[GP19]

Bike bug bit me when I saw an Instagram post of BMW R18.
I went to check out the bike with my wife’s cousin and her brother. I was mesmerised by the way it looked. My wife’s cousin, who is a hard core biker, suggested that I should start riding.

So to start off with I chose CB350, probably because it was Honda.

A year passed and eventually I figured how to ride and got a fair idea. But knowing that it’s under powered (especially with pillion)and small for me I wouldn’t have stayed with it longer.
I wanted to upgrade so in my next bike I wanted to have relaxed riding position and enough power for pillion and luggage.

How I ended up purchasing one ?

Looking at my requirements my original choice was Triumph Tiger 900 GT. But then the difference between GT and Rally was 50,000/- so thought let’s go for Rally and also I couldn’t ride GT as there were no test bikes and I have to be sure what I’m getting into, since I didn’t ride GT I didn’t wanted to go for it (GT has a different ride compared to Rally).

Now when I’ve spent almost 20 lacs (including accessories) for Rally I was showing BMW R18 to my dad. In conversation I slipped in telling him that actual bike that I like is BMW R18 and it’s for 25. He is like if you have spent so much and not going for what you don’t like then it doesn’t make sense.
That kept playing on mind for couple of days

One fine day Assistant GM of Triumph Mumbai, Mr Arash put a story on WhatsApp about Rocket 3 R and 3 GT in the showroom and it did caught my attention. I thought let’s drop by to see the bike as I was heading to town for some work.

I saw the bike and I was again mesmerised. The moment I sat on the bike and took it off the stand I realised that’s easy and doesn’t feel intimidating. I won’t deny I went home and I re-checked my finances and saw if I can stretch a bit to see if I can go for this. At that point I was like it’s ok Rally is a good buy for now.

Fast forward to 2 weeks later.

3rd Dec I took the choice number. Somewhere on 10th Arash calls me and tells me that Rally will leave from Manesar around 25th, now I was concerned about losing the number. Since I wasn’t hell bent on Rally I asked him if he has Speed Master ( Plan B ) he said he has Street twin and two Rocket. So I casually asked him the cost of 3GT and then later Edsel ( My SA ) sent it to me. In the same conversation Arash said that he will call the bike from stock yard to the showroom and once it comes I can have a look.

Same day in the evening I was showing the bike to my dad and he liked the bike but was sceptical about it because how powerful it was. But the bike kept playing in my head.

Next day Morning I did intend to see the bike irrespective of the purchase. I met my dad for some work and asked him if he was interested. He said yes and we went and saw the bike. He did like the bike but still sceptical because of the weight and power.
Same day in the evening I took my mom and sister to the showroom to show the bike.

So my family almost agreeing to it the next approval needed was from my wife. The second day I took her to the showroom to check if she can sit as pillion for 1-2 hrs at a stretch and she said she can provided she gets to ride :P

My heart was set on it but I was in two minds because of the cost and I before this I haven’t ridden something of this magnitude.

One third day I told Arash that I’m not sure committing for something which I haven’t ridden. He managed to get hold of his friend’s bike and I rode that. It felt like a breeze (obviously I was moving and not standstill or taking tight turns). Only thing I needed to justify is the cost. Well I decided to go for it now than later somewhere in life when I’m not able to ride such heavy bike.

So on fourth day I paid the final amount and sent the bike for PDI.

So here I’m purchased the Rocket 3 GT and blew up some more money.

Special thanks to Mr Arash and Mr Edsel from Shaman Triumph for patiently answering all my queries at any given time of the day. Overall dealership experience was good.

Attaching the pictures with caption below. Enjoy



The first look



Up close



Someday day light observations



Admiring the triple



The day when I took the plunge, Hello ! Rider.



Parking place along with my Innova Crysta.



