.
The best bit is that its fun to ride for the sake of being sat on it. Doesnt matter if its in traffic, town, at speed. Its an occasion to ride. Usually I get annoyed with excess traffic etc but couldnt care less on the Rocket, fast, slow, whatever, its all good. Cornering is challenging as you need to pay attention. Its not like youre going to get yourself out of a hole with 300kg of bike if you screw up corner entry speed etc. I mean, the bike has a bit of forgiveness built in but theres only so many liberties you can take. Which is a good thing as its hugely rewarding to power through a series of corners feeling the big fat rear tyre sling you out of the bends.
Good stuff.
To add, Im 100% happy with R over GT.
Yes absolutely agree with that. Just sitting on it at low speed feels like a real event. The best bit is that its fun to ride for the sake of being sat on it. Doesnt matter if its in traffic, town, at speed. Its an occasion to ride. Usually I get annoyed with excess traffic etc but couldnt care less on the Rocket, fast, slow, whatever, its all good. Cornering is challenging as you need to pay attention. Its not like youre going to get yourself out of a hole with 300kg of bike if you screw up corner entry speed etc. I mean, the bike has a bit of forgiveness built in but theres only so many liberties you can take. Which is a good thing as its hugely rewarding to power through a series of corners feeling the big fat rear tyre sling you out of the bends.
Good stuff.
To add, Im 100% happy with R over GT.
No back ache? How tall are you if you don’t mind me asking?
Rubin215 said:
That's pretty much what i would say about it too.
It handles quite like an articulated lorry - get the front end round and leave enough room for the rear to follow and you will be fine, never forget just how loaded you are and think twice about where you want to park.
Torque is good (well, it would be with that size of an engine) but it just never seems to really take off when you gas it; I spent a lot of the time wondering where the extra ponies were stabled.
Personally, I found both old and new versions seriously uncomfortable after less than an hour and couldn't imagine a day in the saddle without painkillers.
I would also have a serious look at the Diavel.
Did you try the GT or the R?It handles quite like an articulated lorry - get the front end round and leave enough room for the rear to follow and you will be fine, never forget just how loaded you are and think twice about where you want to park.
Torque is good (well, it would be with that size of an engine) but it just never seems to really take off when you gas it; I spent a lot of the time wondering where the extra ponies were stabled.
Personally, I found both old and new versions seriously uncomfortable after less than an hour and couldn't imagine a day in the saddle without painkillers.
I would also have a serious look at the Diavel.
Rubin215 said:
Driller said:
Did you try the GT or the R?
Rode the R, sat on the GT and knew my back issues wouldn't work with the pegs.I have had a dodgy lower back for some time in spite of doing loads if exercise and I don’t want to make an expensive mistake
foxsasha said:
And R bars? Why not just buy an R? But congrats, they are great fun.
Well as I said, I actually really liked the GT bars I found them very comfortable, it was just the foot pegs position that didn’t agree with my back (actually I’ve been doing some stretching exercises and the back feels much better). Plus I think the rear wheel design is much prettier on the GT and I like the back rest and heated grips. One of the great things about this bike is if I want to, further down the line, I can put an R bar on if I decided to. Same with the seat, the R s’est I’d thicker and do pads the back more.
Also, in France here there’s a GT in the shop ready to go but no-one has got any Rs and they won’t get them for a few months.
So I could have quite happily got an R if one was available but the GT just pipped it
Supercilious Sid said:
Beautiful!
Edited by Driller on Thursday 24th June 07:57
Got the GT in the end with footpegs moved into the R position.
The suspension comfort concerns have completely gone. I don't know whether it's just because I got used to it or because I got an Airhawk type seat but pretty much no aching back now even after long rides.
All in in an amazing bike and an absolute event every time you ride it.
I hadn't paid much attention to the rider modes what with running it in and just getting used to it and to be honest I pretty much forgot about them seeing as how the bike performs so well in standard mode.
Anyway, yesterday whilst out for a ride I remembered and after much fiddling about found the very obviously placed MODE button (duh) and turned it on.
f
k.me. Terrifying, absolutely terrifying. I couldn't understand why the quickshift option existed, now I know: when you lift your fingers up to pull the clutch in to change gear you get pull off the bike. I had to throttle off early each time to be able to hang on no joke.
When I got home I turned it off. Might keep it like that for a while
The suspension comfort concerns have completely gone. I don't know whether it's just because I got used to it or because I got an Airhawk type seat but pretty much no aching back now even after long rides.
All in in an amazing bike and an absolute event every time you ride it.
I hadn't paid much attention to the rider modes what with running it in and just getting used to it and to be honest I pretty much forgot about them seeing as how the bike performs so well in standard mode.
Anyway, yesterday whilst out for a ride I remembered and after much fiddling about found the very obviously placed MODE button (duh) and turned it on.
f
k.me. Terrifying, absolutely terrifying. I couldn't understand why the quickshift option existed, now I know: when you lift your fingers up to pull the clutch in to change gear you get pull off the bike. I had to throttle off early each time to be able to hang on no joke.When I got home I turned it off. Might keep it like that for a while
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