2009 Triumph Rocket ||| Review

Introduction

Back in the early days it was all about a massive and rumbling V-twin mounted on a rigid chassis. If you wanted to take the bike down the highway, you would simply fit it with a windscreen. The idea was to keep the bike weighing as low as possible, sometimes even contradicting the manufacturer’s vision related to certain features. “What about the front brakes? Who needs those, anyway?” You could hear that on a daily basis.

2009 Triumph Rocket |||

With the years passing by, manufacturers had tried to keep the rhythm imposed by the rebel customers so we witnessed motorcycles displacing more and more cubic inches. That happened until the Triumph Rocket ||| saw the production line. American builders formed a new idea on massive cruisers and it seems that some thinks simply never change as the Rocket ||| is still the best performance cruiser ever to see the streets.

History

First launched at the end of 2004 as a 2005 model year, the Triumph Rocket ||| wrote a big page of history with the help of its 2300cc three-cylinder motor featuring 101.6mm pistons. The 240mm rear tire was also a first and received appreciation from motorcyclists all over the world. The Rocket ||| was a great success as riders rushed to buy the cruiser with a sportbike heart.

But what not many people know is that Triumph had long developed the Rocket |||. It all started with an idea back in 1999 when new models were sketched and which had the luck to be turned into reality earlier. Frankly, they based on Triumph’s heritage, totally apart from the new bike that thrilled everyone even from the drawing board.

Competition

It is obvious that with the Rocket ||| Triumph decided to clearly indicate themselves as leaders of the class, but American and Japanese manufacturers had also developed power cruisers that seem in a class of their own.

2009 Harley-Davidson Night Rod

The Harley-Davidson Night Rod is an aggressive speed machine that disposes of a liquid-cooled, 1250cc V-Twin that backs its looks up with 125hp. Prettier, sharper-looking, and with its mysterious attitude given by the Matte Black color and new, black, five-spoke cast aluminum wheels, the Night Rod is more appealing while remaining strong-pulling and maneuverable. This is one great alternative in case you don’t feel like going for the biggest and most powerful.

2009 Kawasaki Vulcan 2000

In that case, the Kawasaki Vulcan 2000 also makes for a good option as it is all about power and classic V-Twin lines. I won’t deny that it looks good and I won’t complain about the way it handles either. Vulcan’s most important feature and the one that brings it up against the best in the business is the 2053cc engine.

Boss Hoss

The 2009 Star Warrior and the Suzuki Boulevard C109R also stand as V-twin powered cruisers, but as far as we recall, there hasn’t been made any other three-cylinder performance cruiser so the Rocket ||| is pretty much found in a class of its own. But if we’d had the name a cruiser that is far more powerful than this British one, the Boss Hoss is the first thing that comes in our minds.

Exterior

2009 Triumph Rocket |||

If there’s something that not everybody appreciates at the Rocket |||, then we’re talking about the way this bike looks. I mean, would you call it beautiful? Not sure! It is imposing, yes, aggressive, of course, and unique-looking, without a doubt. I am not an adept of the idea that Triumph intended to make it look sexy. No, I think and very much hope that it tried to deliver a massive-looking bike that would take you to gas pumps 200 miles apart one from the other.

In order to do that, it needed a huge 6.3 gallons fuel tank which raises a bit high to make room for the tank-like radiator. The seat looks like a sofa and the exhaust like rocket launchers. Wheels and fenders also enhance the massive appearance, just like the exhaust system which features kind of an unusual arrangement so that it would unveil the three cylinders. Two exhaust pipes are situated on the right side of the rider and a single pipe sees its way on the left side of the rider.

The simple Rocket |||, the one which is also unofficially referred to as the Custom version is painted either Claret or Phantom Black.

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Test Drive

Riders declared to be expecting a motorcycle which is easy to deal with (yes, even when it comes to the Rocket |||), very powerful and impressively comfortable. I have to admit that as soon as I saw it, my heart started beating faster and faster, forgetting absolutely everything I managed to sketch inside my head related to the test ride.

I simply went on and fired the bike up, and rode it as demanding as possible. But before even leaving the parking lot, I noticed that it is very easy to be pulled off the stand. Even more, maneuvering it while being powered by your legs isn’t a pain either. This is what Triumph kept trying to obtain with the low center of gravity and I reckon it couldn’t have done a better job.

I kept it in first gear for a while so that I will get used to it and that, of course, meant riding at low speed. The Rocket’s behavior simply amazed me! Even though it weighs 704 lbs dry, it doesn’t show it at all as you take full 360 degree turns just for the hell of it, or to impress your friends without hitting the gas hard.

2009 Triumph Rocket |||

But when you do decide on seeing what this bike can do, the 2300cc, liquid-cooled, DOHC, in-line three-cylinder engine which was fitted with Multipoint sequential electronic fuel injection seems to have abundant power for all the gears and at any rpm levels. In fact, I didn’t even felt to have reached the bike’s limits as I rode it with approximately 140mph in top gear. The engine accelerates extremely powerful, while keeping those harsh vibrations far from the rider even when the exhaust note is as powerful as it can get. It is an absolute pleasure to take it down a twisty country road and enjoy the easy handling while still revving it highly at those corner exits. And when a straight line is seen, all the fun seems to have reached the culminating point. The engine pulls strong, keeping the rider concentrated on the throttle, clutch, shifter triangle, without too many chances to read the instruments.