Front



Rear





Side Profiles

Up close





Wireless Key On and Off



Rider's view
Handle Bar : 886mm wide









Instrument Cluster: TFT multi-functional instrument pack with digital speedometer, trip computer, digital tachometer, gear position indicator, fuel gauge, service indicator, ambient temperature, clock and rider modes (Rain/Road/Sport/Rider-configurable) – Triumph TFT Connectivity System can be added with accessory fitted Bluetooth module



Adjustable side mirrors, one has to be careful in traffic, solid build



Switch gear, finish could have been better





Top (Front) : Showa 47mm upside-down 1 1 cartridge front forks, compression and rebound adjuster. 120mm travel
Bottom (Rear) : Fully adjustable Showa piggyback reservoir RSU with remote hydraulic preload adjuster, 107mm rear wheel travel.



In-line 3, Two thousand four hundred and fifty eight cubic capacity




Stainless 3-into-1 headers with 3 exit silencer / CAT box
Top : Exhaust on right side
Bottom : 3rd one on the left.





Top : Adjustable peg position, there are three positions (note the empty slots), also the gear lever can be adjusted forward and aft
Bottom : Rear brake lever



Front brake lever can be adjusted, same for clutch lever
Throttle : Ride by wire.



Radiator equivalent to that of a small car, it’s quite effective and the engine heat is not unbearable in hot conditions





Front Brakes : Dual 320mm discs, Brembo M4.30 Stylema® 4-piston radial monobloc calipers, Cornering ABS



Shaft drive and Rear Brakes : Single 300mm disc, Brembo M4.32 4-piston monobloc caliper, Cornering ABS

[GP19]

Cont…





One of the fascinating design are the rear foot pegs.



Three step back rest





Just enough room for pillion



Battery and fuse box below the seat



Charging socket below the seat, keep the phone at your risk



Din port near instrument cluster



Overall riding observations

Disclaimer : I’m a beginner when it comes to riding and owning bikes.

Riding position : Fairly comfortable for my height and I can adjust the foot peg position by few mm ahead or back, Ive kept it in forward most position. Those who are short they can try to install R version’s foot pegs at additional cost.

Ride Quality : Initial impression of ride is stiff, playing around the suspension had made the ride quality acceptable. However, more the weight the better the ride quality. If the rider weighs 60-80 kgs then he may have to look at 3rd party springs. Recommended tire pressure is 42/42 psi. I keep changing the suspension settings depends on riding configuration.

Handling : Despite weighing 296 kgs dry the bike is quite easy to manoeuvre. So far no issues of ground clearance also, even with pillion and saddle the bike hasn’t touched any speed brakers yet.

Power Delivery : Being a sedate rider I haven’t completely explored the power band yet. But just once I twisted the throttle open and I immediately let go of the throttle because the amount of rush it gave me just made me disoriented. Torque on this bike is quite addictive, It comes in two stages, one post 4000 rpm and another between 6-7000 rpm. If my memory serves correct then i haven’t gone past 4500 rpm in majority of my riding. The riding modes available are Road, Sports, Rain and Rider. I use Road mode for 90% of the time but change to Rider mode with throttle map at sports when i ride with pillion.

Mileage : It all depends on how one rides. Because the bike is such that this parameter is not looked at. But to give you’ll a fair idea I’ve got 18 kmpl with a sedate riding to 13 kmpl with some spirited riding.

Braking : The organs get displaced in same way which gets displaced by acceleration .

Clutch : Adjustable lever with hydraulic assist. I don't find the lever hard, engaging first gear is equivalent to BEST driver engaging first gear. One has to be 2500 rpm + for seamless gear engagement. You have an option of quick shifter which i haven’t installed.

Lights : Twin Led lights does the job, especially in high beam.

Wind deflector : Good till 100 kmph, post that lot of wind buffet.

Exploring













Accessories fitted



Tank pad



Pannier system by Triumph Accessories



Tail bag by Nelson-Rigg





Much needed horn, OEM is too feeble



Fork seal coves by Kreiga



Shaft slider





Detailing done at OCD detailing



Apt key chain for the bike

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Motorcycle section. Thanks for sharing!

Going to our homepage today

[Axe77]

^
@GP19:

What an outstanding review of an absolutely incredible machine. The Rocket has really taken off well it would seem what with all Rocket specific groups rides that I see posted on the Shaman insta page. And deservedly so.

