Triumph Rocket III review, test ride

The Triumph Rocket III has an irrefutable following. The only motorcycle to bear this name besides the current one from Triumph, was the 1960's BSA Rocket 3. Although that was from rival BSA’s assembly lines, the motorcycle was powered by the very first Triumph triple engine. It had a short run though, and was never produced after the mid ’70s. When the Triumph motorcycle was launched in 2004, the name was brought back, but with a twist. This time, the Triumph Rocket ‘III’ featured the world’s largest production engine.

From the moment you lay eyes on the Rocket III, you will find yourself in awe of the sheer size of this Triumph motorcycle. The Rocket III is huge – really, it redefines 'mammoth-sized' in the flesh. The broad tyres, twin headlamps, wide handlebars, massive tank and engine, and the really wide-set exhaust pipes, everything adds to the size quotient. In fact, when you sit on the Rocket III, the tank seems like it rises till almost your chest. Take our word for this, when you lay your eyes upon a Rocket III, you can’t help but say, “wow, that is big!”

The front tyres are 150/80 rubber, mounted on 17-inch wheels, while 43mm upside-down telescopic fork performs suspension duty at the front. The motorcycle has Triumph-typical dual headlights that stay lit throughout. Matching with the headlights, chrome-plated instrument meters sit mounted on the handlebars. What really catches grabs attention though, is the Rocket III’s beautiful mid-section, with its massive proportions. The enormous fuel tank holds 24 litres of fuel. Below this sits the engine, with chrome exhausts running from it, till the back. The seat is set quite low, at 750mm in height, and the rear seat is detachable. Below the rear seat are the exposed rear shock absorbers. The rear wheel is also massive at 240/50 section, and looks quite impressive too.

Overall fit and finish on the motorcycle is top notch. This is Triumph’s flagship cruiser, and one would expect nothing but that the motorcycle is solidly built.

On the other hand, what is truly impressive is the massive engine. It boasts of figures which are quite hard to match. The 2.3 litre 3-cylinders are longitudinally mounted inside the twin spine frame. All of the 22.5kgm of torque is produced at 2,750rpm, and a maximum power of 146bhp is delivered at 5,750rpm. Cranking the motor is a most rewarding experience on a Rocket III. It takes a slightly long press of the starter button and there’s a noticeable twitch from the frame. And once started up, the entire frame shudders mildly, while the exhaust emits a muffled and throaty growl before settling down into a steady idle.