The clutch harnesses the 140bhp delivered at 6000rpm and 147ft.lbt at 2,500rpm and it does it smoothly and effectively. The feel in the lever is pretty strong, but we are talking about the largest capacity production motorcycle that the world has ever seen so it’s normal to be that way. The gearbox announces you’ve hit first with a healthy mechanical clonk and the ease of using it is reassuring all the time spent in its seat.

As I was saying, Triumph intended to make it comfortable also and it did it by carefully arranging the handlebars and footpegs so that no stretching would be required. The seat is very comfortable with a slightly firm feel at first, but which proves perfect for the long haul.

But comfort can take many forms. Personally I like to know that I dispose of a powerful braking system when I am rolling down the freeway at approximately 140mph. The Triumph Rocket ||| didn’t disappoint me as with the help of its four piston calipers working on two 320mm floating discs up front and two piston caliper applied on a single 316mm disc at the rear. Stopping power is abundant and it enters the scene as soon as the finger and boot reach the levers.

Price

It is always Triumph’s best decision to keep the price as low as possible and their biggest motorcycle couldn’t have featured a special price, although I don’t think riders would have let themselves scared so easily. MSRP for the simple version is $15,399.

Conclusion

Although it doesn’t make quite a statement when it comes to the way it looks, the Triumph Rocket ||| is an excellent performing, and very comfortable motorcycle. Riders will enjoy its aggressive character all the way through the powerband while the way this bike handles makes everyone brag about it.

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SPECIFICATIONS

Engine and Transmission

2009 Triumph Rocket ||| Engine

Displacement: 2294cc
Type: Liquid-cooled, DOHC, in-line 3-cylinder
Bore x Stroke: 101.6 x 94.3mm
Compression Ratio: 8.7:1
Fuel System: Multipoint sequential electronic fuel injection
Gearbox: 5-speed
Final Drive: Shaft
Clutch: Wet, multi-plate

Chassis and Dimensions

2009 Triumph Rocket ||| Suspensions

Frame: Tubular steel, twin spine
Swingarm: Twin-sided, steel
Front Wheel: Alloy 5-spoke, 17 x 3.5in
Rear Wheel: Alloy 5-spoke, 16 x 7.5in
Front Tyre: 150/80 R 17
Rear Tyre: 240/50 R 16
Front Suspension: 43mm upside down forks
Rear Suspension: Chromed spring twin shocks with adjustable preload
Front Brakes: Twin 320mm floating discs, 4 piston calipers
Rear Brakes: Single 316mm disc, 2 piston caliper
Length: 98.4in
Width (Handlebars): 38.2in
Height: 45.9in
Seat Height: 29.1in
Wheelbase: 66.7in
Rake/Trail: 32 degree/152mm
Weight (Dry): 704lbs
Fuel Tank Capacity: 6.3 gal

Performance:
Maximum Power: 140bhp at 6000rpm
Maximum Torque: 147ft.lbt at 2500rpm

Other:
Colors: Claret, Phantom Black

Features

Engine:
The incredible 2.3 liter, in-line, water cooled, triple cylinder engine means that even two-up the Rocket III accelerates incredibly hard without obvious effort. 

But despite its size, the engine is incredibly smooth as the balance, input and rear drive shaft contra-rotate against the crankshaft, which makes for minimal torque reaction.

Transmission:
Shaft drive is ideally suited to dealing with such a strong production engine and gives the added benefit of being highly durable and virtually maintenance free.

Brakes:
The Rocket III’s front brakes - twin four-piston calipers mated with 320mm floating discs – are built to sports bike specification and provide awesome stopping power. The rear brake, developed especially by Brembo, is a single twin piston caliper and 316mm disc.

Fueling:
Twin butterfly valves for each throttle body are used to give precise control over the engine and this set-up allows the ECU to vary the mixture flow and ignition map dependent on gear selected and road speed. The torque curve is thus tailored specifically for each gear ratio. And the result is impressive – over 90% of the engine’s prodigious torque output is available at just 2000rpm, giving incredible levels of flexibility and making the five-speed gearbox almost redundant.

Chassis:
The Rocket III’s chassis is something quite special and centrers on a large tubular steel twin-spine frame, which houses the motor, while 43mm upside down forks and spring preload adjustable twin rear shocks, built specifically for the Rocket III, add control, composure and supple compliance.

Models Available

Triumph Rocket ||| Classic

2009 Triumph Rocket ||| Classic

I based my article on the simple version of the Rocket |||, but apart from it, Triumph also offers the same cruising motorcycle which is oriented towards a more laid back riding position given by the pullback handlebars and forward set footpegs. Also standard on the Rocket ||| Classic and very distinctive is the stitched touring seat for greater comfort and the Cherry Red/New England White, Pacific Blue/Aluminum color schemes.

Price

A bit more expensive, the Rocket ||| Classic is for more requiring riders, those who are willing to pay the MSRP of $16,199 in order to get their hands on one.

Triumph Rocket ||| Touring

2009 Triumph Rocket ||| Touring

For 2009 Triumph carries on producing the Touring version. This performs as good as the previous two versions while the touring changes consist in modified suspensions, low seat, shaft final drive, and as new additions stand the windshield, floorboards and the 36 liter panniers.

Price

The single color option (Jet Black) is offered for an MSRP of $16,999 and the tow-tone colors (Eclipse Blue/Azure Blue, Jet Black, Jet Black/Sunset Red) comes with an MSRP of $16,999 for the single color and $17,299 for the two-tone color.