Aesthetically - and this is massively debatable - I much prefer the modern muscle cruiser looks of the Rocket over the classic looks of the BMW R18. Personally I’m not a fan of forward foot peg position and if (hypothetically) I were to ever buy the Rocket, it would be the variant with the sportier seating stance. But this is a strictly personal ergonomic preference of course.

This bike is a proper torque monster - enjoy it to the fullest and hope to bump into you at some Triumph event. Shaman Triumph are really classy and patient with their sales process and pitch and I think that’s key in the manner in which they convert footfall inquiries into sales (Arash was my key sales contact for both my Striple 765 as well as the Tiger).

Loved the quality of your pictures too. Please do keep regular updates coming on the ownership and wish you many happy miles on your Rocket.

[RT13]

Talk about go big or go home! This is akin to somebody buying an i20 or a Baleno as a first car and then upgrading to a Mustang or a Dodge Viper within a year. Awesome stuff. Congratulations! Ride it like you stole it. And do keep updating this thread as you uncover the brutal waves of torque on this monster of a muscle car masquerading as a bike.

[ValarMorghulis]

Holy-frikkin'-moly, that is one heck of a beautiful bike!

Congratulations. I hardly post on bike threads but this Triumph is just too beatific to not post!

[abhi_tjet]

Congratulations! Wonderful thread and beautiful pictures. I assume this is the first review of Rocket on team-bhp. Great that you stretched for Rocket. After all - YOLO!

Let us know how long the tyres will last as you log on miles.
Rocket seems a successful product for Triumph India as compared to Speed triple. Keep us updated here. Happy kilometres!

[SN88]

My my what a beauty!! I can stare at it the whole day and drool!!

Congratulations buddy and ride safe!!

I would love to take the plunge for such machines as well but then I land up evaluating costs and start licking my wounds

She is a real beauty is all I can say

[AtheK]

Beautiful bike and equally beautiful pics. Congratulations buddy, that is one hell of a jump, ride safe and take it slow (as you already are).

Wish you miles and miles of happy and safe riding!!

[bf1983]

What a Monster ! This bike has a bigger engine that most mid size cars in India :P

Congrats and wish you a lot of happy miles of riding. Cheers !

[adwaith]

Congratulations on your purchase! She's a phenomenal bike. Looking forward to more posts!

[AtheK]

Originally Posted by bf1983

What a Monster ! This bike has a bigger engine that most mid size cars in India :P

Congrats and wish you a lot of happy miles of riding. Cheers !

Not most pretty much all of them, with 165 BHP it is almost equivalent to SUV from stable of likes of Jeep, hector and Harrier, Torque is a bit less then them, but still triumphs almost all indian makes at 221nm, also weight is much lesser.

Truly a beast bike.

[Cyborg]

Congratulations GP19!

What a bike, pictures just don’t do justice to the presence this one has. Saw a couple at the showroom when I went for my Triple RS.

Were you in the Rocket group last Sunday on the road to Ahura? 7-8 Rockets blasted past our group while we were taking a break. They literally flew past like rockets on the road.

What detailing package did you go for at OCD Detailers and where are they located in Mumbai.

Ride safe!

Cheers

[loki]

Originally Posted by GP19

I wanted to upgrade so in my next bike I wanted to have relaxed riding position and enough power....

Holy smoke man. Now thats what is called an UPGRADE.

Congrats on the purchase. I don't think anyone is making any bike bigger than a Rocket3 anytime soon. Technically, you can't Upgrade from this

[GP19]

Originally Posted by Axe77

^
@GP19:

What an outstanding review of an absolutely incredible machine. The Rocket has really taken off well it would seem what with all Rocket specific groups rides that I see posted on the Shaman insta page. And deservedly so.

Thank You, Axe77.

Last couple of months there were lot of rides organised Sunday, I was a part of few. Its actually a sight to see so many of them together.

Originally Posted by Axe77

Aesthetically - and this is massively debatable - I much prefer the modern muscle cruiser looks of the Rocket over the classic looks of the BMW R18. Personally I’m not a fan of forward foot peg position and if (hypothetically) I were to ever buy the Rocket, it would be the variant with the sportier seating stance. But this is a strictly personal ergonomic preference of course.

Honestly, Im seriously considering to moving mid foot pegs. I recently rode a friend's R and totally fell in love with it. I could control the bike much better.

Originally Posted by Axe77

This bike is a proper torque monster - enjoy it to the fullest and hope to bump into you at some Triumph event.

I'm looking forward to

Originally Posted by Axe77

Loved the quality of your pictures too. Please do keep regular updates coming on the ownership and wish you many happy miles on your Rocket.

Will do that, as I get more saddle time I'll get more ownership report to share.
Thanks

Originally Posted by RT13

Talk about go big or go home! This is akin to somebody buying an i20 or a Baleno as a first car and then upgrading to a Mustang or a Dodge Viper within a year. Awesome stuff. Congratulations! Ride it like you stole it. And do keep updating this thread as you uncover the brutal waves of torque on this monster of a muscle car masquerading as a bike.

Thank You, RT13. Im enjoying the torque, its quite addictive. I've a fear that any other bike I ride I enjoy the torque

Originally Posted by ValarMorghulis

Holy-frikkin'-moly, that is one heck of a beautiful bike!

Congratulations. I hardly post on bike threads but this Triumph is just too beatific to not post!

Thank You, Valar

Originally Posted by abhi_tjet

Congratulations! Wonderful thread and beautiful pictures. I assume this is the first review of Rocket on team-bhp. Great that you stretched for Rocket. After all - YOLO!

Let us know how long the tyres will last as you log on miles.
Rocket seems a successful product for Triumph India as compared to Speed triple. Keep us updated here. Happy kilometres!

Than you, Abhi_jet

From what I've read on other forums, It last somewhere from 8k kms to 11k kms and can set you back for a pair costing Rs 43-55k for Avon Cobra or Metzelers.

Originally Posted by SN88

My my what a beauty!! I can stare at it the whole day and drool!!

Congratulations buddy and ride safe!!

I would love to take the plunge for such machines as well but then I land up evaluating costs and start licking my wounds

She is a real beauty is all I can say

Thanks SN88, I was contemplating a lot before I took the plunge. My wife said do something crazy and I did !

Originally Posted by AtheK

Beautiful bike and equally beautiful pics. Congratulations buddy, that is one hell of a jump, ride safe and take it slow (as you already are).

Wish you miles and miles of happy and safe riding!!

For sure AtheK, Thank you

Originally Posted by bf1983

What a Monster ! This bike has a bigger engine that most mid size cars in India :P

Congrats and wish you a lot of happy miles of riding. Cheers !

Whenever I go to my native my grand father keeps telling me the same. He says it has Innova's engine.

Originally Posted by adwaith

Congratulations on your purchase! She's a phenomenal bike. Looking forward to more posts!

Will try my best. Thanks, Adwaith.

Originally Posted by Cyborg

Congratulations GP19!

Were you in the Rocket group last Sunday on the road to Ahura? 7-8 Rockets blasted past our group while we were taking a break. They literally flew past like rockets on the road.

Yes, I was there and I was at the last. I believe i briefly over took you at Dahisar Toll because now that you mention I remember seeing a Street Triple and If I'm not wrong you spoke to Arash as well.

Originally Posted by Cyborg

What detailing package did you go for at OCD Detailers and where are they located in Mumbai.

I took the basic ceramic coating, which cost me Rs 10k. Sumant did a good job.
I've cleaned the bike couple of times there after and its been a breeze.

Originally Posted by loki

Holy smoke man. Now thats what is called an UPGRADE.

Congrats on the purchase. I don't think anyone is making any bike bigger than a Rocket3 anytime soon. Technically, you can't Upgrade from this

Thank You.

That's something I think to myself but I guess when the time comes I would have probably gotten older.